What’s next for Kavanaugh and the Republican Party?
Taylor Deaton, Assistant Editor
Photo courtesy of the Executive Office of the President of the United States
On Sept. 27, Brett Kavanaugh’s accuser will testify against him in front of the Senate in regards to her sexual-assault allegations. The next steps for Kavanaugh remain unclear, but he and his party remain anxious.
Kavanaugh, a U.S. Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is under fire after sexual-assault allegations against him have come to light. Kavanaugh has been accused of assaulting a woman during the 1980s, while they were at a party during high-school.
California Senator Dianne Feinstein released a statement regarding the allegation, stating that she “[has] received information from an individual concerning the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.” Kavanaugh denied the allegations completely.
Kavanaugh’s accuser requested an FBI investigation regarding the assault, but it has been denied by the Republican party, who are anxious to see Kavanaugh’s confirmation continue. The confirmation vote cannot continue until an investigation can be executed.
On Sept. 23, the SCOTUS shared that “The Senate Judiciary Committee has rescheduled the fifth day of its hearing on the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court for Thursday, Sept. 27, at 10:00 a.m.”
So, what does this mean for President Trump’s nomination? What does it mean for the Republican party? In the midst of the #MeToo Movement, the allegations are very alarming for Kavanaugh and his party, and many politicians, media analysts, and news-correspondents are sharing their thoughts regarding the allegations on Twitter.
Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee tweeted out that “the American people need answers about [Kavanaugh’s] fitness for a lifetime appointment to sit on the #SupremeCourt.
Nikki Haley, United States Ambassador to the United Nations, shared her opinion in a segment with Face The Nation. Haley stated that “this is a situation where the Senate really needs to lead on this in the way that they are responsible, in a way that they are conscious of hearing both stories, and they do it quickly for the sake of both families and they take the politics out of it.”
Journalist Chase Madar said in a tweet that “you have to be blissfully ignorant of American criminal justice to think Supreme Court confirmation hearings are anything like a criminal trial…and you have to be oblivious to everyday humanity to think Kavanaugh might be ‘destroyed’ by them.”
One of the main questions here is how the GOP will respond if the Kavanaugh allegations are true. In an appearance on CNN, Republican Strategist Brian Robinson stated that “[the SCOTUS] is going to confirm him, he’s going to be on the Supreme Court.” Robinson’s reasoning behind the statement is that “nothing that has been alleged up to now is disqualifying from the Supreme Court.”
Despite the variety of questions aimed towards Kavanaugh and his accuser, nothing is one-hundred percent certain regarding the allegations, and the tension in America at this time remains at a high, as it will stay until Sept. 27, when Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing continues, and his accuser testifies in court.
