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| United States Senators Tammy Duckworth, Kamala Harris and Mazie Hirono. |
THE THREE U.S. Senators of Asian American and Pacific Islander descent are all Democrats, all are women, all are disappointed and all are angry.
Not surprisingly, they voted 'No!" But the GOP-controlled Senate voted 50-48 Saturday (Oct. 6) to send Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
Senators Kamala Harris and Mazie Hirono were on the Senate Judiciary Committee who interviewed Brett Kavanaugh for the 9th seat on the Supreme Court. They heard and questioned Dr. Christine Blasey Ford who accused Kavanaugh of attempted rape when they were both in high school Harris and Hirono questioned Kavanaugh on the alleged assault, during which it was discovered that the nominee often engaged in heavy drinking. His excessive drinking and inebriation was confirmed by former classmates.
Democrats called the FBI investigation of the sexual misconduct allegations said the White House limited was inadequate, interviewing only nine people in five days. Most notably, the principals, Ford and Kavanaugh were not interviewed.
Harris and Hirono were two of six senators interviewed by The Atlantic:
Kamala Harris of California connects the #MeToo Movement to the history of domestic violence:
"([Sexual assault" is an issue right now that is where the issue of domestic violence was about 30 years ago. There was a perception about domestic violence, that I hope we have gotten beyond, but there was a perception about domestic violence: oh, you know, what happens in the king's castle is the king's business. That's private business. That's not our business. But then we evolved as a society and we realized, no, if she's walking around with a black eye or a busted lip, that's everybody's business. She deserves to be safe and we must stand up for her. I believe this is an inflection moment on the issue of sexual assault, and I hope and I pray that this is a moment where everyone will agree—no one should silently suffer. Let’s talk about this…
"Judge Kavanaugh has made it very clear to the American public that he is biased, that he is receiving information and perceives it through the lens of a partisan and through the lens of the person he has been his entire career, which is a partisan operative. And there were moments, perhaps, during his initial testimony, where he may have distracted us from that part of his history, where he talked, you know, in a calm voice about certain things. He certainly knows case law and talked about it. But when the issues got hot, when it became about fundamental issues, the veneer was stripped away, and Brett Kavanaugh showed us who he really is."
Mazie Hirono of Hawaii says Kavanaugh does not understand indigenous law:
"Judge Kavanaugh, separately, in addiction to working on this amicus brief, wrote an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, quote, “Are Hawaiians Indians?,” end quote, that made false and offensive arguments. In his op-ed, and amicus brief, Judge Kavanaugh relied on incorrect facts and misstatements, ignoring obvious truths that contradict his position. He relied on these incorrect facts in order to reach his political conclusion that native Hawaiians and, arguably, other indigenous communities who do not fit his limited view of tribal structure are not afforded any special protections by the constitution. He called OHA’s voting structure into question under the 14th Amendment calling it, quote, 'naked racial spoils system,' end quote. In describing the native Hawaiian community, he went out of his way to ignore their history. He cobbled together blatant falsehoods and called into question their status as an indigenous people. His op-ed argued that native Hawaiians were not entitled to the constitutional protections given to indigenous Americans because, as he put it, quote, 'they don't have their own government, they don't have their own system of laws, they don't have their own elected leaders, they don't live on reservations or in territorial enclaves. They don’t even live together in Hawaii,' end quote.
"Judge Kavanaugh is saying that native groups in the US derive their rights from having been herded onto reservations and cheated out of their land. and that they surrender their rights when they move outside of these artificial official boundaries. It is not only factually wrong but deeply offensive."
Tammy Duckworth of Illinois goes through stages of grief: heartbroken, horrified, furious and determined.
In her speech on the Senate floor before the final vote, she expressed her sentiments:
Senators Kamala Harris and Mazie Hirono were on the Senate Judiciary Committee who interviewed Brett Kavanaugh for the 9th seat on the Supreme Court. They heard and questioned Dr. Christine Blasey Ford who accused Kavanaugh of attempted rape when they were both in high school Harris and Hirono questioned Kavanaugh on the alleged assault, during which it was discovered that the nominee often engaged in heavy drinking. His excessive drinking and inebriation was confirmed by former classmates.
Democrats called the FBI investigation of the sexual misconduct allegations said the White House limited was inadequate, interviewing only nine people in five days. Most notably, the principals, Ford and Kavanaugh were not interviewed.
Harris and Hirono were two of six senators interviewed by The Atlantic:
Kamala Harris of California connects the #MeToo Movement to the history of domestic violence:
"([Sexual assault" is an issue right now that is where the issue of domestic violence was about 30 years ago. There was a perception about domestic violence, that I hope we have gotten beyond, but there was a perception about domestic violence: oh, you know, what happens in the king's castle is the king's business. That's private business. That's not our business. But then we evolved as a society and we realized, no, if she's walking around with a black eye or a busted lip, that's everybody's business. She deserves to be safe and we must stand up for her. I believe this is an inflection moment on the issue of sexual assault, and I hope and I pray that this is a moment where everyone will agree—no one should silently suffer. Let’s talk about this…
"Judge Kavanaugh has made it very clear to the American public that he is biased, that he is receiving information and perceives it through the lens of a partisan and through the lens of the person he has been his entire career, which is a partisan operative. And there were moments, perhaps, during his initial testimony, where he may have distracted us from that part of his history, where he talked, you know, in a calm voice about certain things. He certainly knows case law and talked about it. But when the issues got hot, when it became about fundamental issues, the veneer was stripped away, and Brett Kavanaugh showed us who he really is."
Mazie Hirono of Hawaii says Kavanaugh does not understand indigenous law:
"Judge Kavanaugh, separately, in addiction to working on this amicus brief, wrote an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, quote, “Are Hawaiians Indians?,” end quote, that made false and offensive arguments. In his op-ed, and amicus brief, Judge Kavanaugh relied on incorrect facts and misstatements, ignoring obvious truths that contradict his position. He relied on these incorrect facts in order to reach his political conclusion that native Hawaiians and, arguably, other indigenous communities who do not fit his limited view of tribal structure are not afforded any special protections by the constitution. He called OHA’s voting structure into question under the 14th Amendment calling it, quote, 'naked racial spoils system,' end quote. In describing the native Hawaiian community, he went out of his way to ignore their history. He cobbled together blatant falsehoods and called into question their status as an indigenous people. His op-ed argued that native Hawaiians were not entitled to the constitutional protections given to indigenous Americans because, as he put it, quote, 'they don't have their own government, they don't have their own system of laws, they don't have their own elected leaders, they don't live on reservations or in territorial enclaves. They don’t even live together in Hawaii,' end quote.
"Judge Kavanaugh is saying that native groups in the US derive their rights from having been herded onto reservations and cheated out of their land. and that they surrender their rights when they move outside of these artificial official boundaries. It is not only factually wrong but deeply offensive."
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| Brett Kavanaugh was sworn in Saturday night as Supreme Court Justice by retired Justice Kennnedy. |
Tammy Duckworth of Illinois goes through stages of grief: heartbroken, horrified, furious and determined.
Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois is not on the Judiciary Committee but she still had plenty to say:
In her speech on the Senate floor before the final vote, she expressed her sentiments:
By the time Dr. Ford was done sharing her story last Thursday afternoon, I was heartbroken.
Then, by the time Judge Kavanaugh was done speaking just a few hours later, I was horrified
Dr. Ford spent her time talking about the laughter she still hears ringing in her ears from that night: the night that an older, stronger, drunker boy forced her to learn what it was like to feel helpless.
Her voice quivered. But she herself never wavered. Steadfast in the truth—in the memory of those few moments that changed her life forever.
Judge Kavanaugh, meanwhile, spent his time interrupting and attacking the committee members. Shouting over Senators and dressing them down—appearing belligerent and outraged that anyone would dare keep him from getting what he feels entitled to.
As though he—or anyone—is entitled to a seat on the United States Supreme Court.
Time after time, he made brazenly political statements that should disqualify any candidate from serving as a federal judge.
Over and over again, he told what appeared to be blatant lies, despite being under oath.
He seems to have lied about the meaning of his yearbook page. About when he learned of some of the recent accusations. About what he knew at age 53 and what he did at age 17.
Sadly, this was hardly even surprising:
Kavanaugh has a habit of appearing to lie under oath—as we know from when he was questioned about his role in the Bush Administration’s torture policy back in 2006.
This consistent dishonesty—this disregard, even distaste for the truth—should be unacceptable in any judicial nominee. Let alone one nominated to serve on the highest court in the land.
And let’s be clear: How Republicans went about restricting the FBI investigation this past week was questionable at best, sabotage at worst.
But the reality is that that suspiciously limited background check wasn’t even necessary to prove that he’s unfit.
It was his inappropriate public outbursts and his lack of candor that are so deeply troubling—that should be so obviously disqualifying.
This has nothing to do with his conservative beliefs.
This has to do with the fact that the belligerent partisan operative who revealed himself last week is wholly unsuited for a job that demands level-headed temperament.
And it’s not just me saying that—it’s a sentiment that some of Kavanaugh’s own former law clerks have expressed in the wake of his hostile outbursts.
No one is entitled to a Supreme Court seat.
Not even someone who went to Yale College or Law School, as he reminded us one, two, three, four times last Thursday.
And in this “Me Too” moment we’re living through, we need to recognize the bravery it took for these women—Dr. Ford, but also Deborah Ramirez—to speak out. Not deride them and shame them, like some on the other side of the aisle—and even the President—are doing.
The other night Trump stood in the middle of a political rally in Mississippi and told joke after joke about Dr. Ford and the worst moment of her life.
Mocking a survivor. Making fun of her trauma. Riling up thousands of people to laugh at her just like she says Brett Kavanaugh did in that bedroom that night.
That makes me sick. That makes me furious.
Donald Trump may sit in the Oval Office, but it’s obvious he cannot live up to the even the minimal standards of what we should expect of any President.
He doesn’t even understand or care how cruel it is to try to bully a survivor back into the shadows.
You know, I have two daughters. The younger, Maile, was just born in April. The older, Abigail, is nearly four now.
Her drawings line the walls of my Senate office. Her smile is the first thing I see in the morning.
Well, I just can’t stop thinking about how Dr. Ford was also once that age.
She too probably had her hair brushed then braided by her mother.
She too probably loved that too-big set of Crayola crayons and proudly brought her mom drawing after drawing.
I can’t stop thinking about how that little girl, just a decade later, found herself cornered and alone and scared. Outnumbered and overpowered and terrified. Hearing that boy’s laughter that she’d remember all these years later.
I’m voting against Brett Kavanaugh because I believe Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.
Because I believe Deborah Ramirez.
Because we need a nominee who won’t cover up, abet and lie about torture.
But also because I know the American people deserve a fair-minded Supreme Court justice who actually cares about honesty and the truth.
That’s the bare minimum we should expect from a nominee to the Supreme Court, and Brett Kavanaugh can’t even clear that hurdle._____________________________________________________________________________
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