Sen. Murkowski Weighs in on Why She’s a ‘No’ on Kavanaugh: The ‘Appearance of Impropriety has Become Unavoidable’

Sen. Lisa Murkowski spoke on the Senate floor on Friday night to discuss her reasoning behind voting ‘no’ on Brett Kavanaugh‘s Supreme Court nomination.

“Even in the face of the worst thing that could happen, a sexual assault allegation, even in the face of an overly and overtly political process, a  politicized process and even when one side of this chamber is absolutely dead set on defeating his nomination, from the very get-go, before he was even named,” she said in a measured tone.”Even in these situations, the standard is that a judge must act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary and shall avoid the impropriety and the appearance of impropriety.”

She added the turning point was the hearing.

“And after the hearing that we all watched last week, last Thursday, it became clear to me, or was becoming clearer, that that appearance of impropriety has become unavoidable,” the Republican said.

She added that since then she’s been “agonizing.”

“And I’ve been deliberating, agonizing about what is fair? Is this too unfair a burden, to place on somebody that is dealing with the worst, the most horrific allegations that go to your integrity, they go to everything that you are,” she said in her floor speech. “And I think we all struggle with how we would respond. But I am reminded, there are only, there are only nine seats on the bench of the highest court in the land.”

With both Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic Senator Joe Manchin both planning to vote ‘yes,’ Kavanaugh is likely to be confirmed with a Saturday Senate vote.

Because her vote will not change the outcome, Murkowski plans to vote “present” a nod she says to her friend Sen. Steve Daines who is unable to vote because he is at his daughter’s wedding in Montana.

Watch above, via CNN

[image via screengrab]