Brett Kavanaugh Makes Opening Statement: SCOTUS Must ‘Never Be Viewed as a Partisan Institution’
After the many opening statements from senators today, Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh addressed the Senate Judiciary Committee with his own opening remarks. He spoke at length about his background, his family, and his values as he talked about the role of a Supreme Court justice as a “neutral and impartial arbiter who favors no litigant or policy.”
“I thank President Trump for the honor of this nomination,” Kavanaugh said. “As a judge and as a citizen, I was deeply impressed by the president’s careful attention to the nomination process and by his thorough consideration of potential nominees.”
He heralded Anthony Kennedy and even made a brief mention of Merrick Garland before saying this:
“Over the past 12 years, I’ve ruled sometimes for the prosecution and sometimes for criminal defendants. Sometimes for workers and sometimes for businesses. Sometimes for environmentalists and sometimes for coal miners. In each case, I have followed the law. I do not decide cases based on personal or policy preferences. I am not a pro-plaintiff or pro-defendant judge. I’m not a pro-prosecution or pro-defense judge. I am a pro-law judge. As Justice Kennedy showed us, a judge must be independent, not swayed by public pressure. Our independent judiciary is the crown jewel of our constitutional republic. In our independent judiciary, the Supreme Court is the last line of defense for the separation of powers and for the rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution. The Supreme Court must never, never be viewed as a partisan institution.”
He concluded his remarks by saying, “I am an optimist. I live on the sunrise side of the mountain, not the sunset side of the mountain. I see the day that is coming, not the day that is gone. I am optimistic about the future of America and the future of our independent Judiciary. I revere the Constitution. If confirmed to the Supreme Court, I will keep an open mind in every case. I will do equal right to the poor and to the rich. I will always strive to preserve the Constitution of the United States and the American Rule of Law.”
You can watch the first part of his remarks above, via CNN. You can watch the second part below:
[image via screengrab]
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