Trump’s apology for ‘terrible suffering’
President slams opponents’ claims as Kavanaugh sworn in
SUPREME Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was sworn in yesterday at a White House ceremony – again, for the cameras this time – but not before President Donald Trump slammed Mr Kavanaugh’s opponents for a “campaign of personal destruction”.
In a ceremony that could have been a unifying moment for the nation, Mr Trump instead made remarks even he acknowledged began “differently than perhaps any other event of such magnitude”.
“On behalf of our nation, I want to apologise to Brett and the entire Kavanaugh family for the terrible pain and suffering you have been forced to endure,” Mr Trump said, addressing the bitter fight over Mr Kavanaugh’s nomination that became a firestorm after the emergence of sexual misconduct allegations, which Mr Kavanaugh denied.
With all the sitting justices in attendance, along with Mr Kavanaugh’s family and top administration officials, Mr Trump said Mr Kavanaugh had been the victim of a “campaign of political and personal destruction based on lies and deception”.
But, he told the new justice, “You, sir, under historic scrutiny, were proven innocent.” Critics have argued the investigation was not thorough enough for that conclusion.
Mr Kavanaugh officially became a member of the high court on Saturday and has already been at work preparing for his first day on the bench today.
Mr Kavanaugh, who has faced criticism that he appeared too politicised in his Senate testimony, tried to assure the public that he would approach the job fairly.
He said the high court “is not a partisan or political institution” and assured he took the job with “no bitterness”.
“The Senate confirmation process was contentious and emotional. That process is over. My focus now is to be the best justice I can be,” he said.
It was the end of a deeply contentious nomination process that sparked mass protests, an FBI investigation and a national reckoning over power, gender, sexual assault and the line between violence and adolescent transgression.
And it comes less than a month before pivotal midterm elections that will determine which party controls Congress.
Ceremonial swearing-ins are unusual for new justices. Only Samuel Alito and Stephen Breyer participated in White House events after they had been sworn in and begun work as justices, according to the court’s records on the current crop of justices.
Mr Kavanaugh and his law clerks already have been at the Supreme Court preparing for his first day on the bench today, when the justices will hear arguments in two cases about longer prison terms for repeat offenders. The new justice’s four clerks all are women, the first time that has happened.