KAVANAUGH SWORN IN AMID PROTESTS
US SENATE CONFIRMS TRUMP’S PICK DESPITE SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGES
WASHINGTON: Brett Kavanaugh has been sworn in as the 114th justice of the US Supreme Court after being narrowly confirmed by the Senate in a vote that followed a partisan battle, sexual assault claims and a quick FBI probe.
In a sitting presided by vice president and Senate chief Mike Pence, senators voted from their seats, interrupted frequently by protestors from the visitors gallery who shouted “shame” to legislators who had wavered about their decision before voting yes.
Kavanaugh was confirmed by a 50-48 vote, possibly the narrowest margin in a long time. He will now take his place as the ninth member of the bench, tilting the balance 5-4 in favour of conservatives. He replaces Anthony Kennedy, who had come to be known as the swing vote and has retired.
Kavanaugh was sworn in at the Supreme Court. Chief justice John Roberts administered the constitutional oath and retired justice Kennedy administered the judicial oath. Supreme Court justiceship is for life and Kavanaugh, who is only 53, is likely be on the nine-member bench for decades as are some of those on the current bench.
“Our country has a truly great new Supreme Court justice,” President Donald Trump told reporters. “He’s an outstanding man, an outstanding person, and what they put him and his family through, the Democrats, over the last few weeks is horrible.”
Kavanaugh is the second justice sent to the Supreme Court by Trump; the first was Neil Gorsuch. While the first nominee faced the usual political opposition from Democrats, Kavanaugh underwent a far more bruising process, with allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.
After four days of intense public hearing, Kavanaugh was set for a smooth confirmation vote three weeks ago. But just days before a procedural vote to advance the confirmation to the final vote, Christine Blasey Ford, a professor, came forward to allege she had been assaulted by him when they were in school.
Soon a second woman, Debora Ramirez, alleged Kavanaugh had exposed himself to her when they were in college. An FBI inquiry was ordered and based on its report on Thursday, which Democrats criticised as incomplete, Republican Senate leadership voted to advance the confirmation. While the battle over the confirmation has ended, the accompanying partisan politics will continue, and is likely to impact the upcoming mid-term elections.
Republican are hoping to ride the momentum and Democrats looking to channelise the disappointment of their cadre. Mitch McConnell, the top Republican senator, said the confirmation fight and the protests were a “great political gift” that would help rally support for the GOP.