Brown to oppose nominee for court

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, will oppose the U.S. Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, making his announcement just days after meeting with the federal appeals court judge.

Although Brown’s decision Friday was expected, he took more time in announcing his opposition to Kavanaugh. Last year, he said he would vote against Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch just hours after President Donald Trump nominated him to the high court. Gorsuch eventually was confirmed.

“After thoroughly reviewing his record, meeting with him face to face, and listening to Ohioans, I am convinced Judge Kavanaugh would side with special interests over working people and threaten the rights of Ohioans,” Brown said.

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“Special interests already have armies of lobbyists and lawyers on their side,” Brown said. “Working people need justices who will put their rights first, not justices who will side with insurance companies over cancer survivors, financial scammers over customers or massive corporations over American workers.”

Bob Salera, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said “Brown never had any intention of giving … Kavanaugh the consideration he deserves. From the day President Trump announced Judge Kavanaugh as his pick for the Supreme Court, it was clear Brown would bow down to the left and vote no.”

Brown’s decision still does not provide Democrats with enough votes to block Kavanaugh’s nomination. The Republicans control the Senate, 50-49 — Sen. John McCain of Arizona is absent because of brain cancer — and if every GOP senator supports the nomination, Kavanaugh will be confirmed.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, a strong Kavanaugh supporter, has helped prepare the judge for next month’s Senate confirmation hearings.