Dems battle long odds in opposing Kavanaugh

Democrats have launched a bitter fight against President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh — despite long odds that they can overcome the Republicans’ slim Senate majority.

“There’s a lot to dislike about Brett Kavanaugh’s record — including his hostility toward consumers. He argued that the @CFPB — which has returned $12 billion to people who were cheated — is unconstitutional. The rights of consumers: that’s #WhatsAtStake,” U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren tweeted yesterday, following up on her initial Monday night tweet: “Trump wants to put Brett Kavanaugh on the SCOTUS –but he can’t do it without a Senate majority. It’s time to fight.”

“Brett Kavanaugh is a right-wing ideologue selected off the ultraconservative Federalist Society’s judicial wish list,” U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey said. “If Judge Kavanaugh is confirmed, women’s freedom to make decisions about their bodies, reforms to our health care system, the quality of our air and water, and much more will be at risk.”

The GOP controls 51 of the Senate’s 100 seats, though the votes of two pro-choice Republicans — Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine — are uncertain. As many as four Democrats — including three with tough re-election fights, such as Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota — are seen as likely to vote to confirm the nominee.

“I don’t think there’s much that Democratic senators can do to slow down or to prevent his confirmation,” said Suffolk Law professor Rene Reyes. “There will be a lot of discussion, debate and criticism, a lot of arguments raised, but very little can be done as result of those arguments.”

Reyes predicted close scrutiny of Kavanaugh’s decisions. They have included backing citizens’ right to own semi-automatic rifles, delaying a teenager from getting an abortion by detaining her for being in the U.S. illegally and supporting a religious-liberty challenge to the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive coverage mandate.

Vice President Mike Pence, speaking as Kavanaugh began making the rounds on his confirmation push, said the appeals court judge would bring “impeccable credentials and character” to the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh posed for photos in Republican Leader Mitch McConnell’s office, with the Kentucky Republican, Pence and former Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl.

Pence, who is also president of the Senate, called Kavanaugh a “good man” and “quite simply the most qualified and the most deserving nominee to the Supreme Court of the United States.”