{"id":8108,"date":"2018-07-09T21:43:31","date_gmt":"2018-07-10T04:43:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=8108"},"modified":"2018-07-09T21:43:31","modified_gmt":"2018-07-10T04:43:31","slug":"president-trump-nominates-hardline-conservative-brett-kavanaugh-to-supreme-court","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=8108","title":{"rendered":"President Trump nominates hardline conservative Brett Kavanaugh to Supreme Court"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pb-root\" class=\"c o l l a p s e d - n a v\">\n<div data-role=\"close-tray\">\n<article class=\"grid container padded-container\">\n<section id=\"left\" class=\"left guttered width-100\">\n<div id=\"f0AWCErdziHtVq\" class=\"wrapper clearfix full pb-feature pb-layout-item pb-f-article-body\" data-pb-name=\"Article Body (Elements)\" data-pb-curated=\"curated\">\n<div class=\"collection collection-cards\">\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>President Trump tapped conservative stalwart Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court on Monday in hopes of placating his political base and locking in a right-wing judiciary for years to come.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>After days of secretive back-to-back interviews and frenzied speculation, Trump finally trotted out the U.S. Court of Appeals judge for a dramatic prime-time TV announcement in the East Room of the White House.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>\u201cWhat matters is not a judge&#8217;s political views but whether they can set aside those views to do what the law and the Constitution require. I am pleased to say that I have found, without doubt, such a person,\u201d Trump said of Kavanaugh, who will replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy if the Senate confirms him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>Kavanaugh, who used to clerk for Kennedy, has an extensive resume touting a plethora of conservative causes and opinions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>The 53-year-old Washington jurist lavished praise on Trump and shouted out his former boss.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>\u201cMr. President, I am grateful to you, and I\u2019m humbled by your confidence in me,\u201d Kavanaugh said, standing alongside Trump. \u201cJustice Kennedy devoted his career to securing liberty. I am deeply honored to be nominated to fill his seat on the Supreme Court.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card card-pull-center card-captioned collection-item\" data-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<figure class=\"\">\n<div class=\"full-width img-container \"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"b-lazy full-width b-loaded\" src=\"http:\/\/www.nydailynews.com\/resizer\/kq4Nno-APFZ4uUMr95u78KUm_WA=\/1400x0\/www.trbimg.com\/img-5b44107e\/turbine\/ny-1531187322-s4nalmjnzz-snap-image\/2000\" alt=\"Federal Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump's Supreme Court nominee stands in the East Room of the White House, Monday, July 9, 2018, in Washington.\" \/><\/div><figcaption class=\"caption-text spaced spaced-top spaced-sm flex-container-row justify-space-between \">\n<div>Federal Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump&#8217;s Supreme Court nominee stands in the East Room of the White House, Monday, July 9, 2018, in Washington. (Alex Brandon \/ AP)<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"sharebar \"><button class=\"button button-icon button-icon-hover-accent \" role=\"button\" name=\"twitter\" aria-label=\"share on twitter\" data-arctrack=\"socialShareTwtr\" data-referrer=\"\"><i class=\"fa fa-twitter button-icon-inset-accent\"><\/i><\/button>\u00a0<button class=\"button button-icon button-icon-hover-accent \" name=\"facebook\" aria-label=\"share on facebook\" data-arctrack=\"socialShareFb\" data-referrer=\"\"><i class=\"fa fa-facebook-square button-icon-inset-accent\"><\/i><\/button><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>Kavanaugh will likely face combative Senate confirmation hearings, with Democrats expected to grill him on divisive issues such as abortion, gay rights and the Second Amendment. Contrary to other Trump Supreme Court finalists, Kavanaugh doesn\u2019t have a record of publicly criticizing the landmark Roe vs. Wade ruling, which legalized abortion nationwide.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>However, Kavanuagh faced criticism for dissenting last year against permitting a migrant Central American 17-year-old to have an abortion while in federal custody, complaining it would hand rights to undocumented immigrants to have \u201cimmediate abortion on demand.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>President George W. Bush nominated Kavanaugh to his current judgeship in 2003, and commended Trump on nominating him for the high court.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>\u201cBrett is a brilliant jurist who has faithfully applied the Constitution and laws throughout his 12 years on the D.C. circuit,\u201d Bush said in a statement. \u201cHe will make a superb justice.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>Kavanaugh faced a grueling confirmation process after Bush tapped him for the Washington court. It took the Senate three years to confirm him after Democrats accused him of being overly partisan while he dodged questions on torture and the importance of judicial precedent.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>On abortion, Kavanaugh vowed during those confirmation hearings that he would follow Supreme Court precedent, but he refused to assert his personal opinion on Roe vs. Wade. In response, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) at the time called Kavanaugh\u2019s nomination \u201cnot just a drop of salt in the partisan wounds; it is the whole shaker.\u201d Schumer was similarly salty Monday after Trump\u2019s announcement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>\u201cWith this pick, the President is making good on his pledge to \u2018punish\u2019 women for their choices,\u201d Schumer said, referencing one of Trump\u2019s most infamous campaign pledges. \u201cJudge Kavanaugh got the nomination because he passed this litmus test, not because he\u2019ll be an impartial judge on behalf of all Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card card-pull-center card-captioned collection-item\" data-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<figure class=\"\">\n<div class=\"full-width img-container \"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"b-lazy full-width b-loaded\" src=\"http:\/\/www.nydailynews.com\/resizer\/PGTmTTLvvt2CNc_CzgIULCvLk0M=\/1400x0\/www.trbimg.com\/img-5b440db2\/turbine\/ny-1531186606-tjfvxj1r3j-snap-image\" alt=\"President Trump shakes hands Monday with his Supreme Court choice, 53-year-old U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Brett Kavanaugh.\" \/><\/div><figcaption class=\"caption-text spaced spaced-top spaced-sm flex-container-row justify-space-between \">\n<div>President Trump shakes hands Monday with his Supreme Court choice, 53-year-old U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Brett Kavanaugh. (SAUL LOEB \/ AFP\/Getty Images)<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"sharebar \"><button class=\"button button-icon button-icon-hover-accent \" role=\"button\" name=\"twitter\" aria-label=\"share on twitter\" data-arctrack=\"socialShareTwtr\" data-referrer=\"\"><i class=\"fa fa-twitter button-icon-inset-accent\"><\/i><\/button>\u00a0<button class=\"button button-icon button-icon-hover-accent \" name=\"facebook\" aria-label=\"share on facebook\" data-arctrack=\"socialShareFb\" data-referrer=\"\"><i class=\"fa fa-facebook-square button-icon-inset-accent\"><\/i><\/button><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>Citing his dissent in the case of the 17-year-old undocumented teen, Brooklyn Law School Prof. Bill Araiza said he sees someone in Kavanaugh who would certainly be in favor of overturning the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>\u201cHe used strong language in that ruling that kind of sounded like dog whistles to the larger anti-abortion crowd,\u201d Araiza told the Daily News. \u201cIt\u2019s inconceivable that he would not be a reliable conservative vote on hot-button issues, including abortion.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>Before his federal judgeship, Kavanaugh worked for special counsel Ken Starr on the high-profile investigation that resulted in President Bill Clinton\u2019s impeachment. Kavanaugh notably advised Starr that not even a President can use the attorney-client privilege to avoid complying with a federal subpoena \u2014 an argument that could prove relevant in special counsel Robert Mueller\u2019s investigation into Russian election meddling.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>Since become a federal appeals judge, Kavanaugh has voted against the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act and ruled in favor of the National Security Agency\u2019s controversial phone surveillance program, which was curtailed by Congress amid criticism that it violated privacy rights.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>A source familiar with Trump\u2019s thinking told The News ahead of his announcement he didn\u2019t expect Kavanaugh to be appointed, considering his record on opposing abortion rights was far spottier than that of other candidates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>\u201cSocial conservatives are putting a tremendous amount of pressure on the President not to pick Kavanaugh,\u201d the source said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>Senate Democrats contended Kavanaugh is a danger in his own right.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>\u201cHe could be the deciding vote in overturning Roe v. Wade, which is what President Trump said he wanted his new Supreme Court justice to do,\u201d said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). \u201cI urge all New Yorkers to raise their voices and join me in opposing him.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>New York\u2019s Democratic gubernatorial candidates were united in their displeasure with Trump\u2019s pick.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>\u201cKavanaugh is an extreme conservative with a clear partisan record,\u201d Gov. Cuomo said. \u201cHe would put our rights and democratic priorities in jeopardy, including the Affordable Care Act, protections for the environment, organized labor, LGBTQ rights and the protections of Roe v. Wade.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>Cynthia Nixon echoed Cuomo\u2019s sentiment in a tweet: \u201cWith Donald Trump\u2019s pick threatening to reverse #RoevWade, it\u2019s more important than ever to fight back and enshrine abortion and access to contraception.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>Since the Starr investigation, Kavanaugh\u2019s take on prosecuting Presidents appears to have changed, and that may have played part in Trump\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card card-pull-center card-captioned collection-item\" data-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<figure class=\"\">\n<div class=\"full-width img-container \"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"b-lazy full-width b-loaded\" src=\"http:\/\/www.nydailynews.com\/resizer\/iheMkUrIcQYGf4XLbKgZJaaNZzM=\/1400x0\/www.trbimg.com\/img-5b440e26\/turbine\/ny-1531186721-7m8gmf94kh-snap-image\" alt=\"Kavanaugh is joined by his family as President introduces him.\" \/><\/div><figcaption class=\"caption-text spaced spaced-top spaced-sm flex-container-row justify-space-between \">\n<div>Kavanaugh is joined by his family as President introduces him. (Chip Somodevilla \/ Getty Images)<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"sharebar \"><button class=\"button button-icon button-icon-hover-accent \" role=\"button\" name=\"twitter\" aria-label=\"share on twitter\" data-arctrack=\"socialShareTwtr\" data-referrer=\"\"><i class=\"fa fa-twitter button-icon-inset-accent\"><\/i><\/button>\u00a0<button class=\"button button-icon button-icon-hover-accent \" name=\"facebook\" aria-label=\"share on facebook\" data-arctrack=\"socialShareFb\" data-referrer=\"\"><i class=\"fa fa-facebook-square button-icon-inset-accent\"><\/i><\/button><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>In a 2009 article, Kavanaugh argued strongly against \u201cthe indictment and trial of a sitting President,\u201d saying such a process would \u201ccripple the federal government\u201d and render it \u201cunable to function with credibility.\u201d Trump \u2014 whose presidential campaign remains under investigation for possible collusion with the Russian government \u2014 is already facing calls for his impeachment from some congressional Democrats.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>Kennedy, who will officially step down July 31, has served as a crucial swing vote for decades, serving as a mediator between the court\u2019s four liberal and four conservative justices.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>The Supreme Court will take a significant rightward turn politically if the Senate confirms Kavanaugh. With a 51-49 divide, Republicans can only afford to lose one vote without jeopardizing his appointment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card card-pull-center card-captioned collection-item\" data-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<figure class=\"\">\n<div class=\"full-width img-container \"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"b-lazy full-width\" src=\"http:\/\/www.nydailynews.com\/pb\/resources\/images\/tinygif.gif\" alt=\"President George W. Bush looks on as Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy swears in Brett Kavanaugh as U.S. Court of Appeals judge for the District of Columbia in June 2006.\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.nydailynews.com\/resizer\/jTxdTbkdCv9HRG9hgQDJ_tFYiGA=\/1400x0\/www.trbimg.com\/img-5b441041\/turbine\/ny-1531187261-bf0hllemvr-snap-image\" \/><\/div><figcaption class=\"caption-text spaced spaced-top spaced-sm flex-container-row justify-space-between \">\n<div>President George W. Bush looks on as Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy swears in Brett Kavanaugh as U.S. Court of Appeals judge for the District of Columbia in June 2006. (PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS \/ AP)<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"sharebar \"><button class=\"button button-icon button-icon-hover-accent \" role=\"button\" name=\"twitter\" aria-label=\"share on twitter\" data-arctrack=\"socialShareTwtr\" data-referrer=\"\"><i class=\"fa fa-twitter button-icon-inset-accent\"><\/i><\/button>\u00a0<button class=\"button button-icon button-icon-hover-accent \" name=\"facebook\" aria-label=\"share on facebook\" data-arctrack=\"socialShareFb\" data-referrer=\"\"><i class=\"fa fa-facebook-square button-icon-inset-accent\"><\/i><\/button><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p data-page=\"2\">Kavanaugh is Trump\u2019s second Supreme Court appointment, after he successfully nominated Justice Neil Gorsuch to the bench last April. The high court has made a number of rulings since Gorsuch\u2019s appointment that have unsettled liberals, and experts say more such decisions are imminent if the Senate confirms Kavanaugh, whose relatively young age all but ensures he will spend several decades on the bench.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has pledged to schedule confirmation hearings on Trump\u2019s nominee before the congressional midterms in November.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>Democrats have scolded McConnell over that promise, pointing out the hypocrisy in him now looking to rush a vote on a GOP-nominated pick even though he spent nearly a year blocking President Barack Obama\u2019s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, because he was concerned about confirmation hearings being held too close to the 2016 election.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>McConnell (R-Ky.) advised Trump against nominating Kavanaugh, saying his extensive paper trail of experience could allow Democrats to delay the process and ultimately block his nomination.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>Nonetheless, McConnell praised Trump after his announcement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \">\n<p>\u201cPresident Trump has made a superb choice,\u201d McConnell said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card collection-item card-border-bottom card-border-bottom-thick card-border-bottom-dark\" data-type=\"text\">\n<div class=\" card-content \"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<aside id=\"right-rail\" class=\"right right-rail guttered flex-container-column\">\n<div id=\"fctzZQ1dziHtVq\" class=\"wrapper clearfix full pb-feature pb-layout-item pb-f-list-recommender\" data-pb-name=\"Recommender\" data-pb-curated=\"automated\" data-pb-id=\"recommender-site\">\n<div class=\"card flex-container-column align-items-stretch\">\n<div class=\"card-content \">\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled collection collection-vertical collection-cards \">\n<li class=\"collection-item flex-container-row align-items-start hidden-mobile collection-item-border-bottom \">\n<div class=\"flex-container-column align-items-start flex\">\n<div class=\"timestamp collection-bottom-element\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"\">\n<div class=\"right-element image-xs img-container aspect-ratio-1x1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"b-lazy full-width b-loaded\" src=\"http:\/\/www.nydailynews.com\/resizer\/RnGlNGheK8xPIoZaQ01tGywuWdg=\/1400x0\/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tronc.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/KKAK3MNFGJBUHNJCIPSYJIKBJA.jpg\" alt=\"MILLHISER: Kavanaugh nomination a win for Republicans - and a blow to democracy\" \/><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"collection-item flex-container-row align-items-start hidden-mobile collection-item-border-bottom \">\n<div class=\"flex-container-column align-items-start flex\"><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"met-flyout met-rule-1415\">\n<div class=\"met-toast-varB\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Trump tapped conservative stalwart Brett&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8109,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8108","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-a"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8108"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8108\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8110,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8108\/revisions\/8110"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}