Brett Kavanaugh named as Donald Trump’s Supreme Court pick
Nominee is further to the right than outgoing Supreme Court Justice
Donald Trump has nominated 53-year-old federal judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy.
Kavanaugh, a “conservative stalwart with deep ties to the Republican establishment”, worked in the White House during George W Bush’s presidency, the Washington Post reports. He now serves on the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit.
Trump said he had adopted Ronald Reagan’s approach of not asking about the nominee’s personal opinions.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“What matters is not a judge’s political views but whether they can set aside those views to do what the law and the Constitution require,” he said. “I am pleased to say that I have found, without doubt, such a person.”
Kavanaugh now faces a thorough background check by the Senate Judiciary Committee, followed by a confirmation vote by the full Senate.
CNN says that Republican Senator Susan Collins is considered a crucial swing vote, as she has made it clear that she will not support a nominee hostile to the landmark abortion ruling in Roe v. Wade. “Republicans can’t afford to lose a single member if – and this is a big if – Democrats are unified in their opposition to Trump’s pick,” the broadcaster says.
Republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell reportedly warned Trump before the nomination that Kavanaugh’s lengthy paper trail could be an obstacle to his confirmation.
Kavanaugh has spent 12 years as an appeals court judge, was White House staff secretary under George W Bush, and was an assistant to Kenneth Starr, who investigated Bill Clinton.
The New York Times says that the number of pages of documents produced by Kavanaugh during his previous roles “is said to run into the millions”, which could allow Democrats to delay the confirmation for months.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Dissing contest
Opinion Tearing each other down has become a trend
By Susan Caskie Published
-
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, Nexus, Clear: understanding the differences
Feature Get through airport security and on with your day
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
'We should arm our spacecraft'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
'We should arm our spacecraft'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Is Biden in denial about his bad polls?
Today's Big Question Voters haven't started paying attention to the presidential race, he says
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
'Ignore the polls. They're stupid.'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Iran president dead in helicopter crash
Speed Read Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian were found dead at the site
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'The future of abortion access in many states may come down to who has the final say'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
US makes first Gaza aid delivery from floating pier
Speed Read Israeli restrictions on border crossings have prevented food and supplies from reaching Gaza citizens
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Fico assassination attempt exposes deep divisions in Slovakia
The Explainer Violence lays bare the growing schism between older, nationalist Slovaks and younger, pro-Western liberals
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
'If the election is thrown to the House, 2024 could be a watershed year for American democracy'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published