The Battle Over Kavanaugh’s Confirmation

FEATURING MEGAN PETERSON -Republican Senators forced a procedural vote on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Friday, saying that they were satisfied with the results of a cursory FBI probe into allegations of sexual assault against him. The vote took place 51 to 49 with Democrat Joe Manchin voting with Republicans. Senator Lisa Murkowski voted no on the procedural vote. Senator Jeff Flake who had been wavering now says he will vote for Kavanaugh in the full vote on Saturday. And on Friday afternoon Senator Susan Collins announced in a press conference that she would be voting for Kavanaugh, essentially sealing his presence on the court.

But opposition to Kavanaugh continues in full swing from a letter by thousands of lawyers, to the New York Times editorial board, and even retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens urging a “no” vote. Kavanaugh has attempted a last-ditch effort to advocate for his confirmation in a Wall Street Journal op-ed Thursday night where he assured readers he could be “an independent and impartial” judge.

Megan Peterson, Executive Director at Gender Justice, a legal and policy advocacy org committed to gender, economic and reproductive justice.