Editorial: Brett Kavanaugh proves to be unfit for Supreme Court
October 24, 2018
After a vicious court hearing, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh has taken a seat on the U.S.’s highest court.
Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified against Kavanaugh during a court hearing on Sept. 27 regarding her accusation that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her three decades ago when they were high school students.Julie Swetnick and former Yale classmate Deborah Ramirez also came forward and accused him of sexual assault. Ever since the assertions were made by them, Kavanaugh has proven unfit to be a Supreme Court justice.
The claims made by these women led to an FBI investigation into Kavanaugh for less than a week where investigators never questioned Dr. Ford, Kavanaugh himself or dozens of other witnesses about the accusations. If the FBI dismisses major accusations like this, how are sexual assault survivors supposed to feel comfortable about coming forward and expecting justice?
As these claims become prominent in today’s #MeToo era, Ford’s story shows how much farther the movement still has to go in order for survivors to be listened to and believed. However, with the following assertions from Ramirez and Swetnick and the outpour of support from various communities, it shows survivors in today’s society that they aren’t alone. A single voice isn’t enough to overcome society’s normalization of sexual misconduct but although the movement hasn’t changed this, it has shown that there is power in numbers. Regardless, if someone faces accusations regarding sexual misconduct, the allegations deserve to be investigated thoroughly and in good faith.
Whether or not the accusations of sexual assault against Kavanaugh by Ford are true, we stand by that he does not deserve a place on the Supreme Court, if only for the fact his conduct and clear partisan bias is unbecoming of a member of the Judiciary.
And even after coming forward about her trauma, Dr. Ford was blatantly mocked by the president and her allegations were called a “hoax.” Assault is never a suitable subject to satirize. Dr. Ford was aware of the treatment and comments she would receive after making these accusations and came forward anyway.
During his testimony, Kavanaugh yelled, cried and demanded the court to “let him finish” in outbursts that would have seen a female judge in the same position disgraced. Women are shamed and called liars when they open up about rape and abuse stories, making it harder for other survivors to open up about theirs.
In efforts to protect the accused, two men came forward and falsely claimed to be the ones who assaulted Ford at the 1982 summer party. Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton said that the democrats continue to “victimize” Dr. Ford and keep her in a place of vulnerability. Yet it has been republicans who demonized Ford in the press, slandered her and slung loaded questions at her behind the guise of a female prosecutor.
And when it was Kavanaugh’s turn to testify, Senator Lindsey Graham was quick to emphasize that it was, in fact, Kavanaugh who was the real victim. Graham demonstrated an outright hostility to due process and was supported by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who stated that Kavanaugh would be “plowed right through” regardless of the veracity of the claims against him.
If accusations are made against someone who could be on the Supreme Court for life, they should be thoroughly investigated. No crime should go undetected, regardless of how old it is.