Brett Kavanaugh Confirmed as Supreme Court Justice

Kavanaugh II Photo Credit: Politico

Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed Supreme Court Justice in a final vote from the Senate Saturday.

The final Senate vote was 50-48, making Kavanaugh the ninth Justice.

“The decision that the U.S. Senators make today will echo in the history of our nation,” United States Senator Mitch McConnell said before the final vote was announced.

Kavanaugh’s appointment comes after a large nationwide debate was launched when Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, among other women, came forward with sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh.

Ford testified to the senate, alleging Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when the two were in high school around 30 years ago at a house party. Kavanaugh denied Ford’s allegations, and claimed he never drank to excess in high school or college. The Senate vote to appoint him was then postponed to hold an FBI investigation on the allegations.

There were seven different investigations, McConnell noted in his speech. Ford and other witnesses said they were never asked to interview with the FBI regarding the allegations. 65 women wrote they had worked with Kavanaugh and were always treated respectfully by him.

Kavanaugh’s former roommate from his freshman year at Yale, James Roche, claimed that the Justice lied under oath about his drinking habits in an op-ed posted on Slate.

“He claimed that he occasionally drank too much but never enough to forget details of the night before, never enough to ‘black out.’ He did, regularly,” Roche wrote.

Despite a postponement on the initial vote with FBI allegations, the senate voted Friday to advance Kavanaugh to the final vote that appointed him Supreme Court Justice.

“...the vote we take this afternoon, a vote to confirm a new associate justice of the supreme court of the United States represents one of the most consequential decisions a senator ever makes. The members of this body are duty bound to ensure we confirm justices of the supreme court who are men and women of the highest character and the most superlative qualifications. So fortunately that is just the sort of nominee who stands before us today,” McConnnell said before the final vote.

Protesters could be heard interrupting the vote, yelling at senate members before the final vote was announced in the room, and were lined up outside Capitol Hill after. Over a hundred people had already been arrested yesterday because of Kavanaugh protests, as reported by CNN.

Senator Chuck Shumer urged those with strong feelings about the events surrounding Kavanaugh’s nomination to take action in his speech before the final vote.

“If you believe that Supreme Court Justices should conform to the highest standards of character, impartiality, temperament, and above all honesty and credibility, vote,” Shumer said.

Despite the protests on Capitol Hill, groups, like Women for Kavanaugh, also gathered to show support for the judge’s appointment.

“Women for Kavanaugh, and many others who support this very good man, are gathering all over Capitol Hill in preparation for a 3-5 P.M. VOTE. It is a beautiful thing to see - and they are not paid professional protesters who are handed expensive signs. Big day for America!” President Donald Trump tweeted.

Kavanaugh’s appointment to Supreme Court Justice is a lifetime seat.