People For the American Way

PFAW Statement on the Nomination of Brett Kavanaugh

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 9, 2018

Contact: Drew Courtney at People For the American Way

Email: [email protected]

Phone Number: 202-467-4999

In response to the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh for a seat on the Supreme Court, People For the American Way President Michael Keegan issued the following statement:

“Donald Trump was clear about what he was looking for in a Supreme Court nominee, and Brett Kavanaugh fills the bill. Make no mistake: Judge Kavanaugh wasn’t chosen because of his experience or his life story; he was chosen as a gift to right-wing activists who have spent decades working to take over the Supreme Court to push their own extreme agenda. Judge Kavanaugh’s record on the DC Circuit has made clear that he’s an outlier even among his most conservative colleagues; he’s dissented more than any other judge on that Court. His rulings provide ample evidence that he would not hesitate to gut Roe v. Wade or dismantle the Affordable Care Act.  And his writings raise serious concerns about whether he would be an independent check on presidential abuse of power.

“Confirming Judge Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court would roll back the clock on rulings that protect women, people of color, workers and the LGBTQ community. We’ve already seen far too many rulings designed to protect the interests of corporations and the wealthy above the rights of all Americans. Giving a narrow-minded elitist like Judge Kavanaugh a lifetime seat on the Supreme Court would open the floodgate to more and worse.

“No Senator who cares about protecting equality or justice can support Brett Kavanaugh. In fact, no senator concerned about our Court being radically reshaped can vote to confirm this nominee. We are working with PFAW’s 1.5 million members and activists to make sure Americans understand exactly what’s at stake in this fight, and why it’s so critical that the Senate refuse to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.”

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and defend constitutional values including free expression, religious liberty, equal justice under the law, and the right to meaningfully participate in our democracy.

###