What Brett Kavanaugh’s Confirmation Hearing Means for America

The future of the United States currently rests in the hands of 101 people.

More specifically, Justice Anthony Kennedy, an important swing vote in the Supreme Court, has retired. As a result, Judge Brett Kavanaugh has been nominated and will likely be a key conservative vote on important issues if confirmed to the Supreme Court.

Surprisingly, beneath a plethora of law accomplishments, Brett Kavanaugh has roots in Montgomery County. As a teenager, he attended Georgetown Preparatory School, where he participated in the school newspaper, the football team, and was captain of the basketball team. Both of his parents were heavily involved in the law, as his mother was a prosecutor for Montgomery County. Following his upbringing in Montgomery County, he quickly jumped to the national field of law.

Long before the nomination to the Supreme Court, Kavanaugh attended Yale, where he received both his bachelor’s and law degree. Afterwards, he clerked for various judges across the country as well as an associate to George Bush’s White House Council. Finally, he became a judge for the U.S. Circuit Court, where he serves today.

If confirmed to the highest court in the land, Kavanaugh would be granted incredible power to create and inhibit social and economic change. Furthermore, the court would have a conservative majority, leading to Republican-leaning decisions in the future. As a result, his confirmation hearings and future vote have been nothing short of political chaos.

The first dispute in the hearings stems from the Democrats’ claims of a lack of transparency, as major Republican politicians have refused to release documents pertaining to the time of Bush’s presidency. While Republicans claim that the documents will not provide useful information towards the hearings, Democrats argue that these documents can provide crucial insight into Kavanaugh’s views on torture, the treatment of minorities, and executive power. As a result, protests have erupted inside and outside of the Capitol. Hundreds of protestors have been arrested for misconduct, and Senate sessions have been adjourned.

The second pressing issue is Kavanaugh’s positions on multiple controversial topics. When Donald Trump was on the campaign trail, he promised to nominate a judge that would overturn Roe v. Wade, the historic Supreme Court Case which struck down laws that banned abortions. While Kavanaugh has not indicated that he opposes Roe v. Wade, he has not promised to uphold it. Consequently, on each day of hearings, the Women’s March organized three consecutive rallies in front of the Capitol building, gathering hundreds and major press attention.

Finally, the last major controversy is the rush to nominate a new Supreme Court justice months away from the midterm elections. Multiple Democratic and Republican seats are up for potential flips in parties, which could potentially give the Democrats the majority in the house. Democrats are advocating for a vote to occur after midterms, and are actively trying to delay the confirmation process. While Republicans have confronted Democrats about delaying the hearings and criticized them for promoting political gridlock, Democrats fired back by citing the failed appointment of Merrick Garland in 2016. Although Garland was considered a moderate nominee across party lines, Republicans waited for the 2016 election before considering a nominee. The arguments over waiting for the midterm elections to pass have led to both sides accusing the other without any direct solution.

Today, Kavanaugh’s confirmation is dependent on the Senate. The trek to confirmation may be a long one, though if it occurs, Kavanaugh’s decisions will likely make history.

Article by Moco Student staff writer Shevani Tewari of Richard Montgomery High School