Shaheen to Oppose Kavanaugh’s Nomination to Serve on U.S. Supreme Court

Shaheen Underscores Kavanaugh’s Dangerous Positions on Executive Power, Abortion Rights & Pre-Existing Conditions

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) issued the following statement on her decision to vote against Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court: 

“The Senate cannot perform its constitutional duties to advise and consent without a full view of Judge Kavanaugh’s record. The lack of document production and the nominee’s refusal to answer basic questions about his judicial record and philosophy make it impossible to conclude anything other than the Senate Majority and Judge Kavanaugh are deliberately concealing his record from the American people. That is unacceptable for someone who is being nominated to serve a lifetime appointment on the nation’s highest court,” said Shaheen. 

“While much of Judge Kavanaugh’s record remains a mystery, what we do know is extremely troubling and dangerously out of step with the American people, particularly on critical issues including executive power, abortion rights and pre-existing conditions. The President remains the focus of a sprawling criminal probe and has nominated a judge to the Supreme Court with an expansive view of executive power – no one, not even the President, is above the law and no defendant should be permitted to choose his or her own judge. Furthermore, Judge Kavanaugh’s inability to remember if he has discussed the Special Counsel’s investigation with President Trump’s defense team is extremely alarming,” continued Shaheen. 

In closing Shaheen said, “Judge Kavanaugh’s past rulings on abortion demonstrate that he is willing to infringe on a woman’s constitutionally-protected right to make her own reproductive decisions, and his failure to answer questions about the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act’s protections for pre-existing conditions puts the health and well-being of millions of Americans at risk. After careful consideration of his record and reviewing the limited documents made available to the U.S. Senate, I have come to the conclusion that I cannot support Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.”