LGBTQ groups are among those calling for a halt to the confirmation vote on Trump SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh in the wake of sexual assault allegations. Kavanaugh was accused of the assault by high school classmate Christine Blasey Ford, who unmasked herself in an interview with the Washington Post on Sunday.
Said Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin: “Christine Glaser Ford is brave to come forward with her story, and she must be treated with respect and dignity. Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination process has been anything but transparent, and now with this grave charge of sexual assault, this process must be halted immediately. Moving forward with this confirmation process without conducting a thorough investigation would be deeply troubling and offensive to the American people, but more importantly to survivors of sexual assault across the country. It would communicate their trauma isn’t worthy of justice if a person sitting on the nation’s highest court can be confirmed without being investigated for alleged sexual violence.”
Sharon McGowan, Lambda Legal Chief Strategy Officer and Legal Director, issued the following statement: “Nearly twenty-seven years ago, Anita Hill was vilified for coming forward to tell her story. History must not repeat itself in 2018. Ms. Ford must be treated with the dignity and respect that was not afforded to Ms. Hill. The deeply disturbing allegations demand a thorough investigation. We are pleased that a number of Senators from both parties have recognized that the Senate has an obligation to the country to delay any further consideration of Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to a lifetime position on the Supreme Court until such an investigation can take place. This should not be a partisan issue. At this moment, Republicans and Democrats – men and women alike – have an opportunity to do more than just talk about their commitment to taking issues of sexual assault seriously. Now is their opportunity to take concrete action to back up those words. This nomination process has already been tainted by the failure to disclose key information in Brett Kavanaugh’s record, and by the nominee’s apparent inability to provide truthful testimony under oath about his prior actions and his views on issues of critical importance to millions of people. Moving ahead with this nomination before these serious allegations can be investigated will do lasting and irreparable damage to the credibility of the Supreme Court and the U.S. Senate. It is not too late, but in order to avoid this catastrophic outcome, men and women in the Senate must put integrity and principle above partisanship.”
Equality California: “Equality California believes survivors. We believe Christine Blasey Ford and thank her for her bravery in stepping forward. And we hope that she will be treated with the dignity and respect that she deserves. It is the lack of dignity and respect afforded to too many survivors of sexual assault, the very real harm to their livelihoods and the trauma they continue to face that often causes survivors to make the difficult decision not to come forward — initially or ever. That is their choice, and that was Ms. Ford’s choice — choices that should be understood and respected. We appreciate Senator Feinstein’s efforts to protect Ms. Ford’s privacy and respect her wishes to remain anonymous. These charges are serious and disqualifying. They would be for any person in any circumstance, and are particularly so for someone nominated to serve on the nation’s highest court. Ms. Ford should never have had to come forward, but now that she has chosen to share her story, it is critical that law enforcement be given adequate time to thoroughly investigate Judge Kavanaugh’s conduct. The stakes are too high for his nomination to proceed, and the White House should withdraw it immediately.”
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and 46 civil rights groups: “Ms. Ford did not want to make her accusations public, but after her letter was reported on, she courageously decided to tell her story. Like all survivors of sexual assault, she must be treated with respect and her privacy honored. The Senate cannot move forward with this lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land without the results of a fair, non-partisan, and thorough process.”
