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Senate Confirms Kavanaugh to US Court of Appeals

Despite opposition from Democrats, Brett Kavanaugh has been approved to a lifetime seat on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Kavanaugh is best known for his work with Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr during the Clinton presidency. He was nominated in 2003, despite his lack of judicial experience. Earlier this month, the American Bar Association lowered its estimation of Kavanaugh’s nomination, replacing a “well-qualified” rating with “qualified,” as six members of the panel had revised their evaluations.

Kavanaugh was confirmed by a vote of 57-36, according to the Associated Press (AP). Before the Senate’s debate, Senator Patrick Leahy (VT), ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said, “This is not a court that needs another rubber stamp for this president’s exertion of executive power, reports the AP.

A broad coalition of progressive organizations, including the Feminist Majority, the Alliance for Justice, and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, opposed Kavanaugh’s nomination. Nan Aron, the president of Alliance for Justice, remarked, “With a short career distinguished principally by partisan loyalty, Mr. Kavanaugh possesses neither the experience nor the independence needed to serve on the D.C. Circuit.”

Sources:

Alliance for Justice press statement 5/26/06; Associated Press 5/26/06; Feminist Daily News Wire 5/12/06; Leadership Conference on Civil Rights press statement 5/26/06

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