“I applaud and congratulate the U.S. Senate for confirming our GREAT NOMINEE, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, to the United States Supreme Court”, Trump wrote.
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Collins’ announcement not only assured Kavanaugh’s elevation to the Supreme Court, but also touched off an nearly immediate uproar on Capitol Hill and across social media – as well as among several well-heeled special interest groups.
Mira Sorvino, one of the actresses to accuse disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment – which he denies, expressed her fears Mr Kavanaugh will help protect the president from any potential legal action.
In a twist, Murkowski voted “present” Saturday as a courtesy to Republican Kavanaugh supporter Steve Daines, who was to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding in Montana.
The explosive battle over his seating as the ninth justice extended Saturday into the vote itself, with protesters shouting from the gallery and packing the Capitol and Supreme Court grounds – vowing to inflict payback against Republicans in November, and indicating Kavanaugh will be a lightning rod for years to come.
There was also an outburst as Sen.
He clerked for Justice Anthony Kennedy – the retired justice he is replacing – in 1993. Roberts administered the constitutional oath and Kennedy the judicial oath.
A formal investiture ceremony will take place at a special sitting of the court at a later date.
It reflects a high water mark of the Trump presidency: Republican control of the White House, the Senate, the House of Representatives and the judiciary’s top court. A majority 50 senators voted in favor of Kavanaugh’s nomination, while 48 voted against. Sen. The session was presided over by Pence.
Crowds started forming around 9 a.m. ET outside the Capitol building and the Supreme Court building and grew through the morning. McConnell called Kavanaugh “among the very best our nation has to offer.” Sen.
At just 53 years old, Kavanaugh could conceivably serve on the court – now evenly divided between liberals and conservatives – for decades, tilting it to the right.
Senator Lisa Murkowski, the only Republican to oppose Kavanaugh, said it was time for the Senate – and Americans – to “heal” after such a divisive few weeks.
Manchin (D-W.V.) was seen as one of the possible swing votes on Kavanaugh, but on Friday he came out as the lone Democrat to support President Trump’s pick for the high court. “In other words, people thinking of the court as not politically divided in the same way, as not an extension of politics, but instead somehow above the fray”, she said.
WGA West president David A. Goodman has called the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court “a bad day for working Americans and for the entire country”. Ford testified that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teens.
The vice president can vote in the event of a Senate tie.
The first lady is wrapping up a four-country tour of Africa. “They thought he’s just an extraordinary person, a great talent and I think he’s going to make us all very proud”. “I am thankful that the Senate utilized their power of advice and consent widely and did not allow partisan bickering to prevent Kavanaugh’s confirmation”.
As of about 4:30 ET, the U.S. Capitol Police confirmed a total of 164 arrests. One Day at a Time co-showrunner reacted: “Nothing sounds more Handmaid’s Tale than Mike Pence’s voice over screams”. Fox News’ polling shows Republican challenger Kevin Cramer now leading by 12 points (53-41 percent). “I hope people vote anyway, but unfortunately for Iowans, we can’t vote against the senators responsible for this [this year]”.
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Murkowski is not up for re-election until 2022.
