ABA asks US Senate committee to halt Kavanaugh vote till FBI probe
In a letter, ABA President Carlson writes: 'Each appointment to our nation's Highest Court (as with all others) is simply too important to rush to a vote'
September 28, 2018
KARACHI/WASHINGTON: The American Bar Association (ABA) on Friday called for halting the vote on Judge Brett Kavanaugh — who has been accused of sexually predatory behaviour by at least three women — until the Federal Bureau of Investigation completes its investigation.
Reversing its position from when it had given Kavanaugh a "unanimous, well-qualified" rating — the highest one — for the US Supreme Court, the ABA told CNN in a letter that it was making this extraordinary request due to its "respect for the rule of law and due process under law".
Dr Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez are two of the women who have accused US President Donald Trump's nominee of sexual assault, with Julie Swetnick, the third accuser, saying she had seen the SC hopeful of engaging in sexual misconduct.
In the letter, originally sent to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat, ABA President Robert Carlson said: "Each appointment to our nation's Highest Court (as with all others) is simply too important to rush to a vote.
"Deciding to proceed without conducting [an] additional investigation would not only have a lasting impact on the Senate's reputation, but it will also negatively affect the great trust necessary for the American people to have in the Supreme Court."
It may come as yet another blow to Kavanaugh, who, in his Senate hearing earlier today, had thrown a show of emotions, shedding tears alongside his mother, Martha, and wife, Ashley, during the hearing, and boasted of being "thoroughly vetted" and rated "well-qualified" by the ABA.
The judge, however, has “unequivocally and categorically” denied Dr Ford’s allegation and called himself a victim of “grotesque and obvious character assassination”.
Carlson also added that the FBI's probe "will demonstrate its commitment to a Supreme Court that is above reproach", CNN reported.
Earlier, during the highly-anticipated and widely-watched US Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Democratic Senator Richard Durbin had asked Dr Ford of the "degree of certainty" of her assaulter from 36 years ago being Kavanaugh, to which the Californian professor said: “One hundred percent.”
Her voice sometimes cracking with emotion, Dr Ford had appeared in the public for the first time, telling the senators she was “terrified” but felt it was her civic duty come forward. She said of the incident that she had feared Kavanaugh would rape and accidentally kill her, and that he and Mark Judge, his friend, were “drunkenly laughing during the attack”.
Then, when Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein asked her if it could be a case of mistaken identity, Ford said “absolutely not”.
She and Kavanaugh appeared separately and were never in the hearing room together.
Apart from getting death threats, Dr Ford and the two other women have been called a part of a smear campaign by some Republicans and Trump. She simply responded by saying: “I am an independent person and I am no pawn.”
Dr Ford was lauded for her testimony and her bravery by various Democrats and by a large number of supporters around the world. While Senators Mazie Hirono and Kirsten Gillibrand have been vocal about defending her, Senators Cory Booker and Kamala Harris emerged last night as her new supporters.
Booker said Dr Ford's decision was “nothing short of heroic”, whereas Harris thanked her, noting: "I want to tell you I believe you. ... And I believe many Americans across the country believe you.”
More than a 1,000 fellow Holton-Arms high school graduates have also lent their support for fellow graduate Dr Ford and their belief in her accusations through a letter presented to Senator Shelley Moore Capito.
The Kavanaugh case comes against a backdrop of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements against sexual harassment and assault by people with privilege and in power.
