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Statement

President Trump: Put Your Empathy Where It Belongs

September 18, 2018
Workplace Justice, Early Care & Education, Health Care, Immigration

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Statement from Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, CEO and executive director of MomsRising, an online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on President Trump’s comments about Judge Brett Kavanaugh, who has been accused of sexual assault:

“We await the day when President Trump shows the slightest bit of empathy or compassion for a victim of sexual harassment, sexual assault or sexual violence in any form. The President’s comments today, that he feels ‘terribly’ and ‘badly’ for Judge Brett Kavanaugh – who he called ‘a great gentlemen’ in the wake of allegations that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted a high school classmate – demonstrate, once again, that this President’s values are not our country’s values. The President’s empathy is misplaced at best.

“When Anita Hill bravely stepped forward in 1991 to share the abuse she suffered from Justice Clarence Thomas, the U.S. Senate’s response was disgraceful and it galvanized women for a generation. Senators must do better now. We expect them to treat Dr. Blasey Ford with respect and to give her claims serious consideration.

“Let’s be clear: The U.S. Senate had strong reason to refuse to confirm Kavanaugh before these allegations became public, based on the overwhelming evidence that he would deny families the health care and education they need, cause lasting damage to our ability to live and work free from discrimination, and support President Trump’s sexist, racist, xenophobic, anti-immigrant agenda. The sexual assault allegations are even more reason for alarm. The Senate has every reason to reject Kavanaugh for a lifetime position on our highest court.”

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.