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Statement

The Legitimacy of the U.S. Supreme Court Is at Stake with Kavanaugh, Moms Leader Warns

September 24, 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 the need for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee to suspend the confirmation process for Judge Brett Kavanaugh until a full investigation into the multiple, credible sexual violence allegations has been conducted:

“The days when lawmakers can dismiss the voices and concerns of women with impunity are over. The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee must halt its confirmation hearings until a full, non-partisan investigation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh has been completed.

“Senate leaders must not ignore the credible allegations of sexual assault by courageous women who have shared painful personal stories. This is directly relevant to determining Kavanaugh’s character and fitness for a lifetime appointment to our country’s highest court.

“This is a crisis of legitimacy for the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as a test for Senate leaders. President Trump was wrong to double down on his support for Judge Kavanaugh this morning, and the Senate Judiciary Committee would be wrong to continue the confirmation process until a full investigation of Kavanaugh has been completed. They disgraced themselves in 1991 when they savaged Anita Hill, who came forward to share her experiences of being sexually harassed by then-nominee Clarence Thomas and they treated her as though she was the one who stood accused of wrongdoing. History must not repeat itself.

“This confirmation process has been tainted from the start, with thousands of Kavanaugh’s documents withheld – and senators had strong reason to refuse to confirm Kavanaugh based on the overwhelming evidence that he would deny families health care and education, cause lasting damage to our ability to live and work free from discrimination, jeopardize a range of gun safety laws, and support President Trump’s sexist, racist, xenophobic, anti-immigrant agenda. The sexual assault allegations are even more reason for alarm. The confirmation process must be halted.”

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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.