New York, NY, July 9, 2018 …The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) responded to the President’s nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court this evening.
Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO and National Director, issued the following statement:
“The vacancy left by Justice Kennedy’s retirement is a critical one for the future of civil rights, civil liberties, and our democracy. At a time where hard-fought progress in LGBT rights, voting rights, and women’s rights are threatened, and immigrants and vulnerable communities in our country are under attack, the role of an independent Supreme Court – and one that protects the Constitutional rights of all Americans – is more important than ever.
"We are concerned that Judge Kavanaugh’s judicial record does not reflect the demonstrated independence and commitment to fair treatment for all that is necessary to merit a seat on our nation’s highest court. Because he has written and spoken prolifically on many issues of deep concern, we believe his positions merit close scrutiny. These include his demonstrated hostility to reproductive freedom and his past support for greatly expanded and unchecked executive power.
"In ADL’s view, the Senate’s advice and consent role in the nomination process is equally important as the president’s responsibility to nominate. We cannot let Justice Kennedy’s retirement jeopardize hard-fought progress in securing our civil rights and civil liberties.
"As ADL has done with past Supreme Court nominees, we will highlight for members of the Senate Judiciary Committee key issues on which we will urge them to question the nominee. Senators should probe Judge Kavanaugh carefully to ensure that he will respect basic principles of equality, independence, church-state separation, and civil rights. As the Committee reviews the full record, unless they are completely satisfied that Judge Kavanaugh will in fact respect such basic principles as a Justice on the Supreme Court, they should oppose his nomination."