Following the arrests of dozens of protesters on the first day of Judge Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation hearing, the women's advocacy group UltraViolet wrapped up the day with a strong visual statement, projected onto the Supreme Court, demonstrating why it joined with others to lead the protests.
"Roe vs. Wade is more popular than Brett Kavanaugh," the projection read.
Late night projection at the Supreme Court to send a clear message to the Senate:
Roe V. Wade is more popular than Brett Kavanaugh. https://t.co/3a4YujtPGV #StopKavanaugh pic.twitter.com/raiWrkgc33
— UltraViolet (@UltraViolet) September 5, 2018
The words were visible on the front of the building late Tuesday night, echoing advertisements that had been posted in the nation's capitol earlier in the day. The campaign is set to continue throughout the week, with signs in Washington, D.C.'s taxi cabs and posters on Capitol Hill.
These posters are all over DC so senators can't miss them as Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing begins. And it's true - Roe v. Wade is WAY more popular than Brett Kavanaugh. #StopKavanaugh #SaveRoe https://t.co/3a4YujtPGV pic.twitter.com/cqh7kCXzkh
— UltraViolet (@UltraViolet) September 4, 2018
Also in front of the Hart Senate Office Bldg. for the Kavanaugh hearings some handy polling. @UltraViolet pic.twitter.com/rtpytXEKZt
— José S. Woss (@JoseWoss) September 4, 2018
"If Brett Kavanaugh is appointed to the Supreme Court, he will undoubtedly be the deciding vote to gut Roe v. Wade and criminalize abortion, bringing us back to a dark chapter in this country's history that forced women into unsafe, illegal abortion," said Karin Roland, chief campaigns officer for UltraViolet, in a statement. "There is a reason that support for Roe is at a historic high while support for Kavanaugh is at a historic low: The American public understands what is at stake with this vote."
Polls taken since Kavanaugh's nomination was announced in July have found that 71 percent of Americans want the Supreme Court to uphold Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 case which affirmed American women's right to obtain abortion care.
"Any senator who votes for Kavanaugh is voting to overturn Roe vs. Wade, criminalize abortion, punish millions of women, and cement the worst policies of the Trump Administration into law for a lifetime." —Shaunna Thomas, UltraViolet
Meanwhile, Kavanaugh has proven to be the least popular Supreme Court nominee in decades, with just 37 percent of voters approving of the anti-choice, anti-gun control extremist who has argued that presidents should not be subjected to criminal probes or questioning—a highly relevant issue for a president who is being investigated for potential obstruction of justice and collusion to interfere with the election he won.
Despite the deeply unpopular nominee, wrote Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Will Bunch at the conclusion of Kavanaugh's first day of hearing, "there's little doubt that the 51 GOP senators representing less than half of the Kavanaugh-disliking public will be able to ram this thing though, probably with help from one or two weak-kneed Democrats up for re-election in the so-called red states."
"Any senator who votes for Kavanaugh is voting to overturn Roe vs. Wade, criminalize abortion, punish millions of women, and cement the worst policies of the Trump Administration into law for a lifetime," said Shaunna Thomas, UltraViolet's executive director, before the confirmation hearing began. "A vote for Kavanaugh is a vote against women and against the rights and freedoms of millions of Americans."
