October, 05 2018, 12:00am EDT
Human Rights Watch Opposes Nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court
WASHINGTON
Re: Nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court
Dear Senator,
We urge you to vote no on appointing Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court.
Human Rights Watch has previously raised serious concerns about Judge Kavanaugh's nomination, noting that his judicial record suggests his presence could tip the court's balance in a way that could erode protections for a range of fundamental human rights.[1]
This is the first time Human Rights Watch has opposed the appointment of a US Supreme Court justice. We have taken this unprecedented step for the following reasons. Credible concerns, based in part on the testimony of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee, have been raised about whether Judge Kavanaugh committed at least one sexual assault in 1982, and allegations continue to circulate that he may have committed other sexual misconduct.[2]
Rather than engage meaningfully with Senators' questions on those matters, Judge Kavanaugh sought to dismiss the concerns out of hand, which signaled a lack of understanding of the importance of a fair airing of the alleged harm suffered and of respect for the human dignity of alleged victims. Judge Kavanaugh demonstrated little understanding that inquiries into whether a US Supreme Court nominee engaged in sexual assault is a matter to which senators and witnesses must give their serious attention--both for the future of the court and for the message the process sends about the basic rights of millions of survivors of sexual assault and to future victims.
During his testimony Judge Kavanaugh also made several apparently false statements about material matters--including asserting that he was of legal drinking age when the sexual assault is alleged to have occurred;[3] apparently mischaracterizing his drinking behavior throughout his youth, including during the years when Dr. Blasey Ford's and other alleged incidents are said to have occurred;[4] and asserting that several individuals Dr. Blasey Ford said were present at the party where her assault occurred denied that the assault happened.[5] These apparently false statements give rise to larger concerns about his veracity under oath.
Finally, while it was important and laudable that,[6] after leadership provided by key members, the Senate committee called for an FBI investigation, we are concerned that investigators did not speak with either the alleged perpetrator or victim, and reportedly did not speak to multiple individuals who have reported publicly that they had knowledge relevant to the allegations against and veracity of the testimony provided by Judge Kavanaugh.[7]
Some supporters of Judge Kavanaugh seem to believe he should be confirmed unless it can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that he engaged in sexual assault or perjury. Serving on high court is not an entitlement, however. There remain serious reasons to believe the nominee committed a sexual assault, failed to evidence an understanding of the importance of a full airing of the alleged harm suffered, and was untruthful under oath. Human Rights Watch urges senators to vote "no" on Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the US Supreme Court.
Sincerely,
Nicole Austin-Hillery
Executive Director, US Program
Human Rights Watch
Kenneth Roth
Executive Director
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is one of the world's leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights. By focusing international attention where human rights are violated, we give voice to the oppressed and hold oppressors accountable for their crimes. Our rigorous, objective investigations and strategic, targeted advocacy build intense pressure for action and raise the cost of human rights abuse. For 30 years, Human Rights Watch has worked tenaciously to lay the legal and moral groundwork for deep-rooted change and has fought to bring greater justice and security to people around the world.
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Climate and environmental defenders on this week implored U.S. senators to block a permitting reform bill introduced this week by Sens. Joe Manchin and John Barrasso that one campaigner linked to Project 2025, a conservative coalition's agenda for a far-right overhaul of the federal government.
Common Dreamsreported Monday that Manchin (I-W.Va.) and Barrasso (R-Wyo.)—respectively the chair and ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee—introduced the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024.
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"This dangerous bill doesn't deserve a floor vote."
These are nearly identical policies to what's proposed in Project 2025's Mandate for Leadership. The plan, which was spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation, calls for "unleashing all of America's energy resources," including by ending federal restrictions on fossil fuel drilling on public lands; limiting investments in renewable energy; and rolling back environmental permitting restrictions for new oil, gas, and coal projects, including power plants.
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Hartl added that "to preserve a livable planet," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) "must squash this legislation now."
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"Don't be fooled: The Energy Permitting Reform Act is another dirty deal to fast-track fossil fuels above all else."
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Sudan's military is blocking United Nations aid trucks from entering at a key border crossing, causing severe disruptions in aid in a country that experts fear may be on the brink of one of the worst famines the world has seen in decades, The New York Timesreported Friday.
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U.S. and international officials have issued increasingly alarmed calls for steady aid access to help feed the millions of severely malnourished people in Darfur and other areas of Sudan.
Last week, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the United States ambassador to the U.N., said that the SAF's obstruction of the border was "completely unacceptable."
Both warring parties in Sudan continue to perpetrate brazen atrocities, including starvation of civilians as a method of warfare. This piece focuses on the SAF's ongoing obstruction of essential aid. The situation is catastrophic. The policy is criminal. https://t.co/FKhqQh3EI9.
— Tom Dannenbaum (@tomdannenbaum) July 26, 2024
The Sudanese who've made it out of the country and into Adré reported dire and unsafe conditions in their home country.
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Another mother, Dahabaya Ibet, said that her 20-month-old boy had to bear witness to his grandfather being shot and killed in front of his eyes when the family home in Darfur was attacked by gunmen late last year.
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In addition to those that have made it out of the country, there are 11 million people internally displaced within Sudan, most of whom have become displaced since the civil war began in April 2023.
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The U.S. last week announced $203 million in additional aid to Sudan—part of a $2.1 billion pledge that world leaders made in April, which some countries have not yet delivered on.
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Under Republican abortion bans, numerous stories have cropped up of pregnant people who have been forced to carry pregnancies to term despite finding out that their fetuses had fatal abnormalities and would die soon after birth—as have stories of children who were forced to give birth or had to cross state lines in order to get abortion care.
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University of North Carolina law professor Carissa Byrne Hessick said that one could test "empirically" Vance's claim that Democratic policies are anti-family.
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