US: American Bar Association backs FBI investigation into Kavanaugh allegations

Robert M. Carlson

The US Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday heard testimony from Professor Christine Blasey Ford, 51, who said Judge Kavanaugh assaulted her when they were both teenagers.

Three other women, one of them anonymous, have also made allegations against him.

In a letter sent to senior Senators, ABA president Robert M. Carlson said a vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh’s appointment should not take place until the FBI had completed a “background check into the allegations made by Professor Ford and others”.

However, US President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans have rejected any possibility of a delay.

Once the Senate Judiciary Committee votes on Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination, a second vote must take place at the full Senate, where Republicans have a 51-49 majority.

Judge Kavanaugh has claimed that the allegations against him are “a calculated and orchestrated political hit, fueled by pent-up anger over President Trump in the 2016 election, fear that has been unfairly stoked about my judicial record, revenge on behalf of the Clintons, and millions of dollars in money from outside left-wing opposition groups”.

In his letter, Mr Carlson said the ABA sought a delay because of its “respect for the rule of law and due process under law”.

He continued: “The basic principles that underscore the Senate’s constitutional duty of advice and consent on federal judicial nominees requires nothing less than a careful examination of the accusations and facts by the FBI.

“Each appointment to our nation’s Highest Court (as with all others) is simply too important to rush to a vote. Deciding to proceed without conducting additional investigation would not only have a lasting impact on the Senate’s reputation, but it will also negatively affect the great trust necessary for the American people to have in the Supreme Court. It must remain an institution that will reliably follow the law and not politics.

“Respectfully, the Senate should recognise that a thorough FBI investigation will demonstrate its commitment to a Supreme Court that is above reproach.”