Editorials

Judge Brett Kavanaugh to Replace Justice KennedyNew Blog Article

President Donald Trump nominates Judge Brett Kavanaugh to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy. This will give conservatives a firm 5 to 4 majority on Supreme Court

Judge Kavanaugh graduated from Yale University and clerked for Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court.  Since 2006 he has sat on the DC Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. Republicans may have a narrower margin for error than they did when the Senate confirmed Trump's first Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch, by a vote of 54-45 in April 2017.

Democratic Senator Doug Jones of Alabama has replaced Republican Senator Luther Strange, cutting the GOP's Senate majority to 51-49. Meanwhile Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona is battling brain cancer and has not been back to the Capitol since December. That increases the focus on two Republicans Senators- Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.  Both are pro-choice and do not want Roe v. Wade to be overturned.  However,  Democrat Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Senator Joe Donnelly of Indiana are pro-life and are up for reelection this fall in Red States, and may vote for Judge Kavanaugh. 

White House Counsel Don McGahn will lead the confirmation process and has already been busy lining up the 51 votes needed to confirm Justice Kavanaugh.   At McGahn's side throughout the process has been Leonard Leo, executive vice president of the conservative Federalist Society. The Federalist Society, founded during the Reagan administration in 1982, advocates for "originalism" and "textualism" in the legal system, opposing judicial activism and the expansion the judicial branch by legislating from the bench. This will be the first time in 50 years the conservative majority on the Supreme Court will be in power and be able to enforce the rule of law and separation of powers between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, as stated in the U.S. Constitution.  Currently the four conservative Justices are John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch.  The Four liberal Justices are Ruth Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Solomayor, and Elena Kagan.  Justices Brett Kavanaugh will give the conservatives a 5-4 majority. If confirmed by the Senate, the Supreme Court will be more conservative for many years to come. 

 

Dr. Steve Johnston


 

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