The Leadership Conference Statement on New Kavanaugh Report

Courts News 10.8.24

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Patrick McNeil, [email protected]

WASHINGTON Lena Zwarensteyn, senior director of the fair courts program and an advisor at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, released the following statement in response to Senator Sheldon Whitehouse’s release of a new report on the investigation of sexual assault allegations against now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh:

“Six years ago, the nation witnessed tremendous courage as Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez shared their truth with the world. The report issued today by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse outlines an utterly shameful and politicized process that failed to adequately investigate the credible sexual assault allegations against now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh. At the time of Kavanaugh’s confirmation, survivors, advocates, and the public were outraged — and for good reason. Similarly, this report should disturb all of us. As the report reveals, the Trump administration and FBI hid critical information and repeatedly misled the public as well as the Senate about the nature and scope of this sham investigation. These unconscionable actions undermined the Senate’s constitutional role to provide advice and consent regarding those nominated to serve lifetime terms on our Supreme Court and continue to cast a shadow on the integrity of the Court.

“The Leadership Conference and our coalition called for a fair, thorough, and nonpartisan process for investigating these claims. Sadly, the disgraceful process that unfolded continued our country’s shameful history of silencing survivors as some of our elected officials failed to seriously handle sexual assault allegations. This report reveals the extent to which that process was a sham. We must demand that our government do better for survivors. We must be clear moving forward about the character required of those nominated to serve our country, including nominees to our nation’s highest court, and we must have accountability to ensure there is a confirmation process with integrity that people across the country can trust.

“Justice — and the legitimacy of our Supreme Court — requires it.”

In September 2018, following Dr. Ford’s decision to speak publicly about her assault allegations, The Leadership Conference and 88 civil rights groups issued a joint statement calling for an investigation and for the confirmation process to halt. The Leadership Conference and the National Women’s Law Center also sent a letter to senators continuing these calls. In July 2021, following disturbing revelations about the FBI’s handling of the investigation, The Leadership Conference issued a statement calling for a full investigation into the large number of tips the FBI received about Justice Kavanaugh, how the process came to be, and who was involved.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 240 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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