The American Bar Association called for a delay on a confirmation vote for Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh late Thursday night until the FBI can conduct a full investigation into the sexual assault allegations against him, according to multiple reports.
In a letter addressed to both Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Charles E. Grassley and Ranking Member Sen. Dianne Feinstein, ABA President Robert Carlson joined the calls for an FBI investigation.
“We make this request because of the ABA’s respect for the rule of law and due process under law,” Mr. Carlson wrote. “The basic principles that underscore the Senate’s constitutional duty of advice and consent on federal judicial nominees require nothing less than a careful examination of the accusations and facts by the FBI.”
Mr. Carlson wrote that if the Senate pushes for a vote without an investigation, it would “negatively affect the great trust” Americans have in the Senate.
In August, the ABA stood behind Judge Kavanaugh and found him to be “well qualified” to serve on the Supreme Court.
HuffPost’s Jennifer Bendery shared the full letter on Twitter.
Here’s the letter: pic.twitter.com/I1au9CbCWJ
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) September 28, 2018
Deputy Assistant to the President Raj Shah pushed back against the ABA letter on Friday, by pointing out that the Board is distinct from the association’s Judiciary Committee.
The ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary is separate and independent from its parent organization and has rated Judge Kavanaugh unanimously well-qualified. That hasn’t changed. More on the Standing Committee on the Judiciary’s Backgrounder is here. pic.twitter.com/GB6efUovkL
— Raj Shah (@RajShah45) September 28, 2018
The committee’s own explanation of their procedure notes that it is independent from the leaders of the ABA and all of the association’s activities.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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