Democrats on Sunday said that if Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh is confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court, he should recuse himself from cases involving congressional Democrats because of his “partisan” performance during last week’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
“I think the proper thing would be, yes,” Rep. Jerrold Nadler said on ABC’s “This Week.” “I was astonished at his rant. … He’s supposed to be nonpartisan.”
“His animus toward the entire Democratic party, toward people associated with it like the Clintons, should be disqualifying,” said Mr. Nadler, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee. “He showed no judicial temperament.”
Sen. Mazie K. Hirono said on the program that the judge’s performance showed that he’s a political and “partisan” operative and that “the veil is revealed.”
“He revealed himself as a partisan,” said Ms. Hirono, Hawaii Democrat. “I would think that if I were a Democrat going before him, I’d ask him to recuse himself.”
Republicans have said that the performance from Judge Kavanaugh, who forcefully denied accusations of sexual assault and misconduct in high school and college, rang true from someone who believes he’s been wrongly accused.
The judge said in his testimony last week that his opponents have engaged in a “calculated and orchestrated political hit, fueled with apparent pent-up anger about President Trump and 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,” he said.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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