Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh and the woman who accused him of sexual assault, Christine Blasey Ford, were both named Wednesday as two of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” for 2019.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell praised Justice Kavanaugh as “one of the most qualified Supreme Court nominees in modern history” and for his tact while dealing with the controversy caused by his nomination.
“When unhinged partisanship and special interests sought to distract the Senate from considering those qualifications, we saw other facets of Justice Kavanaugh’s character shine forth as well. The country saw his resilience and commitment to public service. … We saw his undeterred reverence for the law, for precedents and for our nation’s highest traditions,” the Kentucky Republican wrote.
“It is all these qualities combined that make Justice Kavanaugh exactly the kind of jurist whom the American people deserve on our Supreme Court,” Mr. McConnell added.
Sen. Kamala D. Harris, a presidential candidate who penned Ms. Blasey Ford’s article, said the California professor’s intention wasn’t to “make it onto this list” but commended her uprooting her life “to send a warning in a moment of grave consequence.”
“Her story, spoken while holding back tears, shook Washington and the country. Her courage, in the face of those who wished to silence her, galvanized Americans. And her unfathomable sacrifice, out of a sense of civic duty, shined a spotlight on the way we treat survivors of sexual violence,” wrote Ms. Harris, California Democrat.
“Through her courage, she forced the country to reckon with an issue that has too often been ignored and kept in the dark,” she added.
Ms. Blasey Ford appeared before lawmakers last September accusing then-Judge Kavanaugh of sexual assault and attempted rape at a high school party in the 1980s.
He denied the allegations, and no contemporaneous corroborating evidence was unearthed to back up her account.
The Senate confirmed him to the Supreme Court.
Time released its 100 Most Influential People Wednesday, which included Mr. McConnell, President Trump, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, former first lady Michelle Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
• Alex Swoyer contributed to this article.
• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.
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