Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is criticizing a fellow Hawaii Democrat, Sen. Mazie Hirono, for her aggressive questioning of a Trump administration judicial nominee over his membership in a fraternal Catholic charitable organization.
In a Hill op-ed published Tuesday, Gabbard warned against “religious bigotry” in considering the nomination of U.S. District Court judge nominee Brian Buescher. At a Dec. 21 hearing, Hirono and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., questioned whether Buescher could rule impartially on issues related to abortion and same-sex marriage, which the Knights of Columbus has taken public stands on.
“While I oppose the nomination of Brian Buescher to the U.S. District Court in Nebraska, I stand strongly against those who are fomenting religious bigotry, citing as disqualifiers Buescher’s Catholicism and his affiliation with the Knights of Columbus,” wrote Gabbard, a potential 2020 presidential candidate.
A Hirono spokesman disputed Gabbard’s characterization.
“Senator Hirono, asks all judicial nominees — particularly those who have expressed very strong personal ideological views in conflict with Supreme Court precedent — if they can be fair,” Will Dempster said in a statement, according to Hawaii News Now.
“She asked Mr. Buescher, who has a clear record of anti-choice activism, whether he could separate his personal beliefs from decisions he would make if confirmed for a lifetime appointment on the federal bench … It is unfortunate that Congresswoman Gabbard based her misguided opinion on the far-right wing manipulation of these straightforward questions.”
The exchange opens up a public rift in the usually tight-knit, all-Democratic congressional delegation. And one Aloha State member of the Knights of Columbus said it’s unfair to generalize about the group.
“President Kennedy was a Knight of Columbus; Vice President Biden is a Good Catholic,” Kioni Dudley said. “So, you’ve got all kinds of people who have been in the office, in high office, who have done what they think is best for the people no matter what their church says they should do.”
[Opinion: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard rightly blasts ‘religious bigotry’ of fellow Democrats]
