ACLU issues rare opposition statement against Brett Kavanaugh

Published September 29, 2018 5:20pm ET



The American Civil Liberties Union has opposed the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, departing from its policy to remain silent on judicial candidates.

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“The ACLU’s board of directors, deeply concerned by the allegations raised in recent weeks, has made a rare exception to its longstanding policy and voted to oppose the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court,” Susan Herman, president of the ACLU, said in a statement issued Saturday.

The organization said it has deviated from its policy three other times during its 98-year history. It remained silent following the nomination of Justice Neil Gorsuch by President Trump.

The ACLU’s board of directors passed a resolution saying that it could not remain silent following the allegations by Christine Blasey Ford, who said during a Senate Finance Committee hearing that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were both in high school. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations, and the FBI is conducting an investigation.

“As a nonpartisan organization, the ACLU does not oppose Judge Kavanaugh based on predictions about how he would vote as a Justice,” Herman said. “We oppose him in light of the credible allegations of sexual assault against him.”