The Senate voted Saturday to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh as a Supreme Court justice, solidifying conservative control of the highest court in the land for years to come and ending a bitter battle over his nomination.
Washington lawmakers reacted to the 50-48 vote, almost completely down party lines with Sen. Joe Manchin being the only Democrat who voted in favor of Kavanaugh.
(Read lawmakers' statement below. Additional statements obtained by KING 5 will be added.)
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
“With this vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh, Senate Republicans have once again failed women and survivors, abdicated the Senate’s constitutional advice and consent role, and undermined the public’s confidence in our nation’s Supreme Court. I am disappointed, frustrated, and angry today—but I’m more motivated than ever to get up tomorrow and keep fighting for the families I represent in Washington state and for the kind of country I know we can be.
“Twenty-seven years ago I watched the Anita Hill hearings with my daughter and got so mad at the way she was treated that I decided to run for the Senate, ignored everyone who told me I had no shot, and won. I had hoped we could have made more progress in the years since, but I am very confident that there are some women and girls watching the Senate these past two weeks who feel the way I did back then, who will channel that anger, and who will be joining me in Congress in the years ahead.”
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
"It is changing the court to a 5-4 court that could roll back many of these rights that people have come to expect, so it’s very sad," said Senator Cantwell in an interview with KING 5 following the vote.
On the investigation and process of handling the allegations
"I think that this process continued to be rushed, even this week. What I think people wanted to do is to have some buy-in as to what the time for an investigation was going to look like and who they were going to talk to.”
“In reality, it was a pretty limited investigation. So, I think that was a flaw in the process to not get some buy-in in what people were interested in understanding. It’s not that people wanted an open-ended forever; it’s just that I think it left people with different conclusions and I think you would want that kind of investigation to get people to be more aligned with information, not have people with information that they felt like was never considered by the FBI."
Cantwell said in her floor speech last night, she has concerns about issues including health care, Roe v. Wade, LGBTQ rights, Native American rights, privacy and labor rights.
"It’s not just a new person on the Supreme Court, it represents a shift and that shift is going to be pretty significant when it comes to the details of what that might affect. I was trying to raise the point about what rights are at stake, what issues and what rights are at stake if the court switches to a conservative court. We’ll see what and how the court decides some of these issues of pre-existing conditions and the affordable care act."
On the confirmation battle’s potential impact on the Supreme Court
"I think a lot of people are paying attention who weren’t paying attention before. We’ve heard from so many people who feel like they wanted to have their voices heard. We’ve been flooded with phone calls from people and letters and information from people who want us to know how their lives have been impacted."
Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Susan Hutchison
Congratulations to Judge Kavanaugh. I hope today's vote brings to an end the divisive and highly partisan attacks on the U.S. Supreme Court and our Constitution.
The confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh follows weeks of abuse of our most important liberties by the Senate Democrats. From the very first days of Judge Kavanaugh's nomination, my opponent Senator Maria Cantwell pledged to do whatever it took to defeat him, even on Meet the Press threatening her colleagues about their possible “career ending” votes. She voted NAY against Kavanaugh, just as she voted NAY against Neil Gorsuch. Just as she would have voted against ANY nominee. Let’s make sure her vote is career ending by voting her out of office in November.
When Judge Kavanaugh’s reputation and judicial record seemed certain for confirmation, voters watched in dismay as Democrats exploited a woman’s memory of sexual assault, exposed her publicly against her will, and controlled her attorneys without her knowledge. Voters were sickened by the Democrats’ rush to judgment against Judge Kavanaugh, without any corroborating evidence or due process. Democrats and their media allies worked to destroy this man’s reputation and family for their political gain. Mobs of protesters screamed, disrupted and threatened Senators, requiring police protection.
For many Americans, this was a wake up call: to vote and volunteer for Republicans. They see a future with Democrats in power as a dangerous step away from the rule of law. If elected, Democrats will push for impeachment of President Trump and Justice Kavanaugh. Voters are tired of the chaos. As they cast their ballots in November their choice is clear.
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA)
“With decades of experience as a public servant and jurist, I am confident that Justice Brett Kavanaugh will faithfully uphold the Constitution that we cherish as citizens of this great country, which is why I support the Senate’s action to confirm him to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“However, now that we've reached the end of this dysfunctional and divisive confirmation process, I remain burdened by the political games that were played. We must find ways to heal and to come together as Americans. Many will want to continue to talk about the ‘winners and losers’ of this confirmation process—I believe that ‘us versus them’ mentality will only further divide us, and I’m calling for that to end.”
Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA)
“I congratulate Judge Kavanaugh on his bipartisan confirmation by the U.S. Senate as the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court,” said Rep. Newhouse. “I have no doubt that Justice Kavanaugh will faithfully and impartially consider decisions that come before our highest court for many years to come, and he will respect the limited role of government as defined in the Constitution.”
Rep. Pramilla Jayapal (D-WA)
“Eleanor Roosevelt once said, ‘We go ahead together or we go down together.’ Today, it is clear the party of Donald Trump wants us to go down together, ramming through a Supreme Court nominee at the expense of the legitimacy of our highest court and public trust.
“They could have chosen another nominee. They could have let a full investigation find out all the facts. Instead, for the first time in our modern history, the Senate has confirmed an individual whose relevant documents were not released to the public and who has, at best, misled the Senate about his involvement in critical issues such as warrantless surveillance and past judicial confirmations. Worse still, this nominee has a giant asterisk next to his name around the multiple sexual assault allegations against him. In the end, his overt partisanship, belligerence and disrespect during his last hearings were shocking and made it clear that he is simply not fit to serve as a Supreme Court Justice.
“His confirmation, opposed by a plurality of the American people, undermines the reputation, credibility and, ultimately, the success of the highest court of this land.
“In the past week, at the White House’s apparent direction, FBI investigators did not even speak to Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. I was moved to tears by her deeply credible and brave testimony. Her courage will continue to be an inspiration to survivors across the country. Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation today is, simply, a slap in the face to all the women across our country who simply have not been believed for so long. Today, to those survivors of sexual assault who are weeping and despondent, I send courage and strength. Do not lose hope. Your experiences are real, your pain and stories are part of the tapestry of injustice that only calls us even more strongly to work together for justice and rise up—together.
“As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, I will do everything in my power to ensure full oversight and accountability—no matter what the US Senate does today. We will never be deterred in the fight for justice that we can all believe in.”
Gov. Jay Inslee (D-WA)
“Today’s vote creates the most right-wing, partisan Supreme Court that America has seen in generations. It’s a sad day for our judiciary branch when we put a committed Republican political operative on the highest court in the land.
“Under a new Kavanaugh court, the fight will take place in the states. Today’s confirmation increases the stakes for governors’ elections, making it even more important that we elect leaders at the state level who will stand up to protect our rights. On issues from women’s health to the environment, from gerrymandering to LGBTQ equality, Democratic governors across the country can, and will, fight back against President Trump’s attempts to roll back progress.
“State officials have already been leading the way in fighting back against the Trump agenda. In 31 days, we have the opportunity to grow the ranks of Democratic governors and protect the residents of more states from the threat posed by this reckless President and his judicial overreach.
“It’s clear that we can no longer count on our federal checks and balances to protect us, making it even more important that we elect Democratic governors who will. Today, the Senate votes, but on November 6th, we get to vote. I’m ready to vote, and millions of folks across American disgusted with the chaos coming out of Washington are ready to vote, too.”
Washington State Republican Party Chairman Caleb Heimlich
“Congratulations to Supreme Court Justice, Brett Kavanaugh. President Trump followed through on his promise to appoint judges who are dedicated to upholding the Constitution.
The Democratic Party has proven that their form of justice is persecution without facts, judgement based solely on emotion, and conviction without corroboration. In their attempt to delay and obstruct, they have attacked the rule of law, destroyed people’s lives, and divided our country by putting politics over people to further their liberal agenda. Americans and Washingtonians have noticed.
This is another example why elections matter and why people who believe in the constitution and due process need to vote Republican this year.”
