Student groups across campus have voiced their opinions on U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment, mostly centering on a discussion about sexual assault and the treatment of survivors.
Kavanaugh was confirmed Saturday by a margin of 50-48, marking the end of a ferocious two weeks of protests and conversation around sexual assault in our society.
The vote was highly partisan, with only one Democrat, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, voting to confirm and only one Republican, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, voting present, neither for nor against.
Allegation of sexual assault against Kavanaugh, leveled by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, led to an emotional of testimony and heated national debate over his confirmation.
“To think that a person so mired in controversy would be appointed to the highest court in the land is obscene,” said Sam Schwab, the press secretary of the UW-Madison College Democrats. “In addition, we think that there is a larger conversation that needs to be had about listening to survivors of sexual assault and rejecting men in power who abuse and exploit women.”
Others have defended Kavanaugh, arguing that there should be a presumption of innocence, especially in the face of a lack of hard evidence against the new justice.
“While Dr. Ford’s story was certainly compelling and she deserved to be heard, her story also contained many uncorroborated claims,” said Charlie Mueth, chair of the College Republicans. “It is extremely disappointing that the confirmation process quickly devolved into attempted character assassination of Judge Kavanaugh, and it was shameful that Dr. Ford’s wishes were completely ignored by the person that decided to leak her story.”
With the confirmation vote secured, Justice Brett Kavanaugh will serve a life term on the Supreme Court.
