The New York Times reports:
President Trump on Monday has nominated Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, a politically connected member of Washington’s conservative legal establishment, to fill Justice Anthony M. Kennedy’s seat on the Supreme Court, setting up an epic confirmation battle and potentially cementing the court’s rightward tilt for a generation.
The nomination of Judge Kavanaugh, 53, a federal appeals court judge, former aide to President George W. Bush and onetime investigator of President Bill Clinton, was not a huge surprise, given his conservative record, elite credentials and deep ties among the Republican legal groups that have advanced conservatives for the federal bench.
But it will galvanize Democrats and Republicans in the months before the midterm elections. Justice Kennedy, who is retiring, held the swing vote in many closely divided cases on issues like abortion, affirmative action, gay rights and the death penalty. Replacing him with a committed conservative, who could potentially serve for decades, will fundamentally alter the balance of the court and put dozens of precedents at risk.
BREAKING: President Trump just announced the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
If confirmed, Kavanaugh could be the decisive vote the president needs to ensure that his concerted campaign to undermine civil liberties and civil rights has long-term impact. pic.twitter.com/rE9SR7dhcf
— ACLU (@ACLU) July 10, 2018
Judge Kavanaugh's own writings make clear that he would rule against reproductive rights and freedoms, and that he would welcome challenges to the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. #WhatsAtStake #StopKavanaugh #ScotusPick pic.twitter.com/j94kPUXSoM
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) July 10, 2018
AFA and other conservative groups will oppose Judge Kavanaugh's nomination. His reasoning helped Justice Roberts find a way to turn a "mandate" into a "tax."
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanJFischer) July 10, 2018
Source tells me evangelicals are wary of Kavanaugh — and those concerns were expressed to POTUS.
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) July 10, 2018
President Trump promised a constitutionalist – someone who will call balls and strikes according to the Constitution. Judge Kavanaugh has a long & praiseworthy history of judging as an originalist. We look forward to having a justice with his philosophical approach on the Court.
— Tony Perkins (@tperkins) July 10, 2018
BREAKING: President Donald Trump announces Judge Brett Kavanaugh as his nominee for the United States Supreme Court. #SCOTUSPick pic.twitter.com/W4hVfmVGK5
— Lawyers' Committee (@LawyersComm) July 10, 2018
BREAKING: Trump has nominated Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh would join Gorsuch to overturn Roe, gut coverage of preexisting conditions & hammer away at LGBTQ rights.
Join the fight to #SaveSCOTUS and #StopKavanaugh today! https://t.co/srEC7l8EBJ #WhatsAtStake pic.twitter.com/vSBO3klU3E
— PFAW (@peoplefor) July 10, 2018