More than two dozen liberal advocacy groups are calling for Congress to investigate Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the process surrounding his confirmation to the Supreme Court last year.
The 26 organizations sent a letter Thursday to the House Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform committees, now with Democrats at the helm, urging them to address the “many issues” that were “unresolved” during Kavanaugh’s contentious confirmation battle.
“The public is just as entitled to a thorough review of Justice Kavanaugh’s record now as it was before he was elevated to the Supreme Court and to know whether allegations against him of sexual assault and perjury have any factual basis,” the groups wrote in their letter. “Your committees now have the power to remedy these wrongs, and we implore you to do so.”
President Trump nominated Kavanaugh, 54, to the Supreme Court in July following the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy.
His nomination kicked off a bruising confirmation battle, during which Democrats warned his appointment to the high court would jeopardize abortion rights and access to affordable healthcare. Democrats also took issue with the records released from Kavanaugh’s time working for independent counsel Kenneth Starr and in the White House for President George W. Bush.
Kavanaugh’s confirmation process was further roiled after three women accused him of sexual misconduct, which prompted the Senate Judiciary Committee to hear testimony from Kavanaugh and one of his accusers, Christine Blasey Ford. Kavanaugh fiercely denied the allegations against him, and an FBI investigation into the accusations yielded no corroborating evidence.
He was confirmed by the Senate in October in a narrow 50-48 vote.
But the advocacy groups raised numerous areas they believe warrant further inquiry, including whether Kavanaugh committed perjury during congressional testimony, whether he sexually assaulted the women who accused him of doing so, and what happened to Kavanaugh’s financial debt from 2016.
They also urged Democrats to investigate the process surrounding the release of documents stemming from Kavanaugh’s time in the White House.
“The American people deserve answers to these questions and to know why the usual advice and consent process was so badly broken last year,” the groups wrote.
Kavanaugh’s conduct during his confirmation hearings prompted the filing of 83 ethics complaints against him, most of which alleged he lied under oath during his confirmation hearings.
But a federal judicial panel tasked with reviewing the complaints dismissed them in December and said they were “no longer appropriate for consideration under the” Judicial Conduct and Disability Act, which lays out the procedures for handling complaints of misconduct. Supreme Court justices are not covered by the law.
Citing the dismissal of the complaints, the advocacy groups emboldened lawmakers to “bring transparency and accountability to this process.”
The letter from the organizations comes as Kavanaugh nears the anniversary of his nomination. His confirmation process has already garnered significant intrigue, with numerous books expected in the coming months delving into the political fight.
In January, Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., said the House Judiciary Committee would “likely” probe Kavanaugh and whether he committed perjury while testifying last year.
