WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:08.289 [ MUSIC ] On 2 00:00:08.289 --> 00:00:11.259 Monday night Trump who ran as a DC outsider 3 00:00:11.459 --> 00:00:14.559 nominated an ultimate DC insider for the Supreme 4 00:00:14.559 --> 00:00:18.879 Court. Tonight it is my honor and privilege to announce 5 00:00:18.919 --> 00:00:22.809 that I will nominate Judge [ UNKNOWN ] 6 00:00:22.809 --> 00:00:25.889 to the United States supreme court. [ UNKNOWN ] is a 7 00:00:25.889 --> 00:00:28.299 conservative [ UNKNOWN ] judge from the US court of 8 00:00:28.299 --> 00:00:31.139 appeals for the DC circuit often regarded as the 9 00:00:31.189 --> 00:00:33.789 second most powerful court in the country. The court 10 00:00:33.789 --> 00:00:36.649 also produce current justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg, 11 00:00:36.689 --> 00:00:39.469 John Roberts and Clarence Thomas. Cavanaugh has a 12 00:00:39.469 --> 00:00:41.929 pedigree that seems like it's straight out of Supreme 13 00:00:41.929 --> 00:00:44.609 Court central casting. He graduated from Yale Law 14 00:00:44.609 --> 00:00:47.279 School, clerked for retiring Justice Kennedy, and in 15 00:00:47.279 --> 00:00:49.919 served in both Bush administrations before being 16 00:00:49.919 --> 00:00:52.779 confirmed to the federal bench. If confirmed at age 17 00:00:52.779 --> 00:00:56.199 53. Cavanaugh could solidify a conservative majority 18 00:00:56.259 --> 00:00:58.459 on the court for decades. When accepting the 19 00:00:58.459 --> 00:01:01.169 nomination, Kavanaugh emphasized the importance of 20 00:01:01.169 --> 00:01:04.229 judicial impartiality. My judicial philosophy is 21 00:01:04.229 --> 00:01:07.989 straightforward. A judge must be independent, and 22 00:01:07.989 --> 00:01:11.559 must interpret the law, not make the law. If confirmed 23 00:01:11.559 --> 00:01:15.579 by the Senate I will keep an open mind 24 00:01:15.609 --> 00:01:18.259 in every case. But looking back at his track record, 25 00:01:18.259 --> 00:01:20.349 critics of his nomination say that Kavanaugh's 26 00:01:20.379 --> 00:01:23.219 nomination could have big consequences for gay 27 00:01:23.219 --> 00:01:26.049 rights, gun control, and women's health, including 28 00:01:26.069 --> 00:01:28.839 access to abortions. Senate Minority Leader Chuck 29 00:01:28.839 --> 00:01:32.649 Schumer declared this. For every American who cares 30 00:01:32.689 --> 00:01:36.169 about women's health, about protections for people 31 00:01:36.169 --> 00:01:40.509 with preexisting conditions, about civil rights, labor 32 00:01:40.509 --> 00:01:45.449 rights, LGTBQ rights, environmental 33 00:01:45.449 --> 00:01:49.779 rights, now is the time to fight. Cavanaugh 34 00:01:49.779 --> 00:01:53.619 has not outrightly opposed Roe v. Wade or same sex 35 00:01:53.619 --> 00:01:56.094 marriage, but he recently decented in a case that 36 00:01:56.094 --> 00:01:58.529 asked if the government should allow an abortion for 37 00:01:58.529 --> 00:02:01.129 an undocumented teen immigrant. Cavanaugh was 38 00:02:01.169 --> 00:02:03.639 asked about his stance on Roe v. Wade during his 39 00:02:03.639 --> 00:02:06.479 confirmation to the D. C. circuit. If confirmed to the 40 00:02:06.479 --> 00:02:09.754 D. C. circuit I would follow Roe v. Wade faithfully and 41 00:02:09.754 --> 00:02:12.369 fully. I would be binding precedent of the court. But 42 00:02:12.369 --> 00:02:14.809 what is your opinion? You're not on the bench yet. 43 00:02:15.189 --> 00:02:17.649 You've talked about these issues in the past to other 44 00:02:17.649 --> 00:02:20.419 people, I'm sure. Yes, the Supreme Court has held 45 00:02:20.419 --> 00:02:22.264 repeatedly, senator and I don't think it would be 46 00:02:22.264 --> 00:02:22.657 appropriate for me to give a personal view on the 47 00:02:22.657 --> 00:02:25.699 case. And you can't answer the question. Kavanaugh's 48 00:02:25.699 --> 00:02:28.429 nomination could also have major implications for 49 00:02:28.429 --> 00:02:31.549 special counsel Robert Mueller Russia investigation. 50 00:02:31.549 --> 00:02:34.189 After his experience investigating then President 51 00:02:34.189 --> 00:02:36.529 Clinton, Kavanaugh argued that presidents should be 52 00:02:36.559 --> 00:02:39.419 exempt from time- consuming and distracting lawsuits, 53 00:02:39.439 --> 00:02:42.019 and investigations, which would ill serve the public 54 00:02:42.079 --> 00:02:44.959 interest. Especially in times of financial or national, 55 00:02:44.959 --> 00:02:48.619 Security crisis. Trump's nomination will require 51 56 00:02:48.619 --> 00:02:50.889 votes from the Senate for confirmation. Because 57 00:02:50.889 --> 00:02:53.489 republicans control the Senate, democrats will face an 58 00:02:53.539 --> 00:02:56.409 uphill battle to reject Cavanaugh. Key republican 59 00:02:56.409 --> 00:02:59.589 moderates Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski who both 60 00:02:59.619 --> 00:03:01.929 support abortion rights are already targets of 61 00:03:02.009 --> 00:03:04.769 democrat's fierce lobbying efforts. But Collins who 62 00:03:04.769 --> 00:03:07.439 voted for Cavanaugh as a federal judge has already 63 00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:09.609 shared some praise for the nominee. When you look at 64 00:03:09.609 --> 00:03:12.079 the credentials that Judge Cavanaugh brings to the job 65 00:03:12.099 --> 00:03:15.159 it will be very difficult for anyone to argue that he's not 66 00:03:15.159 --> 00:03:18.399 qualified. However, Cavanaugh's extensive legal history 67 00:03:18.399 --> 00:03:20.849 could slow down the confirm [ UNKNOWN ] process as 68 00:03:20.849 --> 00:03:23.799 their will be plenty of material to review. Republicans 69 00:03:23.799 --> 00:03:26.179 will race to confirm [ UNKNOWN ] before the Supreme 70 00:03:26.179 --> 00:03:28.709 Court session begins in October. And well before mid 71 00:03:28.709 --> 00:03:30.929 terms in November. But for now [ UNKNOWN ] has 72 00:03:30.989 --> 00:03:33.509 already begun meeting with Senators on the hill.