President Donald Trump announced Monday night he is nominating Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court to fill the vacancy created when Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement June 27.
In a brief speech after the announcement, Kavanaugh spoke about the importance of his Catholic upbringing and how it has affected his career.
“The motto of my Jesuit high school was ‘men for others’,” said Kavanaugh, who graduated from Georgetown Preparatory School near Washington, D.C. “I have tried to live that creed.”
“I am part of the vibrant Catholic community in the D.C. area,” he said at his nomination. “The members of that community disagree about many things, but we are united in our commitment to serve.”
He made special mention of Msgr. John Enzler, President and CEO of Catholic Charities, who was present at the announcement.
“40 years ago, I was an altar boy for Fr. John,” said Kavanaugh, adding that they now serve the homeless together through his work with Catholic Charities.
Kavanaugh currently serves on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, and has done so since 2006. Previously, he worked in the George W. Bush White House.
He received his undergraduate and law degrees from Yale University. He and his wife, Ashley, have two daughters.
On abortion, not much is known regarding his personal views. Kavanaugh recently wrote a decision that prevented a pregnant undocumented minor in federal custody from receiving an abortion. The decision was overturned by another court.
Kavanaugh has written dissents in the past opposing undocumented persons voting in union elections and was opposed to expanding visas to foreign workers when there were Americans who could do the job.
In a case involving the Washington Metro’s prohibition on religious-themed advertisements, including an ad by the Archdiocese of Washington, Kavanaugh was “unrelenting” in his questioning of the Metro’s lawyer, saying that he believed the prohibition was “discriminatory.”
Full story at Catholic News Agency.
Interestingly, his boss on the court was Merrick Garland, the guy Obama appointed to the Supreme Court but Republican Senator Mitch McConnell unconstitutionally wouldn’t even submit his nomination even for committee hearings, despite high marks from all sides. Instead, we got ex-Catholic Neil Gorsuch.
Senate has the Constitutional authority to reject a nominee. Get over it.
He dissented from a recent ruling by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals that a teenager in an immigrant detention center was entitled to seek an abortion. He claimed the decision would give immigrant minors a right to “immediate abortion on demand,” but urged the government to transfer her to private custody so she could do “as she wished.”
Catholic News Service
Kavanaugh also dissented from a majority decision of the D.C. Circuit that rejected a request from the Archdiocese of Washington and Priests for Life to have the full court review their challenge to the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate.
He said that “the regulations substantially burden the religious organizations’ exercise of religion because the regulations require the organizations to take an action contrary to their sincere religious beliefs.” But he also wrote that the government “has a compelling interest in facilitating access to contraception for the employees of these religious organizations” and should “achieve it in other ways.” CNS
Even on his worst day this judge will be better than anyone Hillary would have appointed. Thank God President Trump, and not that woman, is the one making this decision. Smile America, help is on the way!! :)
Elections have consequences.
Yes, we have to endure daily, immature hissy fits from the Left all over the TV and internet.
God had mercy on us with the election of President Trump!
Hillary would have been going from bad (Obama) to worse!!!!!!
Let us all hope and pray that this appointment is the first sign that will lead to an end of Roe versus Wade in America. Since Roe versus Wade legalized abortion in America in 1973 close to 60 MILLION unborn baby children have been killed by the abortion of unborn baby children. This senseless diabolical slaughter of the unborn should end immediately. America turn to a God of love and mercy before it is too late. End abortion now! Adoption is the loving option. Repent and convert! Pray America Pray. Pray Pray Pray!
Could’ve done without the politically correct virtue signaling: Altar boy; works at Catholic Charities to serve the homeless; his clerks have diverse backgrounds and a majority are even women (wow); mother taught black kids in DC thus teaching him the importance of equality for all (huh?); mother “overcame barriers” to become a judge (wasn’t even a milestone).