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Rep. Ayanna Pressley is rolling up her sleeves in an effort to spark impeachment proceedings against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh after a bombshell exposé revealed previously unheard sexual misconduct allegations.
Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court in a lifetime appointment, but an extensive New York Times report revealed that his confirmation hearing didn’t include testimonies from several people who reportedly had first-hand knowledge that would paint the Supreme Court Justice in a different light.
In a resolution file Tuesday, Pressley gives the House Judiciary Committee authority to begin an investigation into the claims, call witnesses by subpoena and fund the investigative effort, Vox reports. But the House would need to green-light the resolution, WBUR reports.
“I believe Christine Blasey Ford. I believe Deborah Ramirez. It is our responsibility to collectively affirm the dignity and humanity of survivors,” Pressley said in a statement to WBUR.
“Sexual predators do not deserve a seat on the nation’s highest court and Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation process set a dangerous precedent,” Pressley’s statement said. “We must demand justice for survivors and hold Kavanaugh accountable for his actions.”
Kavanaugh came under fire after being accused of alleged sexual assault against Blasey Ford and several other women, but was sworn in as the 114th justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in spite of a vociferous debate.
“I said it last year and I’ll say it again: the process that resulted in the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh was a sham,” Sen. Kamala Harris said in a recent tweet.
—Ayanna Pressley bumps heads with police union over ‘straight pride’ parade demonstrators—
On Monday, however, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said Monday that the committee was too inundated with reviewing President’s Trump’s possible impeachment offenses to shift the focus to Kavanaugh.
“We have our hands full with impeaching the president right now and that’s going to take up our limited resources and time for a while,” Nadler told the radio station WNYC.