Washington, DC — The Secular Coalition for America released the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted (11-10) to recommend Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court. A final vote confirming Judge Kavanaugh is expected early next week.
“The Senate Judiciary Committee’s vote is shameful and indefensible,” said Larry T. Decker, Executive Director of the Secular Coalition for America. “The Secular Coalition for America opposed Kavanaugh from the beginning based on his abysmal record and medieval jurisprudence. In yesterday’s hearing, Kavanaugh displayed a temperament and evasiveness unfitting of a nominee to our nation’s highest court. Judge Kavanaugh, with the help of Senator John Kennedy, repeatedly cloaked himself in religious piety, never missing an opportunity to tout his faith as evidence of good character. This type of flagrant pandering is a disservice to all Americans. Our country’s most deliberative legislative body has utterly failed in their role to advise and consent on this Supreme Court nomination. The only fact established from yesterday’s hearing is that Kavanaugh and his supporters care more about advancing the religious right’s crusade than they do protecting the Constitution of the United States.”
In July, the Secular Coalition for America and its nineteen member organizations issued a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee detailing how Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court would threaten the constitutional separation of church and state. In September, the letter was submitted into the official Senate record by Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI).
“Even before the courageous testimony given yesterday by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, Judge Kavanaugh should have been rejected based on his appalling record,” said Mark Dann, the Secular Coalition for America’s Director of Governmental Affairs. “It is frankly disgraceful that Kavanaugh is even still being considered, nonetheless that his vote is being hurried along amidst disturbing and credible allegations of sexual assault.”
“Throughout his confirmation hearings, Kavanaugh repeatedly defended his past opinions in support of school-sponsored prayer and religious exemptions,” said Dann. “There is no reason to think that Judge Kavanaugh will not take the ideological campaign he has waged for his entire career to the Supreme Court. Those Senators who voted to recommend Kavanaugh must know they are supporting the theocratic agenda of a fundamentalist minority. The Secular Coalition for America will ensure that voters do not forget which side they chose.”
CONTACT: Casey Brescia
Senior Communications Association and Spokesman
(845) 380-6201
[email protected]
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The Secular Coalition for America is the nation’s premier advocacy organization representing atheists, humanists, agnostics, and other nontheists. Its mission is to increase the visibility of and respect for nontheistic viewpoints in the United States, and to protect and strengthen the secular character of our government as the best guarantee of freedom for all. The Secular Coalition represents 19 voting member organizations.
