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WASHINGTON – In an unusual reprimand from a former member of the Supreme Court, Judge John Paul Stevens said Thursday that Brett M. Kavanaugh J. was not qualified to sit in court.
Judge Stevens stated that he had reached the conclusion reluctantly, changing his mind about the appointment of Judge Kavanaugh after the second round of the judge's confirmation hearings last week. Stevens J. stated that Judge Kavanaugh's statements at these hearings revealed prejudices that would prevent him from doing the work of the court, which he said, in his words.
"They suggest that he has demonstrated potential bias involving enough potential litigants in court so that he is not able to discharge all of his responsibilities," said Judge Stevens. in front of retirees from Boca Raton, Florida. "And I think there is a merit in this criticism and that senators should really pay attention. "
"For the sake of the court," he said, "it's not healthy to have a new judge who can only do part-time work."
At last week's hearing, Judge Kavanaugh used extremely partisan language to describe the charges against him.
"This two-week effort was a calculated and orchestrated political success, fueled by a seemingly hidden anger about President Trump and the 2016 election, a fears unfairly fueled by my criminal record, a Clinton vengeance, and millions of dollars. money from outside opposition groups to the left. "
Justice Stevens is 98 years old and retired from the Supreme Court in 2010. He was appointed in 1975 by Republican President Gerald R. Ford, but he voted with the Liberal wing of the court for much of its mandate.
Stevens J. stated that he admired Judge Kavanaugh's judicial work and positively wrote it in one of his books, "Six Amendments", which proposed a number of constitutional amendments. One was the Citizens United campaign financing case, in which Justice Stevens dissented.
In the book, Judge Stevens rented a decision of Judge Kavanaugh. Writing for a panel of three judges of the Federal District Court in Washington, Judge Kavanaugh ruled that two foreign citizens living in the United States with temporary work visas could not spend money asking for money. election of an American politician.
Judge Stevens stated that he thought this decision was good. "In fact, I put her picture in the book to illustrate my admiration for her," Judge Stevens said. "At that time, I thought that he definitely had the qualifications to sit on the Supreme Court and that it should be confirmed when he was never selected."
"I changed my mind for reasons that have nothing to do with her intellectual abilities or her past as a federal judge," Justice Stevens said. "He is an excellent federal judge and should have been confirmed when he was appointed."
"But I think her performance at the hearings made me change my mind," said Justice Stevens, noting that prominent law professors, including Laurence H. Tribe, a professor of law, right at Harvard, also criticized Judge Kavanaugh's statements.
Justice Stevens dismissed comparisons with the experience of Judge Clarence Thomas, who had been accused of sexual harassment at a confirmation hearing of bruising in 1991. "Nothing in Clarence's hearings did it. prevented from sitting after his trial, "said Justice Stevens.
Judge Stevens said he disagreed with Judge Thomas in the most important cases, but found it "honest and sympathetic".
"You can not help but think about Clarence Thomas," said Justice Stevens, "which, in my opinion, would not necessarily be true for this particular candidate."
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