Law professors oppose Kavanaugh's appointment for "lack of judicial temperament"

In a letter to the US Senate signed by more than 500 law professors from nearly 100 law schools, Brett Kavanaugh, a Supreme Court candidate, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. was not in line with the "judicial temperament" expected of a judge. disqualifies himself.

"We are law professors who teach, research and write about the judicial institutions of this country. Many of us are appearing before federal and state courts, and our work means we will continue to do so, including in the United States Supreme Court, "the letter said. "We regret to have to write to you to explain that, during the Senate hearings of Thursday, September 27, 2018, the Honorable Brett Kavanaugh has shown a lack of judicial temperament that could have been disqualifying for any court , and certainly for: elevation to the highest court of this country. "

The letter spoke of Kavanaugh's emotional speech at the committee hearing on the charges of sexual misconduct against him. The signatures were collected on the letter via a Google forum, which will end until Thursday noon, after which the letter will be submitted to the Senate.

More than 500 law professors have signed a letter to the US Senate on Thursday, rejecting Brett Kavanaugh's candidacy for the Supreme Court. In this picture: Yale alumni gather in front of Yale Club to voice their opposition to the confirmation of Kavanaugh, a former college student, in New York on October 2, 2018. Photo: Getty Images / Spencer Platt

Many well-known law professors, including at least eight from Yale Law School where Kavanaugh graduated from law, have already signed the letter. He accused Kavanaugh of becoming "repeatedly aggressive with questioners" instead of remaining open to questioning based on allegations of sexual assault made by Professor Christine Blasey Ford and other women to against him.

At the hearing, Kavanaugh, angry and in tears, claimed that the allegations were "a political coup calculated and orchestrated" by the Democrats. In the letter, the legal experts stated that Kavanaugh should have tried to understand that the committee needed to understand and investigate the facts surrounding the allegations before voting to make him the judge of the Supreme Court.

"Instead of trying to properly and carefully settle the allegations that have been made, Judge Kavanaugh has reacted excessively, inflammatory and uneducated, by interrupting and sometimes discourteous," he said. the letter.

It cited two prejudicial and disqualifying laws under which a judge is required to opt out if it is perceived to be unfair.

"As Congress has said, a judge or justice" must recuse himself in any proceedings in which his impartiality could reasonably be questioned, "said the letter." These statutes are part of a multitude of legal commitments in favor of the impartiality of the judiciary, which is the cornerstone of the courts. "

The signatories stated that despite "their differing views on the other qualifications of Judge Kavanaugh", they now agreed that "he had not demonstrated the impartiality and judicial temperament necessary to sit to the highest court of our country ".

After the hearing, an FBI investigation into Ford's allegations lasted a week and revealed that he had pushed Blasey into a room, immobilized her on a bed, sexually assaulted her and covered her mouth when she tried to scream. high school friends, has been announced. Kavanaugh denied the allegation. He also denied the allegations of two other women who accused him of sexual misconduct.