WASHINGTON – Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar mounted an impassioned argument Friday against the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, blasting his judicial philosophy even as she suggested that sexual assault allegations against him have already changed the way Americans view such cases.
It was just after 6 p.m. in Washington when Klobuchar rose to deliver the 44-minute speech, likely capping her own pivotal role in a confirmation fight that riveted the nation and raised Klobuchar's national profile.
"For many of us, we know this nomination process is not going to end as we hope," Klobuchar said to Senate colleagues, who are expected to narrowly confirm Kavanaugh on Saturday. But his principal accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, "opened a window on sexual assault that is never going to be closed," Klobuchar said. She and her fellow Minnesota Democrat, Sen. Tina Smith, plan to vote against Kavanaugh.
While Klobuchar finished her speech by talking about Ford's allegations and the nation's response, she spent most of her time on a detailed legal critique of Kavanaugh's record and past writings. She warned that he has shown an overly expansive view of presidential power, and she cautioned that he has signaled a willingness to weaken consumer protections, worker safety rules and other laws and regulations that limit the power of corporations.
Klobuchar called Kavanaugh's views of presidential power troubling at a time when many of the country's democratic institutions are under stress, mentioning frequent attacks by President Donald Trump on the Department of Justice, the FBI and other federal agencies.
"At this time in our history, we need a justice who is independent and will serve as a check on other branches of government," Klobuchar said. "That's what our Founding Fathers set up."
As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Klobuchar found herself thrust into the Washington spotlight as the contentious Kavanaugh fight came to a head. Already frequently included on national lists of possible 2020 Democratic presidential contenders, Klobuchar last weekend achieved an notable milestone for politicians trying to build a national profile: she was impersonated in the opening skit of "Saturday Night Live."
As Kavanaugh faced the Judiciary Committee at the end of last week, an exchange Klobuchar had with Kavanaugh about heavy drinking wound up as a pivotal moment. When she asked if he had ever drank so much he didn't remember what happened — easing into a sensitive topic by acknowledging her father's own past with alcoholism — he responded by asking the same of her. Kavanaugh later apologized.
