The American Civil Liberties Union have decided to announce their opposition to the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, breaking their organizational policy. The ACLU doesn't support or oppose candidates for political or judicial office, but the organization passed a resolution where they would make an exception following an "extraordinary meeting" held by the national board.
"The ACLU's board of directors, deeply concerned by the allegations raised in recent weeks, has made a rare exception to its longstanding policy and voted to oppose the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court," ACLU president Susan Herman said in a statement. The self-described nonpartisan organization emphasizes that their opposition has nothing to do with predicting how Kavanaugh would vote as a Justice, and everything to do with the credible allegations of sexual assault made against him.
"There are credible allegations that Judge Kavanaugh has engaged in serious misconduct that have not been adequately investigated by the Senate. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s credible testimony, subsequent allegations of sexual misconduct, the inadequate investigation, and Judge Kavanaugh’s testimony at the hearing lead us to doubt Judge Kavanaugh’s fitness to serve as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court," the board’s resolution stated.
This announcement marks the fourth time in the ACLU's 98-year history that the national board voted to oppose a nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court. The organization didn't oppose or endorse the nomination of Neil Gorsuch in 2017.
