Trump apologizes to Brett Kavanaugh's family for their 'terrible suffering'
US President Donald Trump has apologized to new Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and his family for the "terrible suffering" they were "forced" to endure. Judge Kavanaugh, 53, was confirmed by the Senate last Saturday in a 50-48 vote, following an acrimonious debate over his nomination triggered by a series of sexual assault allegations during the last phase of his confirmation process.
Kavanaugh's victory was a personal political victory for Trump
Kavanaugh's confirmation is a personal political victory for Trump as the Opposition Democratic party had mounted an unprecedented resistance to his nomination. "Those who step forward to serve our country deserve a fair and dignified evaluation, not a campaign of political and personal destruction based on lies and deception," Trump said at the White House ceremonial swearing-in ceremony of Kavanaugh.
"What happened to the Kavanaughs violates every notion of fairness"
Going further, Trump said, "On behalf of our nation, I want to apologize to Brett and the entire Kavanaugh family for the terrible pain and suffering you've been forced to endure. What happened to the Kavanaughs violates every notion of fairness, decency, and due process."
Under historic scrutiny, Kavanaugh was proven innocent: Trump
The ceremony was attended by Kavanaugh's family members, other judges of the SC, top Senators, members of the Trump administration and a battery of reporters. "(In) our country, a man or woman must always be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. And with that, I must state that you (Kavanaugh), sir, under historic scrutiny, were proven innocent," Trump said, amidst applause from audience.
Trump calls Kavanaugh a fair-minded, unbiased person
Trump described Kavanaugh, who replaces Justice Anthony Kennedy (who announced his retirement early this year), as a man of outstanding intellect and a brilliant scholar. "Known as a judge's judge, he is fair-minded, unbiased, and even-handed person. He understands that justice must be divorced from the passions of the day - tethered instead to the enduring foundation of our republic: the Constitution," he said.
Trump calls Kavanaugh's swearing-in "a beautiful moment" of freedom
Soon, Justice Kennedy will administer the Judicial Oath to Brett Kavanaugh, just as he did last year for Justice Gorsuch, Trump informed. "This will be the first time a Supreme Court Justice has ever sworn in a former clerk to take his seat - a beautiful moment which reminds us that freedom is a tradition passed down from generation to generation," he gloated.
All my new law clerks in SC are women: Kavanaugh
After his ceremonial swearing in, Kavanaugh told the audience that all his new law clerks at the Supreme Court were women - a first in the history of the SC. "I take this office with gratitude and no bitterness...My goal is to be a great Justice for all Americans and for all of US. I'll work very hard to achieve that goal," Kavanaugh said.
Will listen to every argument with an open mind: Kavanaugh
Kavanaugh sought to play down the political maelstrom that surrounded his confirmation, and said he'd serve "one nation". "I wasn't appointed to serve one party or one interest. The US Constitution and laws protect every person of every belief and every background. Every litigant in the SC can be assured that I'll listen to their arguments with respect and an open mind," he said.
Kavanaugh says the Senate confirmation tested him, didn't change him
Saying that the Senate confirmation tested him, Kavanaugh said it, however, didn't change him. "My approach to judging remains the same," he said. "A judge must interpret statutes as written, must interpret the Constitution as written, informed by history and tradition and precedent," Kavanaugh said.
