Members of North Carolina and South Carolina's congressional delegation responded to President Donald J. Trump's nomination for the U.S. Supreme Court with praise and alarm. On Monday night, the president nominated Brett Kavanaugh, a judge on the D.C. Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals, to fill the position that Associate Justice Kennedy will vacate upon retirement.
Here are some of the responses from members of the delegation and the two sitting senators.
U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R):
“Judge Brett Kavanaugh has impeccable credentials, serving on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the last decade and earning a reputation for being a mainstream and fair-minded jurist. Judge Kavanaugh undoubtedly has the right qualifications to serve as an associate justice on the Supreme Court, and I look forward to meeting with him in the coming weeks in advance of his confirmation hearing. I hope all my colleagues, regardless of their party affiliation, will ignore the pressure from partisan special interest groups by fairly and thoughtfully assessing Judge Kavanaugh based on his outstanding credentials and qualifications.”
U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R):
“In nominating Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, President Trump has put forth a highly qualified and respected candidate committed to the rule of law. Judge Kavanaugh’s credentials are impeccable, and as a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit he has considered many of the most pressing legal questions of our time. The Senate’s Constitutional charge is to provide its advice and consent to the President on his nominee to fill this vacancy. I am confident we will fulfill that responsibility fairly and promptly to ensure a complete and qualified Supreme Court.”
U.S Rep. G. K. Butterfield (D):
“The nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a complete non-starter. In nominating Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump has selected someone with views well outside the mainstream. Given the cases the Court will weigh in on in coming years, the integrity of the Supreme Court and the lives of millions of Americans will be directly impacted by this pick. I have deep concerns about Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination, and I will remain actively engaged in the Senate’s confirmation process.”
U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger (R):
“Congratulations to Brett #Kavanaugh for being nominated to the US Supreme Court! Judge Kavanaugh is an exceptionally qualified and respected judge who we can trust to uphold the Constitution.”
U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R):
“Judge Kavanaugh is a strong choice to be our next #SCOTUS Justice. Throughout his career he's shown a commitment to upholding the Constitutional principles our nation is founded upon. Credit to @POTUS for putting forth a well-deserving nominee.”
U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows (R):
“The hallmark of a Constitutional judge is one who evaluates the law as it is--not as they believe the law ought to be. Tonight is a victory for America--because for the second time, @POTUS has delivered a champion of this principle with the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh.”
U.S. Rep. Alma Adams (D):
“Trump has made it clear that any SCOTUS nominee he made would overturn Roe v. Wade. And for once, I believe him. Here is what’s at stake if Brett Kavanaugh is confirmed: a woman’s right to choose, affordable healthcare for millions of Americans, and the right to vote for minorities. Judge Kavanaugh has even suggested that sitting presidents should be able to ignore criminal investigation into their administration. With Mueller currently investigating Trump and his cronies, it would be unconscionable for any of my colleagues in the Senate to confirm him.”
U.S. Rep. Ted Budd (R):
“During the 2016 presidential election, millions of Americans went to the polls to cast their vote as the future of the Supreme Court weighed in the balance. The fear among conservatives was that activist judges could continue to be added to the high court. That changed with the election of Donald Trump. The selection of Brett Kavanaugh shows once again that the president is keeping his promise to put a serious constitutionalist on the court, beginning with Neil Gorsuch. A graduate of Yale Law School, Judge Kavanaugh has served on the D.C. Circuit Court since 2006 and his record suggests he will apply the law as written, not as he wished it would be. The late Justice Scalia put it perfectly back in 2006 when he said that ‘the Constitution is not a living organism, it is a legal document. It says something and doesn’t say other things.’ I look forward to his swift confirmation by my colleagues in the Senate.”
U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman (R):
"President Trump has once again kept his promise to nominate someone to the Supreme Court who is committed to upholding our Constitution. Brett Kavanaugh is an exceptional candidate to serve on the bench. I firmly believe that Mr. Kavanaugh will rule according to an intellectually honest, historically accurate, and unbiased interpretation of our Constitution. I am thankful that President Trump has chosen a conservative choice to serve with jurisprudence and not legislate from the bench."
Editor's note: We will update this story as more representatives comment on the nominee.
