‘You Heard Nothing, Saw Nothing’: Kavanaugh Confronted About Ex-Boss’ Alleged Misconduct

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Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was subjected to an unrelenting round of questioning by Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) about allegations that a judge he clerked for, and remained associated with, harassed several female colleagues over the course of decades.

To be clear, while this kind behavior on the part Judge Kozinski was going for 30 years, it was an open secret, you saw nothing, heard nothing, and you obviously said nothing,” Hirono said. 

Kavanaugh, in previous questioning from Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), had denied knowledge of the misconduct. Hirono asked Kavanaugh if he believed the Kozinski accusers who had come forward, and he said he had no reason not to.

At one point, Hirono would not let Kavanaugh repeat the lines from his previous testimony expressing concern about women being sexually harassed within the judiciary, and instead moved on with her questioning.

Hirono, in calling the alleged misconduct of ex-Judge Alex Kozinski an “open secret,” noted that law professors would discourage their female students from seeking clerkships under him.

Hirono also ticked through a number of details about Kavanaugh and Kozinski’s relationship, including that Kozinski introduced Kavanaugh at a confirmation hearing for a lower court judgeship.

 

 

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