Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh testified that he knew “nothing” about accusations that former Appeals Court Judge Alex Kozinski, for whom Kavanaugh clerked in the early ’90s, sexually harassed his female colleagues.
“When [the allegations] became public, the first thought I had was no woman should be subjected to sexual harassment in the workplace, ever — including the judiciary, especially judiciary,” Kavanaugh said at his confirmation hearings in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday.
He said it was a “gut punch” when he heard of the allegations against Kozinski, which got national scrutiny last year.
“It was gut punch for me, it was a gut punch for the judiciary,” Kavanaugh said. “I was shocked.”
Kavanaugh was asked a number of questions by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) about his relationship with Kozinski.
He said it was “not often” that he and Kozinski spoke on the phone or saw each other in person. Asked about an email listserv where Kozinski allegedly sent inappropriate material, Kavanaugh said he didn’t “remember anything like that.”
Hatch, at the beginning of this line of questioning, suggested Democrats were trafficking in “guilt by association” in raising concerns about Kavanaugh’s potential knowledge of the alleged misconduct.
Kavanuagh: "When [the allegations against former Appeals Court Judge Alex Kozinski] became public, the first thought I had was no woman should be subjected to sexual harassment in the workplace, ever — including the judiciary, especially in the judiciary." pic.twitter.com/mwPuDZR5tG
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) September 5, 2018
“I don’t remember” is the standard get-out-of-perjury-free card.
Ask him what he know about Kozinski’s porn server.
Given that the guy got nominated cause he clerked for Kennedy, a little more focus on the sleazy guy he clerked for would not be out of line. Say, “what did you learn from the different judges you clerked for,” etc.