Rao Says She Was ‘Sheltered’ In College When She Made Comments On Rape

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 05: Neomi Rao, U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee to be a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judge for the District of Columbia Circuit, testifies during a Senate Judiciary confirmation hearin... WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 05: Neomi Rao, U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee to be a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judge for the District of Columbia Circuit, testifies during a Senate Judiciary confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on February 5, 2019 in Washington, DC. Rao would fill the seat left vacant by Brett Kavanaugh after Kavanaugh joined the Supreme Court. (Photo by Zach Gibson/Getty Images) MORE LESS

Neomi Rao, the nominee to fill Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh’s seat on the Appeals Court for the D.C. Circuit, wrote a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee to apologize for offensive comments she made about rape and women’s equality back when she was a “sheltered” college student.

“I particularly regret the insensitivity demonstrated in my remarks on rape and sexual assault,” she wrote. “While responding to debates and events on campus, I failed to recognize the hurt that my words could cause a survivor of such crimes.”

She said that her perspective had changed with more life experience and the birth of her children.

“As a college student, I was sheltered,” she wrote. “Many years later, I have experienced more of the ups and downs of life.”

Many senators have asked Rao about her controversial writings, a particularly striking moment occurring when Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), who recently shared her trauma as a sexual assault survivor, asked Rao about her stance on rape and feminism.

Read Rao’s letter here:

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  1. You can’t trust what spews from her mouth … she’s a lunatic and a liar and she’s been getting away with it for far too long.

  2. The most important question is does she LIKE beer as her predecessor?

  3. If a Democrat were in her position–having said something unacceptable in college–would Republican senators vote for her? or would they recoil in horror?

    Turnabout is fair play.

  4. Well, and also whether she’s white enough to get away with this excuse.

  5. Kav asks us to ignore his HS years, because he and his pals “were sixteen.”

    Rao is now trying to extend the no-consequences period through college, for “sheltered” students.

    May as well write off the twenties, too, due to inexperience. The thirties bring the strains of kids and mortgage, plus increasing responsibilities at work.

    By the fifties, your record “speaks for itself” and we should ignore distorted claims that have been cherry-picked out of context. In the sixties “people who have an agenda” have been trying to tear you down since you were in your twenties, and you have learned not to waste your time engaging them. Seventies and beyond put you in the wise elder category, so show some respect.

    That just leaves the forties for keeping your nose clean, and you did. Your jealous ex can’t let go and will say anything to hurt you, but we know better than to give that any credence.

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