Bill Hagerty Commentary: Radical Liberals Continue Smear Campaign Against Brett Kavanaugh

by Bill Hagerty

 

Over the weekend, another disgraceful smear campaign was launched against Brett Kavanaugh. It was a continuation of the politically-motivated, baseless attacks we saw last year by Democrats who would do anything to stop constitutionalist judges from being confirmed to the Supreme Court. The cavalier approach and carelessness of The New York Times and the role it played to launch this smear campaign reveals something very disturbing. Journalistic responsibility takes a back seat when salacious, unsubstantiated claims can be deployed to advance the liberal agenda.

Last September, Brett Kavanaugh went through the most rigorous confirmation process in history, including comprehensive FBI investigations. Those investigations found the last-minute charges against him to be baseless. He is an eminently qualified legal mind. It has been nearly a year since he was sworn in, and already, he has made a profound impact on the court–for the better. He is committed to ensuring that the judicial branch respects the Constitution as originally written and he doesn’t make law from the bench.

Just last week, the Supreme Court overturned a ruling from a lower court and allowed President Trump’s restrictions on asylum claims by illegal immigrants to go into effect. The liberal judges on the lower court sought to reach across the nation and upend the executive branch, because they believe–despite our founders’ intent-that our courts have more power than the executive branch. Thanks to having a principled justice like Brett Kavanaugh on the bench, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to respect the Constitution and push back against judges aiming to infringe on President Trump’s executive power.

This continued smear campaign against Brett Kavanaugh is about more than one Supreme Court Justice. It highlights the stark contrast between the Republican Senate Majority working alongside President Donald Trump and the radical Democrats who will stop at nothing to discredit those with whom they disagree. Democrats are attempting to undermine the legitimacy of the Supreme Court, a co-equal branch of government, because they disagree with the court’s conservative majority.

President Trump is keeping his promise to the American people. During his 2016 campaign, he pledged he would nominate constitutionalists who would not legislate from the bench, and that is what he is doing. Just last week, the Republican Senate Majority confirmed the President’s 150th judicial nominee, having a positive impact on the direction of our country for generations.

But on the other hand, the extreme liberals are doing everything they can to smear someone they dislike. Never mind that there have been exhaustive investigations into his past. Never mind that his wife and his two young daughters have been subjected to this smear campaign. Never mind that the Senate has carried out the will of the people and confirmed him.

Democrats are so unhinged in their partisanship they first wanted to impeach the President, now they want to impeach a sitting Supreme Court Justice. Who is next? Anyone who disagrees with their radical socialist agenda. Like true socialists, they will ignore the will of the people and seek to destroy those with whom they disagree. No candidate has been clearer about his position on constitutionalist judges than Donald Trump. He shared his list of prospective Supreme Court nominees with the electorate–ahead of the election–to leave no doubt as to the caliber and principles of those he would nominate. The simple fact is that elections have consequences and the American people elected Donald Trump, and in doing so, sent a strong message that they want to constitutionalist judges.

Kavanaugh’s opinions matter, and they will impact the course of our country for generations to come. And so of course, instead of civilly disagreeing with him, the radical liberals will do everything they can to intimidate and tear him down.

The Tennesseans I talk with are tired of this destructive behavior. They want Supreme Court Justices and federal judges who respect the rule of law and the Constitution. They want Democrats to stop using judicial confirmations for partisan political grandstanding. They want the courts to stay in their lane and function as a co-equal branch of government.

As I seek to serve Tennesseans in the Senate, I will work with President Trump to confirm constitutionalist judges and Supreme Court Justices, like Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. Unlike the radical liberals who believe their opinions matter more than the people they represent, I respect the will of the people.

That is what is at stake in the 2020 election. Radical socialists who want to undermine our rule of law versus President Trump and the Republican Senate Majority who will continue to nominate and confirm judges who will uphold the rule of law and the Constitution

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Bill Hagerty is a candidate for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in Tennessee, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, and former Commissioner of Economic and Community Development in Tennessee.