Valley voices weigh in on testimonies

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Kavanaugh and Ford Testify

Gallery

The testimony of Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh, a conservative nominee for the Supreme Court, dominated the collective American consciousness on Thursday.

On Sept. 12, allegations anonymously made by Ford became public which described Kavanaugh and one of his friends, Mark Judge, restraining, grinding and groping her during a high school party in the early 1980s.

The allegations temporarily derailed Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court until after Thursday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

Local and regional voices weighed in on the unprecedented story unraveling in Washington.

Amanda Fehlbaum, acting director of the Women and Gender Studies program at Youngstown State University, said she found Blasey Ford to be incredibly brave.

“I hope her testimony makes a difference in our culture in terms of our willingness to believe survivors of sexual assault,” she said.

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th, said: “I was deeply moved by Dr. Christine Ford’s testimony. I believe her. Brett Kavanaugh does not deserve to be on the Supreme Court of the United States, and his nomination should be revoked immediately. No one should have to relive one of the worst days of their lives in front of the entire country. I want to thank Dr. Ford for her courage and bravery, and I am praying for her, her family and victims of sexual assault across our country.”

Similarly, Sherrod Brown, D-OH, praised Ford: “Dr. Ford’s courage is inspiring and I am very grateful to her for coming forward to tell her story, even in the face of deep personal cost. She was moving, heartfelt and honest ... While I had already decided not to support Judge Kavanaugh based on his history of siding with corporations and Wall Street over workers, Dr. Ford’s testimony today was a powerful moment for our country.”

Ford has been lauded by liberals, who describe her decision to testify publicly and even request an FBI investigation of her claims as courageous.

Conservative reactions were skeptical of Ford’s claims and predictably supportive of Kavanaugh.

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said: “Throughout his decades of public service, Judge Kavanaugh has been thoroughly vetted by the FBI on six different occasions, and no such allegation ever surfaced. I have known Judge Kavanaugh for more than 15 years, I know his wife Ashley, and I know his family. The Brett Kavanaugh I know is a man of integrity and humility. He also has the right qualifications and experience to serve on the Supreme Court. In fact, the American Bar Association has given him their highest rating, unanimously. I support his confirmation.”

Canfield city Councilwoman Christine Oliver said she finds it “disturbing” how “everything in our country appears to be politically motivated.”

Oliver, who followed Thursday’s U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearings while working from home, said she still has questions about the timing of Ford’s allegations.

“Why is this coming to light nearly 37 years later? And why was it withheld from the public until after he received the nomination?” she said. “I believe every person in this is a victim. It’s very sad for everybody.”

The stakes of the Kavanaugh confirmation are high for individuals on both sides of the abortion debate, as he would be the deciding vote in any challenge to Roe v. Wade.

While Kavanaugh hasn’t publicly stated he would vote to overturn the landmark ruling, a Pew Research Center poll from July suggests that an overwhelming percent of Democrats – 55 percent – believe he will, while Republicans are less sure, as only 39 percent believe he will, and 29 percent believe he will not.

Kellie Copeland, executive director of the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws, said: “First and foremost my thoughts are with anyone who has experienced sexual assault/harassment and to anyone who is experiencing PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)/stress and hope they find support or help they need to get through. Second, my thoughts are with Dr. Blasey Ford. What can you say beyond thank you for having the courage to step forward and do what she calls her civic duty when such an important decision is about to be made for this country.”

Copeland said not only does she think Kavanaugh should withdraw from consideration from a Supreme Court appointment, but that he should be removed from a federal bench altogether.

“Anyone who would sexually assault someone shouldn’t be a judge,” Copeland said. “He has no business on the bench at any level.”

Brian Fallon, executive director of Demand Justice, echoed Copeland’s support for Ford and concerns for Kavanaugh’s continued presence as a judge.

“Dr. Christine Blasey Ford has shown extraordinary courage in coming forward, and now the Senate must make clear that it believes her. The Senate should reject Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination for the Supreme Court and it should not allow him to remain on the federal bench at any level.”