Biden Breaks from Other Dems, Refuses To Call for Kavanaugh Impeachment: 'Follow the Evidence'
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has not yet called for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s impeachment after a recent allegation of sexual misconduct against the sitting justice.
The New York Times published a story on Sunday, adapted from a recent book on the justice, detailing the new allegation that the Kavanaugh exposed himself to a female student at a college party in the 1980s. The paper was later forced to issue a correction that the female student in question “declined to be interviewed and friends say that she does not recall the incident.”
Despite the dubious nature of the allegation, many 2020 Democratic presidential candidates were quick to call for Kavanaugh’s impeachment.
“He must be impeached,” California Sen. Kamala Harris tweeted.
I sat through those hearings. Brett Kavanaugh lied to the U.S. Senate and most importantly to the American people. He was put on the Court through a sham process and his place on the Court is an insult to the pursuit of truth and justice.
He must be impeached.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) September 15, 2019
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts called for both Kavanaugh’s impeachment as well as Trump’s.
Last year the Kavanaugh nomination was rammed through the Senate without a thorough examination of the allegations against him. Confirmation is not exoneration, and these newest revelations are disturbing. Like the man who appointed him, Kavanaugh should be impeached.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) September 15, 2019
Former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke claimed that Kavanaugh “lied under oath” and must be impeached.
Yesterday, we learned of another accusation against Brett Kavanaugh—one we didn’t find out about before he was confirmed because the Senate forced the F.B.I. to rush its investigation to save his nomination. We know he lied under oath. He should be impeached.
— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) September 15, 2019
While Biden released a statement acknowledging the “profoundly troubling question” raised by the Times’ article, the former vice president did not openly call for impeachment.
“We must follow the evidence to wherever it leads,” Biden said in the statement.
“Doing this the right way is critically important in getting the truth and restoring the American people’s faith in their government.”
Some Twitter users criticized Biden for his “wait and see” approach.
Not shocked by this. Biden cares more about becoming president than he does the women that were sexually assaulted by Kavanagh.
— impeachSpanky (@EricaHill84) September 16, 2019
He “cares more about becoming president than he does the women that were sexually assaulted by Kavanagh,” one user wrote.
surprise.
[image: Anita Hill testimony] pic.twitter.com/Od9vLGajE4
— Tamara Roberson ?️? (@TamaraZRoberson) September 16, 2019
Another user responded to the news with a photo of Anita Hill, the woman who accused Justice Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment at the then-nominee’s 1991 Senate confirmation hearings. At the time, Biden was the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and has faced scrutiny for his handling of the committee hearings.
Other presidential contenders have taken Biden’s approach of not calling for Kavanaugh’s impeachment.
Let us never forget what courage looks like. pic.twitter.com/2bRD8s8sda
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) September 15, 2019
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar offered a more oblique commentary, tweeting out a photo of Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford and writing, “Let us never forget what courage looks like.”
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