Amnesty International Demands Halt on Kavanaugh Vote, Citing Abortion, Sexual Assault Claims

Protesters dressed in The Handmaid's Tale costumes, protest outside the hearing for Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh September 4, 2018 in Washington, DC..(Photo by Olivier Douliery/ Abaca Press, Sipa via AP Images)

On Monday, Amnesty International took the extraordinarily unusual step of sending a letter to U.S. senators demanding a halt to the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh. While the letter asked a few questions about torture issues, it concluded with concerns about Kavanaugh’s record on abortion and the sexual assault allegations against him, allegations that inspired thousands to protest Kavanaugh on Monday.

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“Dear Senator, Amnesty International USA calls on you to halt the vote on President Trump’s nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States,” wrote Margaret Huang, executive director of Amnesty International’s USA chapter.

Huang admitted that it was extraordinarily odd for a human rights nonprofit to object to the confirmation of one particular Supreme Court nominee.

“Amnesty International takes no position on the appointment of particular individuals to government positions, unless they are reasonably suspected of crimes under international law and could use their appointment to the position in question to either prevent accountability for these crimes or to continue perpetration,” she wrote. This suggests that Amnesty International considers Kavanaugh “reasonably suspected” of international crimes. Why? Because he worked for President George W. Bush.

“Amnesty International believes that the vetting of Brett Kavanaugh’s record on human rights has been insufficient and calls for the vote on his nomination for Supreme Court of the United States to be further postponed unless and until any information relevant to Kavanaugh’s possible involvement in human rights violations—including in relation to the U.S. government’s use of torture and other forms of ill-treatment, such as during the CIA detention program—is declassified and made public,” Huang declared, echoing Democrat talking points about the reams and reams of documents that came across Kavanaugh’s desk during his time as a lawyer in the Bush White House.

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Kavanaugh has explained, time after time, that “any issue that reached the President’s desk from July 2003 to May 2006, with the exception of a few covert matters, would have crossed my desk. That applies to the President’s speeches, public decisions, and policy proposals, among other things. I do not recall all of the matters that crossed my desk during this time, and in terms of what work I did, my role was not to replace the policy or legal advisors, but rather to make sure that the President had the benefit of the views of his policy and legal advisers.”

Democrats have demanded the declassification of every document that crossed Kavanaugh’s desk, and they cast aspersions on his character by referencing two documents involving talking points on Bush administration torture policy that Kavanaugh did not remember.

For Amnesty International to poke their noses into U.S. Senate business and repeat Democrat talking points is patently absurd. Why did this international human rights organization not get involved when other nominees or public figures from the Bush administration were being considered before the Senate? The letter’s conclusion explains exactly why Amnesty International made this unprecedented step.

“In addition to concerns about Kavanaugh’s involvement in torture and other ill-treatment by the U.S. government, Amnesty International is deeply concerned about Brett Kavanaugh’s record on a range of other human rights issues, including sexual and reproductive rights, access to abortion, women’s rights, LGBTI Rights, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, environmental rights, gun violence, refugee rights, criminal justice, surveillance and detentions at Guantánamo,” Huang wrote.

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This paragraph echoes scurrilous complaints voiced by Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.). Liberal groups like the Women’s March, Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and others have organized protests against Kavanaugh, including activists dressing up as handmaids from “The Handmaid’s Tale.” These protests center on the idea that Kavanaugh will overturn the abortion case Roe v. Wade (1973), and then that he will usher in a misogynistic dystopia involving the systematic rape of women.

These scare tactics are absurd. Even if Kavanaugh were to overturn Roe v. Wade, that would merely open up abortion to the states, allowing states to decide whether or not the killing of unborn babies should be legal.

But Amnesty International did not just mention “sexual and reproductive rights, access to abortion, and women’s rights.” Margaret Huang went on to demand an investigation into the sexual assault claims against Kavanaugh from two women.

“As sexual assault also implicates a number of human rights, including the right to be free from gender-based discrimination and violence, we also call for a thorough vetting in regard to any allegations made against Kavanaugh to this effect, including those by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez,” Huang wrote. This demand suggests that the Senate Judiciary Committee is not currently carrying out such an investigation or “vetting” — which it is, without the help of Democrats, who refuse to participate.

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Christine Blasey Ford’s allegation that Kavanaugh attempted to rape her in 1982 has lost a great deal of credibility lately, as alleged witnesses denied any knowledge of a party involving Ford and Kavanaugh in high school (they did so on the penalty of felony).

As for Ramirez, her accusation is even less credible. The New York Times refused to publish the story, since it was unable to corroborate Ramirez’s claims.

Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied both accusations, and about 200 women have testified to his high moral character — including two of his former girlfriends. Furthermore, both Ford and Ramirez are liberal activists. Given the “Handmaid’s Tale” hysteria, it stands to reason that they might risk their reputations to prevent this alleged menace to women everywhere from being confirmed on the Supreme Court.

Given this context, Huang’s letter seems yet another desperate attempt from liberal activists to deny Kavanaugh his confirmation on the Supreme Court. It is tragic that Amnesty International would stoop this low, but it seems Democrats will do anything to convince anyone and everyone that Kavanaugh is beyond the pale. Indeed, more than 200 protesters were arrested at his hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and groups like the Women’s March reimbursed their legal expenses.

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If you donate to Amnesty International, please reconsider supporting this organization. These tactics are beyond shameful.

Follow the author of this article on Twitter at @Tyler2ONeil.

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