On Thursday night, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh gave the keynote speech at the Federalist Society black tie gala. Liberal protesters mobbed the event, with some dressing as handmaids from The Handmaid’s Tale and others setting up a Jumbotron playing Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony against Kavanaugh.
“I believe Dr. Ford! I believe Anita Hill!” protesters shouted, referring to the women who accused Kavanaugh and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas of sexual assault and sexual harassment.
Oh man. Anti-Kavanaugh protesters are shouting “I believe Dr. Ford! I believe Anita Hill!” right in the faces of Federalist Society members as they’re stuck waiting in line for their gala to start. For who knows how long. #awkward pic.twitter.com/1J4rkC4nBF
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) November 14, 2019
The protesters also set up a screen to play Ford’s testimony, when she recounted her allegations before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
There is a HUGE screen outside of Union Station right now featuring Christine Blasey Ford's testimony in the Senate — as Brett Kavanaugh is inside speaking at the Federalist Society annual fundraiser dinner. Compliments of @WeDemandJustice pic.twitter.com/U0rZ7mddh2
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) November 14, 2019
Others dressed up as handmaids, echoing the pro-abortion talking point that any limits on the killing of unborn babies is tantamount to setting up a misogynistic dystopia where women are ritualistically raped. Many fear that Kavanaugh might tip the Supreme Court to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision (1973) that struck down state laws limiting abortion.
There are also handmaids standing outside the Federalist Society-Brett Kavanaugh dinner. As Federalist Society members pass by them in tuxedos. pic.twitter.com/4Q4zTLJdEL
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) November 14, 2019
Some protesters went so far as to print out fake programs with the Federalist Society logo, with text supporting Brett Kavanaugh’s impeachment.
The Federalist Society, which donates copious amounts of💰to conservative candidates & then “suggests” conservative judges for appt is hosting a black tie dinner w/ Kavanaugh as keynote speaker.
Protesters dressed as staff are handing out these programs. pic.twitter.com/d7609wwdh1
— Kristin Mink #RemoveTrump #ImpeachKavanaugh (@KristinMinkDC) November 15, 2019
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) narrated a video with the liberal group Alliance for Justice arguing that Kavanaugh’s speech at the Federalist Society is “payback for services rendered in getting him selected and confirmed.”
While Federalist Society President Leonard Leo did help President Trump select Kavanaugh, the ad suggests this is all part of a big money cabal. Demonizing conservative positions on abortion, LGBT issues, unions, regulation, and immigration, the ad suggests that the nefarious influence of “dark money” explained Kavanaugh’s originalist judicial philosophy, rather than a return to the plain text of the Constitution. Much of the liberal court advocacy on these issues involves pressuring the judiciary to redefine the Constitution to favor liberal interests.
A year after the Federalist Society and its members and allies spent millions getting Brett Kavanaugh confirmed to #SCOTUS, Kavanaugh will headline #FedSoc2019.@SenWhitehouse is right: it sure looks like "payback for services rendered in getting him selected and confirmed." pic.twitter.com/2qxsqK0SVw
— Alliance for Justice (@AFJustice) November 14, 2019
Facebook is the “Gold Circle” sponsor for the Federalist Society event, and the liberal group Demand Justice launched an ad campaign targeting Facebook employees on LinkedIn with the message, “Tell Facebook: stop funding the fight to normalize Brett Kavanaugh.” Other tech companies, like Google, have sponsored Federalist Society events in the past.
Demand Justice also seems to have organized the hecklers and the Jumbotron playing Ford’s testimony. Last month, Demand Justice released a list of extremely partisan activists the group encouraged 2020 Democrats to choose as potential Supreme Court picks.
Actress Alyssa Milano called Facebook’s sponsorship of the event “an absolute slap in the face to survivors of sexual abuse and supporters of common decency.”
🚨FACEBOOK is sponsoring an event with Brett Kavanaugh and the Federalist Society🚨
What an absolute slap in the face to survivors of sexual abuse and supporters of common decency. @Facebook knows better, but they just don’t care.https://t.co/98mniygCbu
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) November 14, 2019
This deluge of disgusting protest tactics follows a flimsy New York Times story based on a new book meant to prop up the sexual assault claims against Kavanaugh. Responding to that story, 2020 Democrats like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called for Kavanaugh’s impeachment.
Kavanaugh consistently denied Ford’s claims of sexual assault, and nearly 200 women testified that Kavanaugh had always treated them with respect. Ford’s story had many contradictions, and the new book published in September 2019 revealed that the sexual assault accuser’s friend Leland Kaiser does not believe her story.
The Supreme Court justice does not deserve this intense public shaming, and neither does the Federalist Society. Yet liberal activists will stop at nothing to remake the Supreme Court in their image. Americans should never forget that it was the progressive movement and the liberal “living Constitution” narrative that politicized the courts in the first place. by redefining the Constitution to further the liberal agenda.
This activism, and the posturing on sexual assault that it entails, is utterly shameful.
Follow Tyler O’Neil, the author of this article, on Twitter at @Tyler2ONeil.
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