By M.H. Cavanaugh
Christian Action League
August 31, 2018
RALEIGH – Thursday, North Carolina House Speaker, Rep. Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) and Senate President Pro Tem, Sen. Phil Berger (R-Rockingham), along with more than 100 other legislators sent a letter expressing support for Judge Brett Kavanaugh as the next Supreme Court Justice to fill retired Justice Anthony Kennedy’s vacant seat.
The confirmation process for Kavanaugh is expected to be one of the most heated battles in American history.
Kavanaugh is President Donald J. Trump’s second nomination to the High Court in 19 months. Neal Gorsuch was his first. The U.S. Senate confirmed Gorsuch in a vote of 54-45.
Kavanaugh is already making the rounds to Senate members and making his case for their approval.
Democrats are expected to hammer Kavanaugh on issues such as abortion, healthcare, gun rights, LGBTQ, religious liberty, Presidential authority, and others are likely to be considered during his tenure.
Kavanaugh needs 51 votes for confirmation. The U.S. Senate is currently made up of 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats. The vote is expected to go along party lines, but there could be some surprises.
Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska are pro-choice, which could affect their decision. Kavanaugh is a known conservative. There are also four Democratic Senators who voted for Gorsuch and are seeking re-election this year in states which Trump won. Those Senators are, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Still, a wild-card at the moment is the person that will fill the Senate seat of the late Sen. John McCain.
The letter from North Carolina lawmakers is addressed to Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Kavanaugh must first be scrutinized. The Judiciary Committee has 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats. The letter was also addressed to North Carolina Senators Thom Tillis and Richard Burr. Tillis, like Grassley, serves on the Judiciary Committee too.
The full text of the letter reads:
Dear Sens. Grassley, Burr & Tillis,
We write to express our strong support for Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court.
As legislators, we have accepted the responsibility to faithfully represent the interests of our constituents in creating the laws that govern our state. We firmly believe that the judiciary’s role is to interpret those laws, not to use the power of the bench to circumvent the legislature and enact preferred policies.
Judge Kavanaugh’s decisions throughout his distinguished judicial career make it clear that he will enforce the text, structure, and original understanding of the U.S. Constitution. He is a brilliant legal mind with impeccable credentials. On the merits, Judge Kavanaugh is a leading jurist on one of America’s top courts whose opinions are regularly cited throughout the country, and his confirmation should receive unanimous support.
We appreciate your work to advance the confirmation of an immensely qualified nominee through the political minefield. We stand ready to assist in any way we can to help ensure Judge Brett Kavanaugh becomes the next U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
Sincerely,
Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore
Sen. John Alexander, 15th District | Sen. Bill Rabon, 8th District |
Sen. Deanna Ballard, 45th District | Sen. Shirley Randleman, 30th District |
Sen. Dan Barrett, 34th District | Sen. Norman Sanderson, 2nd District |
Sen. Dan Bishop, 39th District | Sen. Vicky Sawyer, 44th District |
Sen. Danny Britt, 13th District | Sen. Jeff Tarte, 41st District |
Sen. Harry Brown, 6th District | Sen. Jerry Tillman, 29th District |
Sen. Bill Cook, 1st District | Sen. Tommy Tucker, 35th District |
Sen. Warren Daniel, 46th District | Sen. Trudy Wade, 27th District |
Sen. Jim Davis, 50th District | Sen. Andy Wells, 42nd District |
Sen. Cathy Dunn, 33rd District | Rep. Jay Adams, 96th District |
Sen. Chuck Edwards, 48th District | Rep. Dean Arp, 69th District |
Sen. Rick Gunn, 24th District | Rep. John Bell, 10th District |
Sen. Kathy Harrington, 43rd District | Rep. Hugh Blackwell, 86th District |
Sen. Ralph Hise, 47th District | Rep. John Blust, 62nd District |
Sen. Rick Horner, 11th District | Rep. James Boles, 52nd District |
Sen. Brent Jackson, 10th District | Rep. Beverly Boswell, 6th District |
Sen. Joyce Krawiec, 31st District | Rep. John Bradford, 98th District |
Sen. Michael Lee, 9th District | Rep. Bill Brawley, 103rd District |
Sen. Tom McInnis, 25th District | Rep. William Brisson, 22nd District |
Sen. Paul Newton, 36th District | Rep. Mark Brody, 55th District |
Sen. Louis Pate, Jr., 7th District | Rep. Dana Bumgardner, 109th District |
Sen. Ronald Rabin, 12th District | Rep. Justin Burr, 67th District |
Rep. George Cleveland, 14th District | Rep. Mike Clampitt, 119th District |
Rep. Jeff Collins, 25th District | Rep. Susan Martin, 8th District |
Rep. Debra Conrad, 74th District | Rep. Pat McElraft, 13th District |
Rep. Kevin Corbin, 120th District | Rep. Allen McNeill, 78th District |
Rep. Ted Davis, 19th District | Rep. Bob Muller, 16th District |
Rep. Jimmy Dixon, 4th District | Rep. Gregory Murphy, 9th District |
Rep. Josh Dobson, 85th District | Rep. Larry Pittman, 82nd District |
Rep. Nelson Dollar, 36th District | Rep. Michele Presnell, 118th District |
Rep. Andy Dulin, 104th District | Rep. Larry Potts, 81st District |
Rep. Jeffrey Elmore, 94th District | Rep. Dennis Riddell, 64th District |
Rep. John Faircloth, 61st District | Rep. David Rogers, 112th District |
Rep. Carl Ford, 76th District | Rep. Stephen Ross, 63rd District |
Rep. John Fraley, 95th District | Rep. Jason Saine, 97th District |
Rep. Holly Grange, 20th District | Rep. John Sauls, 51nd District |
Rep. Destin Hall, 87th District | Rep. Mitchell Setzer, 89th District |
Rep. Kyle Hall, 91st District | Rep. Phil Shepard, 15th District |
Rep. Jon Hardister, 59th District | Rep. Michael Speciale, 3rd District |
Rep. Kelly Hastings, 110th District | Rep. Bob Steinberg, 1st District |
Rep. Cody Henson, 113th District | Rep. Sarah Stevens, 90th District |
Rep. Craig Horn, 68th District | Rep. Scott Stone, 105th District |
Rep. Julia Howard, 79th District | Rep. Larry Strickland, 28th District |
Rep. Pat Hurley, 70th District | Rep. John Szoka, 45th District |
Rep. Frank Iler, 17th District | Rep. John Torbett, 108th District |
Rep. Bert Jones, 65th District | Rep. Rena Turner, 84th District |
Rep. Brenden Jones, 46th District | Rep. Harry Warren, 77th District |
Rep. Jonathan Jordan, 93rd District | Rep. Sam Watford, 80th District |
Rep. Donny Lambeth, 75th District | Rep. Donna White, 26th District |
Rep. David Lewis, 53rd District | Rep. Larry Yarborough, 2nd District |
Rep. Lee Zachary 73rd District |
Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League, said Kavanaugh’s confirmation would likely swing SCOTUS back to the Right for a generation or more, which could decide whether this Republic will survive.
“I am so thankful to Senator Berger and Speaker Moore, as well as the lawmakers who signed this letter to have the forethought to send it. The letter expresses well the urgency of Kavanaugh’s confirmation, especially at a time when people like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, and other leftist Senators are promising to do everything within their power to derail his appointment,” said Creech.
Just after President Trump nominated Kavanaugh back in July, North Carolina’s own Franklin Graham wrote in a Facebook post of the importance of Kavanaugh’s confirmation:
“Those on the progressive, socialist left are of course already enraged. Another conservative justice threatens their agendas and the direction they were trying to push this country. They are rallying their forces and had begun protesting even before the announcement was made! We need to thank God for this long-awaited opportunity to change the makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court. And we need to be faithful to pray for Judge Kavanaugh and his family during the very intense confirmation process.”