Kavanaugh calls confirmation process a ‘national disgrace’

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh blasted the Senate’s confirmation process as “a national disgrace” in an emotional opening statement Thursday defending himself from allegations of sexual assault.

Kavanaugh told senators on the Judiciary Committee in his fiery opening address that the Senate’s constitutional role of “advice and consent” had been twisted into “search and destroy.”

“Since my nomination in July, there has been a frenzy on the left to come up with something, anything to block my confirmation,” he said.

{mosads}Kavanaugh noted that Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.) vowed to fight his nomination with “with everything I’ve got.”

He also singled out Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), a member of the Judiciary Committee, for saying that colleagues who don’t oppose Kavanaugh are “complicit in the evil.”

The Supreme Court nominee faulted senators for leaving him twisting in the wind after Christine Blasey Ford’s allegation of sexual assault first surfaced nearly two weeks ago.

“As was predictable and I predicted, my family and my name have been totally and permanently destroyed by vicious and false additional accusations,” he said, his voice nearly breaking with emotion. “The 10-day delay has been harmful to me and my family, to the Supreme Court and to the country.”

Kavanaugh addressed the Judiciary Committee after Ford delivered gripping testimony before the panel, detailing her allegation that Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed and attempted to remove her clothing at a high school gathering in 1982.

Kavanaugh has flatly denied her allegations and insisted Thursday that he would not be pressured into withdrawing his nomination to the Supreme Court.