Here’s How Some Celebrities Reacted Following Brett Kavanaugh’s Confirmation To The Supreme Court
On Saturday, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was officially confirmed as a United States Supreme Court judge in a 50-48 vote. Following the U.S. Senate’s decision, many celebrities took to Twitter to express their reactions, as reported by People.
Judge Kavanaugh was already deemed a controversial Supreme Court nominee prior to the sexual assault allegations, as many feel he will be the deciding vote on President Trump’s determination to repeal Roe v Wade, which makes abortion legal in the United States. However, following the sexual assault accusations, Kavanaugh became even more unpopular.
After alleging that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while at a house party when they were both in high school, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford came forward and testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 27.
Ford’s strength to bravely speak her truth not only prompted a domino effect as more women came forward with their own allegations of sexual assault against Kavanaugh, but enabled high-profile celebrities to end their silence on their own traumatic pasts of being sexually assaulted, which sparked the #WhyIDidn’tReport movement on Twitter
One of the most prominent voices against Kavanaugh has been actress Alyssa Milano, who came forward with her story of being sexually assaulted, and supported Ford by being in the courtroom during her testimony.
“People should be f**king terrified and outraged. I sure as hell am. We need to take back our power by taking back the Senate and the House in November. It is the only way out of this mess,” she tweeted.
Milano appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday to discuss the aftermath of Kavanaugh’s confirmation with host Chuck Todd.
.@Alyssa_Milano on #metoo: "I think that this cultural shift that we're feeling, this collective pain that we're feeling from survivors coming forward is going to be able to be translated into a collective power to say that we're not going to be silenced any longer." #MTP
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) October 7, 2018
Comedian and host of the NBC daytime talk-show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Ellen DeGeneres also took to the social media platform and directed her message to Ford herself. She too has been open about her own sexual assault from when she was 15-years-old.
This tweet is for Dr. Ford. You put yourself through so much and I want you to know it wasn’t in vain. You started a movement and we’ll see it through. If they won’t listen to our voices, then they’ll listen to our vote.
— Ellen DeGeneres (@EllenDeGeneres) October 6, 2018
Fellow talk-show host and comedian, Chelsea Handler, who is also no stranger in voicing her opinion when it comes to the political mainstream used her Twitter platform to not only express her outrage, but offer a beacon of hope as the midterm elections draw near—encouraging her followers and women everywhere to “fight harder.”
“Another gross day in the history of our country, but the midterms are coming. We are stronger than this bulls**t. We can fight and fight and we may not see the results right away, but we will see them. Our daughters will see them. Don’t give up. Fight harder.”
Lena Dunham, creator, writer, and actress of the former HBO series Girls, also shared her heartbreak
I will only make it through this day reading about strong women’s beauty routines and skin regimens. It’s all I can imagine being soothed by. Love you all.
— Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) October 6, 2018
Comedian Kathy Griffin also tweeted a simple, but powerful statement.
Not surprisingly, following Kavanaugh’s confirmation, President Trump issued the following tweet, praising the U.S. Senate for confirming a “great nominee.”
I applaud and congratulate the U.S. Senate for confirming our GREAT NOMINEE, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, to the United States Supreme Court. Later today, I will sign his Commission of Appointment, and he will be officially sworn in. Very exciting!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 6, 2018
While an FBI probe was administered in Ford’s case at the request of Jeff Flake, the Republican senator from Arizona, many Democrats spoke out, claiming that the FBI did not conduct a thorough investigation, as there were many witnesses who were willing to come forward–but were not interviewed.
A friend of Ford’s came forward after the Senate vote and expressed her heartbreak for the many women “who will continue to live in fear and shame” as a result of the decision that was made.
“My heart breaks for all those who will continue to live in fear and shame that their stories, their pain, their lives are less important than male privilege and power. Justice has not been served, in the service of the latest Justice of the Supreme Court, and all those like him.”
Newly-appointed Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh is scheduled to begin his lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Oct. 9.
Election day will be on November, 6.
