Brett Kavanaugh Spotted Leaving Home After Confirmation by US Senate

Judge Brett Kavanaugh was seen leaving his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland Saturday afternoon on his way to the Supreme Court building after the Senate voted to confirm him.

Kavanaugh was sworn in during a private ceremony late Saturday at the Supreme Court. Chief Justice John Roberts administered the Constitutional Oath, then retired Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy administered the Judicial Oath. Kavanaugh is replacing Kennedy, who retired on July 31.

“Both oaths will be administered so that he can begin to participate in the work of the Court immediately,” the Supreme Court said in a statement. “A formal investiture ceremony will take place at a special sitting of the Court in the Courtroom at a later date.”

The Senate voted to approve Kavanaugh’s nomination 50-48 in an almost party-line vote. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a Democrat, joined the Republicans in voting yes. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska had her “no” vote withdrawn and entered a “present” vote so Montana Sen. Steve Daines could attend his daughter’s wedding this weekend.

After the vote was completed, President Donald Trump celebrated on Twitter.

“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,” Trump wrote.

Kavanaugh’s confirmation became more politically fraught after he faced multiple accusations of sexual assault and misconduct.

On Sept. 27, he was called back to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee to deny allegations from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her at a party in 1982. The confirmation vote was delayed a week so the FBI could investigate Ford’s claims. Republicans said the investigation found no corroborating evidence to support her, while Democrats and victims of sexual assault criticized it for having a limited scope.

Hours before the vote, the Washington Post also reported that Roberts received over a dozen judicial misconduct complaints about Kavanaugh in recent weeks over statements he made during his initial Senate testimony. Sources said Roberts chose against referring the complaints to a judicial panel for investigation. However, if Roberts did refer the complaints, it would likely have had no effect on Kavanaugh’s nomination since it would take months for a judicial panel to make a decision on the complaints.

According to the Post, Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson, who sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, sent the complaints to Roberts.

“The complaints do not pertain to any conduct in which Judge Kavanaugh engaged as a judge. The complaints seek investigations only of the public statements he has made as a nominee to the Supreme Court of the United States,” Henderson said in a statement to the Post.

Kavanaugh is the second Supreme Court Justice Trump has successfully nominated to the Court in his first two years as president. Last year, Justice Neil Gorsuch was confirmed.

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