The midterm elections of 2018 have taken an interesting turn of events as the hearing for one of the nominees for Supreme Court, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, revealed sexual assault allegations. Voting was suspended until the end of the trial early in the week of Oct. 1. Despite the allegations, Kavanaugh was voted onto the Supreme Court Sunday, Oct. 7 in the Senate’s final confirmation. In a complex case like this, it is important to get a good footing on the timeline of events and what can be expected.

The first allegation of sexual assault was made by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford Sept. 14, 2018 concerning an incident when Kavanaugh and Ford were in high school in 1982. With this information, the Senate judiciary committee decided to hold a hearing that included testimony from Ford and Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh denied any claims of sexual assault but agreed with evidence that suggested he was a “partier” and heavy drinker in high school and college. Testimonies from Kavanaugh’s friends and peers lent credence to Ford’s claims, as they confirmed that her allegations were in line with his behavior at the time. After the hearing, an FBI investigation was ordered to examine the accusations.

Before the senate hearing, two other women came forward with allegations. The second allegation came from Deborah Ramirez, who alleged that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at a party at Yale during the 1983-1984 school year. Shortly after Ramirez’s claim, Julie Swetnick, who also went to high school with Kavanaugh, claimed that she was a victim of sexual assault by several people at their high school and that Kavanaugh’s peer group often used spiked drinks to force others into sexual situations. However, Swetnick could not say with certainty whether Kavanaugh was specifically a part of the group that assaulted her in the 1980s.

This case bears similarity to the trial of Judge Clarence Thomas in 1991. After he was nominated to the Supreme Court by President George H.W. Bush, Anita Hill came forward with sexual assault allegations against Thomas during an FBI background check. Hill had demanded that her allegations be confidential and her identity protected in the hearing, to no avail. Eventually, she appeared on trial to testify against Thomas in a senate hearing. Like Kavanaugh, Thomas was voted in with 52 votes for, 48 against and, like Hill, Ford was forced to give her identity for her claims to reach the Senate floor.

The cases of Kavanaugh and Thomas raise many questions about how the conduct of politicians and judges shapes their policymaking and whether or not allegations like Ford’s and Hill’s should be taken into account when voting for high offices such as these.

Expert Corner:
Dr. Kyle Kopko, Associate Dean of Institutional Effectiveness, Research and Planning

When it comes to politics, many people are quick to judge and form very strong opinions. However, a lot of the time people do not dig deeper into the situation to find out the true issue at hand. For that reason, it is important to also communicate to an expert in the field.

To give insight on the Kavanaugh situation, Dr. Kopko, associate professor of political science, was consulted.

Past offenses can often destroy an individual’s reputation for life and could affect an election. However, Dr. Kopko pointed out every situation is different and must be treated as such. An action done in the past could resurface in the individual once more in their present life.

Giving people with a history a chance in an election depends on the situation and the severetiy of the behavior in question. Plus, if the individual has been willing to change and strive for better must be taken into consideration as well.

“Individuals usually deserve a second chance,” Kopko said.

Kavanaugh’s case came to light as the elections approach and some people believe this was intentional.

“This isn’t to say that Dr. Ford is being political, but rather, the senators on both sides of the aisle are when investigating her claims and the denials by Judge Kavanaugh,” Kopko said.

Every experience in a person’s life is interconnected and may have lasting impacts. These impacts may be seen in someone’s values and priorities. Because of the influence of these values and priorities, it is important to understand an individuals life experiences.

This is especially true in regard to politicians and the decisions they make. As such, the actions of a politician, even at a young age, may have an affect on their future behaviors and political decisions.