Legal News
Reports on lawmaking, constitutional issues, and court cases. The Daily Signal combines news reporting with conservative commentary and legal analysis.
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- News
On the Street: Is Kavanaugh Controversy Strictly Political?
Are the allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh about justice or politics? And how will the accuser’s refusal to now come forward and testify affect the #MeToo movement? (After we filmed, Christine Blasey Ford indicated she might be willing to testify in the future.) We took our cameras “On the Streets” of D.C. to…Genevieve Wood -
- News
Problematic Women: Liberal Hypocrisy Surrounding Brett Kavanaugh
Christine Blasey Ford isn’t the only one facing harassment and violent threats—Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine and a swing vote, is, too. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., apparently thought those threats were funny, writing on Twitter in part, “Boo hoo.” Swalwell has since apologized, but is it enough? Plus: This week it’s not just Brett…Kelsey Bolar -
- Opinion
The Reckless Coverage of Kavanaugh Allegations Is Why Americans Don’t Trust the Media
The last few weeks of coverage of the accusations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh have been a perfect example of why the American people don’t trust the media. The sheer breadth of wild and reckless reporting on the situation has been extraordinary, even by the media’s increasingly low standards. There have been a staggering…Jarrett Stepman -
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Calls for New FBI Probe of Kavanaugh Have No Precedent
An FBI inquiry into a California woman’s allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh would be highly unusual, but wouldn’t necessarily delay a Senate vote on confirmation, legal experts said. Christine Blasey Ford, a professor of clinical psychology at Palo Alto University in California, alleges that Kavanaugh attempted to sexually assault her when the two…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
I Stand With Brett Kavanaugh
When I read Christine Blasey Ford’s account of being assaulted when she was a teenager, I felt sick to my stomach. How could you not after reading how she was trapped in a room and pinned down as a boy groped her and tried to rip her clothes off? This is a serious allegation. Ford…Elizabeth Slattery -
- Opinion
The Kavanaugh Allegation: #MeToo’s Big Bet
On Monday, when Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh confronts allegations from his accuser Christine Blasey Ford, it won’t just be his future on the line. The future of the #MeToo movement will stand trial, too. The scenario could play out in a few different ways: First, Ford could provide enough evidence to prove her allegations,…Kelsey Bolar -
- Opinion
The Left’s Long Attempt to Derail Kavanaugh Vote by Any Means Necessary
While questioning Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh about abortion during his Senate confirmation hearings, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., grossly misstated statistics about abortion deaths before Roe v. Wade. “In the 1950s and 1960s, two decades before Roe, deaths from illegal abortions in this country ran between 200,000 and 1.2 million. That’s according to the Guttmacher…Star Parker -
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EXCLUSIVE: Woman Who Was High School Friend of Kavanaugh’s Addresses Claim of Sexual Assault
This article has been corrected to remove Lisa Molina Heaps’ quote”absolutely fishy,” as referring to the allegation. Heaps was referring to timing, not the allegation itself. A friend who graduated high school the same year as Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh says she could not picture him in the situation described by the woman who accuses…Rachel del Guidice -
- Opinion
The Charges Against Judge Kavanaugh Should Be Ignored
It is almost impossible to overstate the damage done to America’s moral compass by taking the charges leveled against Judge Brett Kavanaugh seriously. It undermines foundational moral principles of any decent society. Those who claim the charges against Judge Kavanaugh by Christine Blasey Ford are important and worth investigating, and that they ultimately, if believed,…Dennis Prager -
- Opinion
The Daily Signal Podcast: The Kavanaugh Accusation and the Future of #MeToo
The Daily Signal’s Kelsey Harkness joins us to discuss how the politicization of the #MeToo movement has been so concerning, and the importance of due process. Plus: We discuss the low ratings of the Emmys, and the politics of the show. We also cover these stories: Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said of Christine Ford’s…Katrina Trinko -
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The Differences in Late Accusations Against Kavanaugh and Thomas
The late-breaking allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in some ways mirrors the explosive claims preceding Justice Clarence Thomas’ confirmation in 1991, legal experts say. At the same time, the two matters are strikingly different. “Democrats are hoping to return to a time of leveling attacks at the nominee, not for discussion of their…Fred Lucas -
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Why the Bar Association Calls Kavanaugh ‘Well Qualified’
Top spokesmen for the American Bar Association, the leading lawyers group, cited Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s character and integrity in the organization’s decision to give him the top rating of well qualified. The ABA’s high rating for Kavanaugh came days before the surfacing of an allegation by a California woman, Christine Blasey Ford, that…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
The Daily Signal Podcast: 65 Women Who Have Known Kavanaugh Since Teen Years Sign Letter
As Washington reels from an accusation of sexual misconduct levied against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who has absolutely denied the allegation, those who have known him are speaking up in his defense. Rachel del Guidice scored an exclusive interview with one of 65 women who knew Kavanaugh in high school and signed a letter…Katrina Trinko -
- Opinion
What to Expect When the Supreme Court Returns
Monday, Oct. 1, marks the start of a new Supreme Court term. With conservative victories in numerous cases (NIFLA, the so-called “travel ban,” Masterpiece Cakeshop, Janus, and more), the previous term is summed up best by then-candidate Donald Trump: “We’re going to win so much, you’re going to be so sick and tired of winning.”…Elizabeth Slattery -
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EXCLUSIVE: Longtime Female Friend Who Signed Letter Supporting Kavanaugh Speaks Out
A peer and friend who knew Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh as a high school student is vouching for his character amid accusations from a woman that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teens. “I certainly have some strong feelings about the timing of this, but that is not going to do anybody any…Rachel del Guidice -
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Kavanaugh Willing to Take Questions From Senate on High School Assault Allegation
Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh issued his second absolute denial of an accusation of sexual misconduct while he was in high school, and said he is willing to take questions from senators on the allegation. “This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describes—to her or to anyone,”…Fred Lucas -
- News
Video: Ginsburg Calls Kavanaugh Supreme Court Confirmation Process ‘Highly Partisan Show’
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lamented the Supreme Court confirmation process for Judge Brett Kavanaugh, saying last week she wishes she could “wave a magic wand” and have the process “go back to the way it was.” Speaking at the George Washington University Law School on Sept. 12, Ginsburg called the hearings a “highly…Daily Signal Staff -
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White House Says Woman Accusing Kavanaugh of Sexual Misconduct Should ‘Be Heard’
The White House is advocating that a woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault should “be heard.” “This woman should not be insulted and she should not be ignored,” White House counselor Kellyanne Conway told Fox News on Monday. Christine Blasey Ford, now a research psychologist in Northern California, has accused Kavanaugh…Rachel del Guidice -
- Opinion
Democrats’ Mindless Opposition to Brett Kavanaugh
President Donald Trump announced his nomination of D.C. Circuit Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court on July 9 at 9 p.m. Before the clock had struck midnight, Democratic senators were already announcing their opposition. Now, more than eight weeks later, they are just playing games. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., for example, said on July…Thomas Jipping -
- Opinion
Brett Kavanaugh’s Opponents Aren’t Really Against Him. They’re Against the Constitution.
One of the best statements of how the Framers saw the role of the federal government is found in Federalist Paper 45, written by James Madison, who is known as the “Father of the Constitution”: The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain…Walter E. Williams