Former President Donald Trump's nomination of now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court in 2018 was one of the most controversial moments of Trump's presidency.
After Trump announced he'd be picking Kavanaugh to replace outgoing Justice Anthony Kennedy, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford came forward with harrowing allegations of sexual assault by Kavanaugh at a party in their high school days. Others came forward as well.
As a result, Kavanaugh's youth was the subject of intense nationwide scrutiny, which shed light on a culture of partying and excessive drinking that became a primary topic during Kavanaugh's hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Emerging from that scrutiny was Kavanaugh's high school yearbook page, which boasted so-called achievements like "Beach Week Ralph Club - Greatest Contributor," "Keg City Club (Treasurer) - 100 Kegs or Bust," "Have You Boofed Yet?," and "Renate Alumnus," the last of which was reportedly a boast among Kavanaugh's schoolmates about their sexual conquests with a girl at another school, named Renate.
When Kavanaugh appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) asked Kavanaugh if his yearbook was a reflection of his "focus on academics" and "respect for women."
Kavanaugh responded:
"If we want to sit here and talk about how a Supreme Court nomination should be based on a high school yearbook page, I think that's taking us to a new level of absurdity."
For much of the hearing, Kavanaugh went on to dismiss much of his high school antics as youthful indiscretions and typical teenage revelry—none of which, he argued, should characterize him or penalize him.
Flash forward to 2021.
Justice Kavanaugh has now been on the bench for nearly three years, but his most recent decision is sparking outcry.
The Justice wrote the decision in Jones v. Mississippi, which lifts limits on sentences of life without parole for child offenders. According to precedent established by Montgomery v. Louisiana, courts previously had to prove that convicted murderers under 18 were "permanently incorrigible" before sentencing them to life without parole.
Vanity Fair summed up the development in a gutting headline.
Kavanaugh was once again the subject of backlash.
Meanwhile, people praised Vanity Fair for its concise description of the dynamic.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) recently asked newly-confirmed Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate the FBI's 2018 investigation of Kavanaugh, which was widely criticized as insufficiently thorough.
