Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

A 2015 Video of Brett Kavanaugh Describing What Makes a 'Good Judge' Just Came Back to Haunt Him Bigly

He made a lot of sense...then.

Embattled Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's contentious testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week is at odds with his own standards for how judges should behave.

During a speech called “The Judge as Umpire” at Catholic University in 2015, Kavanaugh said that a “good judge” should possess the “proper demeanor,” keep “our emotions in check,” be “calm amidst the storm,” and to “demonstrate civility.” Kavanaugh also said to his fellow jurists: "don't be a jerk."


He added that there exists "a danger of arrogance, as for umpires and referees, but also for judges. And I would say that danger grows the more time you’re on the bench. As one of my colleagues puts it, you become more like yourself—and that can be a problem."

David Corn of Mother Jones dug up the full text:

"To be a good judge and a good umpire, it’s important to have the proper demeanor. Really important, I think. To walk in the others’ shoes, whether it be the other litigants, the litigants in the case, the other judges. To understand them. To keep our emotions in check. To be calm amidst the storm. On the bench, to put it in the vernacular, don’t be a jerk. I think that’s important. To be a good umpire and a good judge, don’t be a jerk. In your opinions, to demonstrate civility—I think that’s important as well. To show, to help display, that you are trying to make the decision impartially and dispassionately based on the law and not based on your emotions. That we’re not the bigger than the game…There’s a danger of arrogance, as for umpires and referees, but also for judges. And I would say that danger grows the more time you’re on the bench. As one of my colleagues puts it, you become more like yourself—and that can be a problem."

Kavanaugh also said that a good judge “first and most obviously" cannot be a “political partisan."

Watch the full clip below:

During his testimony last week, however, Kavanaugh railed against a supposed left-wing conspiracy to keep him from the bench, going so far as to blame the Clintons for somehow orchestrating the slew of sexual assault allegations that have scarred his nomination.

Kavanaugh also refused to answer questions, often lobbing them back at the Senators asking them, which many people interpreted as a method of deflection.

Corn asked Twitter if Kavanaugh's behavior at last week's hearing upholds "his own standards for judicial temperament."

Twitter's response: no.

In the same speech at Catholic's Columbia Law School, Kavanaugh reminisced about his days at Georgetown Preparatory School, where the students held a certain mantra.

“We had a good saying that we’ve held firm to to this day as the dean was reminding me before the talk,” Kavanaugh said.

“What happens at Georgetown Prep stays at Georgetown Prep.”

“That’s been a good thing for all of us, I think,” the judge joked.

Kavanaugh has been accused of the attempted rape of a classmate at a high school house party in the 1980s. At the time, Kavanaugh was 17 and attended Georgetown Prep, a prestigious private school for boys in Bethesda, Maryland. His accuser, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, a research psychologist, was 15 and attended Holton Arms School, a private all-girls academy also located in Bethesda.

Since Ford's account was made public last month, two more women - Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick - have accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct during his time at Yale.

The Senate has delayed a vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation pending an FBI investigation, which the Bureau has until Friday to complete.

More from News

Skyler Gisondo; Ariana Grande
River Callaway/Variety via Getty Images; Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Ariana Grande Costar Offers Hilarious Reaction After Fan Claims She's Never Cast Opposite 'Hot' Actors

In our chaotic world, there are still a few things you can count on: the sun rising and setting, and "Stan Twitter" being unhinged.

After the announcement of him being cast next to pop diva Ariana Grande, actor Skyler Gisondo was the latest star to learn how pop stans just go on X and say anything that comes to mind.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nikki Hiltz
Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Trans Nonbinary Track Star Nikki Hiltz Shares Powerful Video Documenting Their Top Surgery Journey

United States Olympian Nikki Hiltz is a middle distance runner who in 2021 came out as transgender and nonbinary on International Transgender Day of Visibility.

On August 6 of this year—four years after coming out and four days after winning the national title in the 1500 meter race at the USA Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon...

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Robert John "RJ" May III
WIS News 10

MAGA Lawmaker Who Vowed To 'Protect' Kids From LGBTQ+ People Resigns After Arrest For Child Pornography

Robert John "RJ" May III, a Republican South Carolina state Representative who once vowed to "protect" children from LGBTQ+ people, has officially resigned following his arrest for distributing sexual abuse material involving children.

May’s resignation letter, dated Thursday, didn’t reach House leadership until Monday morning.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Donald Trump
Fox News

Trump Just Seemingly Revealed The Real Reason He Took Over The Kennedy Center—And Yep, That Tracks

While on hand to announce the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees, President Trump once again made things all about himself—this time by telling reporters that he wants the Kennedy Center to honor him at next year's ceremony because he believes he was snubbed in years past.

Earlier this year, Trump announced his plans to overhaul the Kennedy Center’s traditionally bipartisan board by removing President Biden’s appointees and installing himself as chairman. Trump, who broke with tradition by skipping the Kennedy Center Honors during his first term after some honorees criticized him, claimed the center had become too “wokey.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Ice-T; Donald Trump
Revolver/YouTube; Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Video Of Ice-T's NSFW Rant About Trump And His 'Scary' Supporters Resurfaces—And It's Spot On

Rapper and actor Ice-T has gone viral after a 2020 video from Revolver featuring him commenting about President Donald Trump and his "scary" supporters has resurfaced, resonating with people as the U.S. navigates Trump's chaotic second term in office.

The video was published in September 2020, at the height of an election cycle largely characterized by Trump's repetitive and patently false claims about potential election interference in a bid to undermine the candidacy of then-candidate Joe Biden, who would go on to win the presidency.

Keep ReadingShow less