Protesters took to the streets of Durango during rush hour Friday to speak out against the possible appointment of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
On Friday, Republicans postponed a final vote on whether to appoint Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court to allow the FBI time to investigate claims of sexual assault against the judge.
Later in the day, President Donald Trump ceded to open an investigation into his chosen nominee, giving the FBI “less than one week” to look into several allegations from women who say Kavanaugh sexually assaulted them.
About 50 protesters lined Camino del Rio near the DoubleTree Hotel holding signs and chanting opposition to Kavanaugh’s appointment. Protesters eventually moved north to line the intersection near Camino del Rio and College Drive.
“He’s unfit to serve, and he demonstrated that yesterday (Thursday),” La Plata County resident Beverly Ellis said of Kavanaugh’s testimony denying sexual assault allegations. “That was not judicial behavior, and he lied under oath.”
Ellis is concerned that if Kavanaugh is appointed, it will be a threat to women’s rights and reproductive rights.
“He’s a despicable person to serve,” she said. “He’s a political operative, not an appropriate person for the Supreme Court. We can do a lot better.”
Jill Stoll, a Durango resident, said it would “be a disaster” if Kavanaugh was appointed. She was encouraged, however, that the vote on his appointment was delayed to give investigators time to look into the sexual assault claims.
“It gives me a little more hope they’ll do the right thing,” she said. “And for the truth to eventually be told. That’s not asking for much. We don’t want this democracy of ours to go down the tubes.”
Ruth Weinfeld, also of Durango, said she is concerned Kavanaugh has taken the position that a president can’t be indicted.
“No person is above the law,” she said.
And Jim Bolan of Durango said he’d like to see the political landscape move away from the “bickering” and instead choose a handful of Supreme Court nominees who have bipartisan support.
“That way, we won’t have these political fights,” he said.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
