Democrat senators have turned Thursday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearings, evaluating claims that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh assaulted a then-15-year-old classmate 35 years ago, into a campaign moneymaker, releasing fundraising pleas less than 30 minutes into the start of Thursday’s event.
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), who is expected to take a starring role in the hearings, began a social media ad blitz Wednesday night, blanketing Facebook with more than 3,600 ads excoriating Senate Republicans over their treatment of Kavanaugh’s accuser. Each ad begs targeted progressives to donate $15 to Harris’s campaign coffers so that she can continue her crusade for women.
Harris followed up on her Facebook ads with an email sent during the first part of the hearings, asking supporters to put their name to a petition protecting “civil rights.”
“Sign my petition during Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings” the email read. “I am prepared to do everything in my power to stop this nomination.”
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), who became a media darling after suggesting Kavanaugh should be afforded no presumption of innocence on the sexual assault charges, largely because of his commitment to conservative jurisprudence, was the first to take advantage of Thursday’s hearings, releasing an email to supporters less than 30 minutes after opening statements commenced.
here come the fundraising-off-Kavanaugh-hearing emails — less than 30 minutes into opening remarks, this one from @maziehirono: pic.twitter.com/AOTEghweoG
— Kate Bennett (@KateBennett_DC) September 27, 2018
Hirono claims that she has only a “limited time” to campaign for re-election and that she is in urgent need of donations to continue her fight against Senate Republicans.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), a 2020 Democratic Presidential hopeful, at least waited an hour or so before sending his fundraising email, asking for money for his own campaign.
“We should all be concerned about what it would mean for our country if Judge Kavanaugh is confirmed to the Supreme Court,” Booker’s plea proclaims. The letter goes on — bafflingly — to suggest that Kavanaugh could be responsible for deciding the outcome of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into whether Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election.
Moments after several Democrat senators interrupt #KavanaughHearing with questions about unreleased documents, a fundraising email from @SenBooker gets blasted out: (h/t @ArdenFarhi) pic.twitter.com/63rB1vpf4v
— Bo Erickson (@BoKnowsNews) September 4, 2018
Harris, Booker and Hirono are all expected to vote against Kavanaugh’s confirmation, positions unchanged since before Dr. Christine Blasey Ford came forward with her allegations.
