Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters late Tuesday that no matter what happens in Thursday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearings, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will not be afforded the “presumption of innocence” when it comes to charges he sexually assaulted a female classmate in high school.
Speaking at a press conference, Schumer claimed the hearings are “not a criminal trial,” so Kavanaugh does not need to be given the benefit of due process.
“There is no presumption of innocence or guilt when you have a nominee before you,” Schumer said. “It’s not a legal proceeding, it’s a fact-finding proceeding,”
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“We do this with every major nominee … When new information comes up, the FBI comes again and does its background check,” Schumer added. “We ought to get to the bottom and find the facts in the way the FBI has always done. This is not a criminal trial, this is to find the facts.”
Schumer is the second Democrat to claim Kavanaugh will be treated as guilty until proven innocent. Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) also said over the weekend that Kavanaugh’s guilt will be presumed, particularly in light of his judicial philosophy which she seems to believe is evidence that Kavanaugh is a sexual predator.