Montgomery, Ala. -- President Trump announced Monday, July 9, that he will be nominating Judge Brett Kavanaugh, the current DC Appeals Court Judge, to be his second Supreme Court justice.
“I applaud President Trump for his nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court," said Gov. Kay Ivey. "Judge Kavanaugh clearly understands the proper role of a judge is to interpret the law as it is written and apply the law impartially. It is imperative that judges adhere to the Constitution and resist judicial activism. As a justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Kavanaugh will have the opportunity to set valuable precedents for lower court judges all over the country to follow. Another conservative justice on the U.S. Supreme Court who honors the original intent of the Constitution will have a positive impact on our country for decades. I look forward to following the U.S. Senate confirmation process.”
This nomination occurred just days after Justice Anthony Kennedy announced that he would be retiring this summer. Trump had narrowed down his decision to four people: Judges Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, Thomas Hardiman and Raymond Kethledge (all considered to be young conservatives), and has ultimately decided to nominate Kavanaugh.
Several other Alabama politicians have also given their own remarks on the nomination, with Secretary of State John Merrill tweeting:
"Congratulations to DC Appeals Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh for his nomination to fill the vacancy on the United States Supreme Court!"
Alabama's Third Congressional District Representative Mike Rogers tweeted:
"Thrilled tonight with @realdonaldtrump’s pick for the United States Supreme Court. Now, I urge the Senate to get to work and confirm our nominee. #AL03"
Alabama Democratic Senator Doug Jones tweeted:
"Tonight's announcement is only a first step. A thorough vetting of Judge Kavanaugh’s body of work will be critical for the Senate to fulfill its shared responsibility—which I take very seriously. I will be diligent in measuring the record and in undertaking an independent review."
Kavanaugh accepted the nomination and said that he felt "deeply honored" to be replacing Kennedy on the highest court in the land.
