Legal Aid Attorneys Plan Kavanaugh Protest Today
/By Rob Abruzzese
Attorneys from the Legal Services Staff Association (LSSA) and the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (ALAA) are planning a one-hour walkout Thursday at 1 p.m. outside Queens Housing Court. to protest the potential appointment of Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
Simultaneous protests will take place in each of the other four boroughs.
Judge Brett Kavanaugh speaks during a Senate hearing last Thursday. AP Photo.
Attorneys from the two organizations, which represent low-income New Yorkers in civil and criminal cases, said they want to send a message that they find Kavanaugh's behavior unacceptable.
"As a Federal Judge, Kavanaugh has demonstrated his disdain for the environment, the rights of women, the rights of people of color, and other oppressed people," said LSSA President Sonja Shield. "Even before Dr. Ford came forward, it was clear that Kavanaugh was an ideologue perfectly tailored to carry out President Donald Trump's agenda. The Senate hearing last week dramatically demonstrated the damage these beliefs will cause."
In Brooklyn, the protest will be held outside of the Civil Court located at 141 Livingston Street, in Manhattan at Foley Square, in Staten Island at the Criminal Court at 26 Central Avenue and in the Bronx at Housing Court at 1118 Grand Concourse.
"The members of ALAA and LSSA stand in solidarity with all victims of sexual violence, including Dr. Ford and any other women who Judge Kavanaugh has assaulted over the years," said ALAA President Deborah Wright. "We stand against Judge Kavanaugh's heinous acts and also against his jurisprudence, which demonstrates a consistent disregard for the rights and humanity of women, workers, people of color, and the environment."
Last Friday, women from Queens and Brooklyn responded to the Senate hearing testimony of Kavanaugh and Dr. Christine Blasey Ford in the pages of the Eagle.
In addition to opposition to what they considered Kavanaugh’s problematic drinking and allegation of sexual assault, contributors criticized his petulance and partisanship.
“Judge Kavanaugh’s demeanor was inconsistent with the reflective, open-minded, measured behavior one would expect and demand from any judge, never mind a justice of the Supreme Court,” said CUNY Law Professor Julie Goldscheid. “His testimony reflected a partisan identification that raises questions about whether he could impartially rule on any matter directly or indirectly involving the Democratic Party.”
At a rally in Mississippi Tuesday night, Trump mocked Ford’s testimony. His supporters laughed and cheered.
