Readers React: Fill the Supreme Court vacancy now — whether it’s Brett Kavanaugh or a qualified backup nominee

To the editor: Though we may never know what really happened between Judge Brett Kavanaugh and his accusers, we need to fill a very important vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court. If Kavanaugh is unsuitable to fill the seat to which President Trump nominated him, then find someone else — but we need the process to go forward and not be stymied indefinitely.

There is no human being on Earth who hasn’t done something regrettable in his life. By scrutinizing the behavior of court nominees going all the way back to their adolescence, we may never be able to confirm anyone.

Let Kavanaugh’s accusers give their testimony, allow the judge to defend himself, and then put his confirmation up for a vote. Let American leaders, as the representatives of their constituents, decide on whether or not he is fit to be a Supreme Court justice.

Michael Pravica, Henderson, Nev.

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To the editor: As a student many years ago, I went to a keg party with a 17- or 18-year-old boy I met earlier in the day at Michigan State University. I don’t drink beer so I was sober; he was drunk.

The police raided the party, and my new friend and I along with another couple jumped in his car and headed to his apartment for pizza. When the other couple left for a moment, my new friend jumped me and pinned me to the bed. He was so drunk that I was able to fight him off and race back to the dorm.

I told my mother about this; she asked if I was hurt and I told her no. Then, she said, “It’s a good lesson — never go to a drunk man’s apartment.”

If this boy became an upstanding citizen, raised a family and was respected by men and women alike, I would vote for him for president. What teenagers do when drunk is sometimes wrong, but as long as no one was hurt it should not ruin a life.

Ruth Miller, Beverly Hills

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To the editor: Avoiding unnecessary harm to anyone is a worthy goal, but more is involved here. One is made a Supreme Court justice by appointment to a lifetime position; to be worthy of that, one must be above reproach.

Here the fairness required is fairness to the nation and its welfare; all else pales in comparison.

During Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, some members tried to document plausible charges that the nominee may have lied about his work as a White House lawyer during the George W. Bush administration. But the committee’s GOP majority prevented that, saying the documents sought were privileged.

Absent any willingness by Republicans to waive privilege, the nomination should be withdrawn.

John C. Nangle, Palm Springs

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To the editor: Kavanaugh deserves fairness, and he has called for a fair process. Meanwhile his backers, including Trump, label the accusers’ charges as politically motivated when they cannot in any manner know that label to be true.

Fair could be for someone to keep his current job and be lucky and happy to have it.

Certainly we have other candidates for the Supreme Court — how about Judge Merrick Garland? Should he get a “fair process”?

Scott Hamre, Cherry Valley, Calif.

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To the editor: It would be wonderful if for once Democrats would express exactly why they’re doing everything in their power to prevent Kavanaugh from being confirmed. The truth is, they’re trying to stop him because he’s Trump’s nominee. There is no other reason.

In this day and age of the #MeToo movement, anyone can allege sexual assault from far back in the past without the slightest bit of proof.

The most ludicrous statement of your editorial calling for an FBI investigation even if it delays Kavanaugh’s hearing is your mentioning of the possibility some Democrats have an “ulterior political motive.” Let me state unequivocally that every Democratic senator has an ulterior motive in trying to stop Kavanaugh.

Hopefully, most Americans will see through their disgraceful and underhanded attempts to ruin a good man.

Charles Reilly, Manhattan Beach

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