CHARLESTON – One of the most significant impacts that President Trump will have on America for decades to come is the ever-expanding mark of conservative appointments to federal judgeships across the country. The President is appointing jurists who understand that courts exist to interpret our Constitution and laws without attempting to set national policy.
President Trump recently nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh, a judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. Kavanaugh's twelve-year record as a circuit judge reveals that he understands that a judge's role under the Constitution is to interpret the law not make the law.
Unfortunately, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his leadership team are opposing Judge Kavanaugh's nomination at every turn. The progressive organizations that support liberals like Chuck Schumer are applying tremendous pressure on Senator Joe Manchin to oppose President Trump's nominee.
Potter
This decision should not be difficult for Senator Manchin. Nearly seventy percent, a landslide by all accounts, of voters in West Virginia supported Donald Trump's election. They knew the type of people he would appoint to federal judicial benches across the country, and they overwhelmingly supported his election. Today a majority of West Virginians continue to support President Trump and believe that Judge Brett Kavanaugh should be confirmed to the Supreme Court of the United States.
It's time for Joe Manchin to decide whether he stands with a majority of West Virginians or with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his liberal allies. Every election year, West Virginia Joe shows up, and Washington Joe takes his hiding place in a proverbial closet somewhere in the U.S. Capitol. It's time for Senator Manchin to walk the walk instead of talking the talk. We deserve someone who will listen to their constituents and do what is right.
Judge Kavanaugh has received widespread praise for his impressive qualifications, a strong commitment to the Constitution, and his caring, selfless disposition. A bi-partisan coalition of U.S. Senators, including former Senator Robert C. Byrd, supported Kavanaugh's nomination to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
In recent months, we have seen typical election year Joe Manchin. He waffles from opposing President Trump to supporting him when it's politically advantageous. Senator Manchin opposed President Trump's tax cuts but conceded Republican tax cuts have benefitted West Virginians. He has said in interviews that he opposes a border wall, but we see television ads that say he supports a border wall. In a matter of a few weeks, Manchin went from supporting the defunding of Planned Parenthood to voting for taxpayer funding for the abortion providing group.
West Virginians deserve someone who will be steadfast and unwavering in support of our West Virginia values. Not someone beholden to Chuck Schumer and liberals from New York and California who are critical of our values and way of life. Senator Manchin should listen to West Virginians and vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States.
Potter is chairwoman of the West Virginia Republican Party.