Ohio’s Brown to oppose Trump’s Supreme Court pick

Sen. Sherrod Brown said Friday he will oppose the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, making his announcement just days after meeting with the federal appeals court judge.

Although Brown’s decision was expected, he took more time in announcing his opposition to Kavanaugh than last year when he said he would vote against Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch just hours after President Donald Trump nominated him to the high court.

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“After thoroughly reviewing his record, meeting with him face-to-face, and listening to Ohioans, I am convinced Judge Kavanaugh would side with special interests over working people and threaten the rights of Ohioans,” Brown said.

“Special interests already have armies of lobbyists and lawyers on their side,” Brown said. “Working people need justices who will put their rights first, not justices who will side with insurance companies over cancer survivors, financial scammers over customers, or massive corporations over American workers.”

Brown’s decision still does not provide Democrats with enough votes to block Kavanaugh’s nomination. The Republicans control the Senate, 50-49, and if every GOP senator supports the nomination, Kavanaugh will be confirmed.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, a strong Kavanaugh supporter, has helped prepare the judge for next month’s Senate confirmation hearings.

Brown faces re-election this year, and is being opposed by Rep. Jim Renacci, R-Wadsworth, who announced his backing for Kavanaugh shortly after Trump announced him as his pick.

“Sherrod Brown never had any intention of giving Judge Brett Kavanaugh the consideration he deserves,” National Republican Senate Committee Spokesman Bob Salera said said shortly after Brown’s announcement. “From the day President Trump announced Judge Kavanaugh as his pick for the Supreme Court, it was clear Brown would bow down to the left and vote no. Today’s announcement that Brown will vote against an indisputably qualified nominee should come as a surprise to no one.”

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