Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., had urged President Donald Trump over the summer to nominate a woman to the Supreme Court.
He disclosed his conversation with Trump while making an address on the Senate floor on Wednesday night. Sasse’s remarks were reported by various media outlets.
“Although I’ve said many complimentary things about Judge (Brett) Kavanaugh and his 12 years of record on the D.C. Circuit Court, I will say that I urged the president back in June and early July to make a different choice before he announced this nomination,” Sasse said. “I urged him to nominate a different individual. I urged the president to nominate a woman.
“Part of my argument then was that the very important #MeToo movement was also very new and that this Senate is not at all well prepared to handle allegations of sexual harassment and assault that might have come forward. This was absent knowing a particular nominee.”
The Hill reported Kavanaugh is facing several allegations of sexual misconduct dating back to his years in high school and college.
Sasse did not disclose the name of the woman he urged Trump to nominate. But The Hill noted Circuit judges Joan Larsen and Amy Coney Barrett were believed to be on the president’s shortlist for the Supreme Court.
In his speech, Sasse also put some distance between himself and Trump’s remarks about Christine Blasey Ford, according to The Hill.
"We all know that the president cannot lead us through this time,” he said. “His mockery of Dr. Ford last night in Mississippi was wrong but it doesn't really surprise anyone, it's who he is."
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