Flanders criticizes Senator Whitehouse on how he handled Kavanaugh hearings

October 6, 2018 5:49 pm

By: Amanda Pitts

alpitts@abc6.com

@APittsABC6

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Republican Senate Candidate Bob Flanders is calling out Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, criticizing him on how he handled now Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination hearings.

At a press conference Saturday morning at his headquarters in Warwick, Flanders said his opponent is abusing his seat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Senator Whitehouse has been outspoken on his opinion of Kavanaugh, making it clear from the start that he was voting “no”.

“If Dr. Blasey Ford’s testimony is true, I hope we can all agree that Kavanaugh has no business on the court,” Whitehouse said Friday.

The Senator voiced his distaste for Kavanaugh back in August. Flanders believes he should have remained open-minded until the hearings.

“To say that you’re going to vote against somebody before you even go through the basic due process of having a hearing on the matter is contrary to basic legal and fundamental fairness principles,” said Flanders.

Whitehouse said on the Senate floor Friday night that the hearings only solidified his opinion of Kavanaugh.

“I had significant concerns about his truthfulness and temperament, concerns proven more than justified over the course of these hearings.”

Flanders also criticized Whitehouse for diving into details of Kavanaugh’s high-school yearbook, calling it an “eleventh-hour smear attempt”.

“Senator Whitehouse has shown through his statements and actions that he was determined to attack and destroy Judge Kavanaugh’s reputation.”

Senator Whitehouse maintains he believes Doctor Ford’s allegations, saying her testimony is inspiring other survivors of sexual assault to share their experiences. He added that at least ten Rhode Island women have written him to do just that.