FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 22, 2018
NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson issued the following statement regarding the convictions of Michael Cohen and Paul Manafort:
“The convictions of Michael Cohen and Paul Manafort yesterday were a game changer for Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination. The Senate must not and cannot proceed with the Supreme Court nomination of a President whose statements and policies are rooted in racism and is now an unindicted co-conspirator in a series of federal crimes.
The Senate owes it to the American people to see how these legal proceedings play out before even considering whether to confirm a SCOTUS nominee selected by a President linked to federal crimes. This is especially true with a nominee like Brett Kavanaugh who believes that the President is immune from federal investigation.
Proceeding with this nomination now will only taint the Senate process for reviewing Supreme Court nominees under the Constitution and threaten the legitimacy of the Supreme Court itself.
Nothing about this presidency or this nomination is ordinary. We have been gravely concerned about the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the Kavanaugh nomination, including the criminal investigation into the presidency itself. Yesterday’s events make clear that it’s time for the Senate to do the right thing and #HaltTheHearing! Our justice system is at stake.”
