Brett Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court Justice, who was confirmed last year by the narrowest margin in 130 years, now faces new sexual misconduct allegations. On September 16, 2019, two journalists from the New York Times reported that Kavanaugh’s former Yale classmate, Max Stier, reported a sexual misconduct allegation. According to New York Times, Stier told senators and the FBI that he “…saw Mr. Kavanaugh with this pants down at a… drunk dorm party,” where friends pushed his genitals onto a female student. The allegations were never investigated by the FBI. The article, which was adapted from a new book out last week, originally omitted a key fact, which New York Times editors later added. The book says that the female student “refused to discuss the incident” and “several of her friends said she does not recall it.” When the woman at the center of the allegations was asked if there are other sources they could speak to about her story, she responded with: ‘Ask Brett.’ These allegations have sparked calls for the impeachment of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Instructors, click on the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom.
The deck contains a writing prompt, a debate question, as well as other assessment questions.
Video
Articles
- “New Brett Kavanaugh sexual misconduct accusation sets off calls for Supreme Court impeachment”
- “Woman linked to newly revealed allegation against Kavanaugh: ‘Ask Brett’”
- “New Calls To Impeach Justice Kavanaugh: How It Would Work and Why It Likely Wont”
Assessment
- Writing: The journalists investigated Brett Kavanaugh for 10 months. Briefly summarize their findings.
- Debate: The FBI should have investigated all of the allegations made against Brett Kavanaugh.
- Poll: Do you believe that the Senate did the right thing in confirming Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court?
- Short Answer: What is the process for impeaching a Supreme Court justice?
Current Events Quiz
1.) According to the New York Times article, the incident allegedly took place at
a. Dartmouth
b. Yale
c. Harvard
d. Princeton
2.) Since news of the new allegations, Democratic presidential candidates have called for
a. incarceration
b. restitution
c. suspension
d. impeachment
3.) Max Stier reported the allegations to
a. senators and the FBI
b. state governors and Congress
c. the Supreme Court.
d. the president.
4.) The FBI has investigated every single sexual misconduct allegation against Brett Kavanaugh. (T/F)
5.) According to an editor’s note, the female victim declined to be interviewed and friends say she does not recall the incident. (T/F)
6.) Supreme Court justices cannot be impeached. (T/F)
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