Brett Kavanaugh Quotes
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
I was in high school - and I went to an all-boys Catholic high school, a Jesuit high school, where I was focused on academics and athletics, going to church every Sunday at Little Flower, working on my service projects, and friendship, friendship with my fellow classmates and friendship with girls from the local all-girls Catholic schools.
I like beer.
I believe that an independent judiciary is the crown jewel of our constitutional republic.
A ban on a class of arms is not an 'incidental' regulation. It is equivalent to a ban on a category of speech.
I believe that an independent and impartial judiciary is essential to our constitutional republic.
Justice Kennedy devoted his career to securing liberty. I am deeply honored to be nominated to fill his seat on the Supreme Court.
I believe that the president should be excused from some of the burdens of ordinary citizenship while serving in office. This is not something I necessarily thought in the 1980s or 1990s. Like many Americans at that time, I believed that the president should be required to shoulder the same obligations that we all carry.
Whether the Constitution allows indictment of a sitting president is debatable.
The nation certainly would have been better off if President Clinton could have focused on Osama bin Laden without being distracted by the Paula Jones sexual harassment case and its criminal investigation offshoots.
If the president does something dastardly, the impeachment process is available.
We should not burden a sitting president with civil suits, criminal investigations, or criminal prosecutions.
The task of dealing with global warming is urgent and important.
A judge must interpret statutes as written. And a judge must interpret the Constitution as written, informed by history and tradition and precedent.
I am proud that a majority of my law clerks have been women.
Semi-automatic rifles, like semi-automatic handguns, have not traditionally been banned and are in common use by law-abiding citizens for self-defense in the home, hunting, and other lawful uses.
I am part of the vibrant Catholic community in the D.C. area. The members of that community disagree about many things, but we are united by a commitment to serve.
The Senate should consider a rule ensuring that every judicial nominee receives a vote by the Senate within 180 days of being nominated by the president.
A court's assessment of an agency's compliance with statutory limits does not depend on whether the agency's policy is good or whether the agency's intentions are laudatory.
The Supreme Court is the last line of defense for the separation of powers and for the rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution.
A president who is concerned about an ongoing criminal investigation is almost inevitably going to do a worse job as president.
If confirmed to the D.C. Circuit, I would follow Roe v. Wade faithfully and fully. That would be binding precedent of the court. It's been decided by the Supreme Court.
When people ask what it's like to be an only child, I say it depends on who your parents are. I was lucky.
I am not a pro-prosecution or pro-defense judge.
The motto of my Jesuit high school was 'Men for others.' I've tried to live that creed.
I have tried to create bonds with my daughters like my dad created with me.
My judicial philosophy is straightforward.
A judge must be independent and must interpret the law, not make the law.
My dad went to law school at night while working full-time. He has an unparalleled work ethic and has passed down to me his passion for playing and watching sports. I love him dearly.
Congress should clarify that a sitting president is not subject to criminal indictment while in office.
My wife, Ashley, is a West Texan, a graduate of Abilene Cooper Public High School and the University of Texas.
The law does not allow the FTC to just snap its fingers and temporarily block a merger.
Like civil suits, criminal investigations take the president's focus away from his or her responsibilities to the people.
I was not involved and am not involved in the questions about the rules governing detention of combatants.
My law clerks come from diverse backgrounds and points of view.
Having seen first-hand how complex and difficult the job is, I believe it vital that the president be able to focus on his never-ending tasks with as few distractions as possible.
I thank God every day for my family.
As a judge, I hire four law clerks each year. I look for the best.
My mom was a teacher. In the 1960s and '70s, she taught history at two largely African American public high schools in Washington, D.C. - McKinley Tech and H.D. Woodson. Her example taught me the importance of equality for all Americans.
There is one kind of judge. There is an independent judge under our Constitution.
Even the lesser burdens of a criminal investigation - including preparing for questioning by criminal investigators - are time-consuming and distracting.
There is no meaningful or persuasive constitutional distinction between semiautomatic handguns and semiautomatic rifles.
I do not decide cases based on personal or policy preferences.
I have been known for my courtesy on and off the bench.
However much we might sympathize or agree with EPA's policy objectives, EPA may act only within the boundaries of its statutory authority.
With respect to the legal justifications or the policies relating to the treatment of detainees, I was not aware of any issues on that or the legal memos that subsequently came out until the summer, sometime in 2004, when there started to be news reports on that.
The earth is warming. Humans are contributing.
Every day, I will try to be the best husband, dad, and friend I can be.
In my view, it is unreasonable for EPA to exclude considerations of costs in determining whether it is 'appropriate' to impose significant new regulations on electric utilities.
I think justices of all stripes agree that stare decisis is important, but not an inextricable command. It's not inflexible; it's not absolute.
My time in high school and college, more than 30 years ago, has been ridiculously distorted.
I revere the Constitution.
I am a pro-law judge.
My wife and daughters have faced vile and violent threats.
The Supreme Court must never be viewed as a partisan institution.
As a judge, I have always treated colleagues and litigants with the utmost respect.
As I have said repeatedly, if confirmed to the court, I would be part of a team of nine, committed to deciding cases according to the constitution and laws of the United States. I would always strive to be a team player.
If confirmed by the Senate to serve on the Supreme Court, I will keep an open mind in every case and always strive to preserve the Constitution of the United States and the American rule of law.
Sometimes I had too many beers.
When I got into Yale College, got into Yale Law School. I've worked my tail off.
I am not a pro-plaintiff or pro-defendant judge.
You may defeat me in a final vote, but you'll never get me to quit.
I am not perfect. I know that. None of us is perfect.
I'm a good person. I've led a good life.
I've always treated women with dignity and respect.
I am the leading federal judge in the country - the leader in the entire country of promoting women law clerks to get Supreme Court clerkships.
I've tried to do a lot of good for a lot of people.
I have faith in God, and I have faith in the fairness of the American people.