The nomination of Brett Kavanaugh has been a slap in the face to women, who turned out in force to protest the federal judge’s elevation to the U.S. Supreme Court despite facing allegations of sexual assault.
As Think Progress reported, about a thousand protesters — mostly women — massed at the U.S. Capitol earlier this week to protest Kavanaugh’s impending confirmation. Other demonstrations were held at the Supreme Court.
And more huge demonstrations took place on Saturday, hours before the full Senate held a final vote on the nomination and with either greater emotion after he was confirmed by a 50-48 vote.
As you can see , there is one protest infront of the US Capitol and one not far near the Supreme Court that is traveling on to the lawn #CancelKanavaugh pic.twitter.com/ZyLTnXBav5
— Abby Cruz (@Abbbbeeeyyy) October 6, 2018
THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE. #NOJUSTICENOSEAT pic.twitter.com/usApgJ4oWh
— Planned Parenthood Action (@PPact) October 6, 2018
So leave it to President Donald Trump to send out a tweet suggesting that the massive turnout was actually a demonstration of supporters there to show their love for Kavanaugh, who has been accused of sexual assault dating back to this teenaged years.
Women for Kavanaugh, and many others who support this very good man, are gathering all over Capitol Hill in preparation for a 3-5 P.M. VOTE. It is a beautiful thing to see – and they are not paid professional protesters who are handed expensive signs. Big day for America!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 6, 2018
“Women for Kavanaugh, and many others who support this very good man, are gathering all over Capital Hill in preparation for a 3-5pm VOTE,” the president wrote. “It is a beautiful thing to see – and they are not paid professional protesters who are handed expensive signs. Big day for America!”
His remarks reprised his embrace of an anti-Semitic theory Trump began promoting this week that Hungarian-American philanthropist George Soros was to blame for the anti-Kavanaugh protests. Trump spread the laughable narrative that the protesters were actors bankrolled by Soros.
As ThinkProgress’ Amanda Michelle Gomez reported, “Women for Kavanaugh” were not very much in evidence among the protesters on Capitol Hill Saturday.
Trump: "Women for Kavanaugh… are gathering all over Capital Hill"
Fox reporter: "Yesterday we saw a lot of folks who were with the Women for Kavanaugh movement. I've not been able to find any of them today. Today seems to be so far all about Anti-Kavanaugh protesters." pic.twitter.com/gOh5Fsp8Dx— Amanda Michelle Gomez (@amanduhgomez) October 6, 2018
The gas-lighting from the president continued later Saturday after the Senate vote, when thousands of angry protesters massed on the steps of the Supreme Court to protest Kavanaugh’s confirmation, but Trump falsely insisted that the crowds were negligible.
The crowd in front of the U.S. Supreme Court is tiny, looks like about 200 people (& most are onlookers) – that wouldn’t even fill the first couple of rows of our Kansas Rally, or any of our Rallies for that matter! The Fake News Media tries to make it look sooo big, & it’s not!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 6, 2018
Trump has had a famously contentious relationship with women, having once bragged about grabbing them by the private parts, among the misogynistic slights and indignities by the former playboy businessman that are too numerous to recite.
The very rude elevator screamers are paid professionals only looking to make Senators look bad. Don’t fall for it! Also, look at all of the professionally made identical signs. Paid for by Soros and others. These are not signs made in the basement from love! #Troublemakers
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 5, 2018
Regardless of how the president mischaracterizes the protesters, they have vowed to continue to fight Kavanaugh’s nomination until the last vote is cast, with legions of demonstrators expected to turn out in Washington and across the country Saturday.