Brett Kavanaugh Expresses Optimism for Supreme Court, Country, and Colleagues Despite Controversy Over Roe v. Wade Ruling

Justice Brett Kavanaugh has made his first public comments since the release of an investigative report into the leak of a draft opinion reversing Roe v. Wade. During an event at Notre Dame Law School earlier this week, Kavanaugh said he is “optimistic” about the court, his colleagues, and the country.

Kavanaugh, a conservative justice, praised his liberal colleagues and highlighted rulings in which the justices were not divided on ideological lines. He said that while judges get a lot of criticism and “heat” at times, he aspires to be an optimist.

The Supreme Court has a 6-3 conservative majority, leading to debate about whether the court is in danger of losing its legitimacy by moving sharply to the right. Kavanaugh did not directly reference the leak investigation, but said he is optimistic about the court, the country, and his colleagues.

The court in its previous term, which ended in June, faced sharp criticism for several rulings, most notably the decision to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade precedent that found that there was a constitutional right to abortion. Kavanaugh’s comments come as the court is facing increased scrutiny over its rulings and its legitimacy.

Kavanaugh’s remarks are the first known public comments any justice has made off the bench since the release of the investigative report. His comments suggest that he is hopeful that the court will continue to make decisions that are not divided along ideological lines.