[Big League Politics] Brett Kavanaugh has spoken of progressive idol Ruth Bader Ginsburg that terms that are sure to leave many conservatives worried about the judge’s commitment to originalist principles.Kavanaugh said that the progressive judicial activist was an "inspiration" to him on the court when speaking in one of his first public events since being confirmed to the Supreme Court in one of the most contentious confirmation processes in Supreme Court history.
Somewhat curiously, Kavanaugh neglected to thank President Donald Trump for nominating him and refusing to shelve the nomination when progressives launched a slander campaign accusing the federal judge of sexually assaulting a woman in high school. The smear campaign was totally uncorroborated, and Kavanaugh was ultimately confirmed to the court.
Kavanaugh did thank his supporters broadly for their steadfast battle for his confirmation, however. He was speaking at an annual event of the right-leaning Federalist Society, some of whose members might have been surprised to hear him take inspiration from a progressive known to stand against virtually everything the organization supports.
It’s not without precedent for a conservative Supreme Court judge such as Kavanaugh to speak of a far-left progressive jurist in a favorable light. Deceased Judge Antonin Scalia was known to have a friendship with Ruth Bader Ginsburg, although it doesn’t appear he ever went so far as to refer to the historically unmatched progressive as an "inspiration."
It could be said that Kavanaugh has given some of his conservative supporters cause for concern. Since arriving on the Supreme Court, he’s generally voted in accordance with conservative judicial principles, but he’s had a few notable hiccups, including voting against a proposal that would allow states to block Planned Parenthood from receiving funding from Medicare programs.