Trump nominates Brett Kavanaugh to US Supreme Court
Washington, July 10 : US President Donald Trump has picked Brett Kavanaugh, a federal appeals court judge with extensive legal credentials and a lengthy political record, to succeed Justice Anthony M. Kennedy in the Supreme Court.
"Judge Kavanaugh has impeccable credentials," Trump said on Monday, shortly after announcing his pick, CNBC reported.
In a primetime announcement at the White House, the President praised his pick as a "brilliant jurist", BBC reported.
The nominee, a District of Columbia appeals court judge, is a former adviser to ex-President George W. Bush. The decision has far-reaching implications for America on everything from abortion to guns to immigration.
Trump said: "Judge Kavanaugh has impeccable credentials, unsurpassed qualifications and a proven commitment to equal justice under the law."
He added: "He is a brilliant jurist with a clear and effective writing style, universally regarded as one of the finest and sharpest legal minds of our time."
This is the president's second appointment to the highest court in the land, potentially allowing him to shape the US for a generation after he leaves the White House.
With reality television-style suspense, he had kept everyone guessing up until the last moment. The appointee would replace Justice Anthony Kennedy, 81, who announced last month that he will retire this summer.
At Monday night's announcement, Judge Kavanaugh said: "Mr. President, thank you. Throughout this process I have witnessed firsthand your appreciation for the vital role of the American judiciary.
"No president has ever consulted more widely, or talked with more people from more backgrounds to seek input abut a Supreme Court nomination.
"I am grateful to you and I am humbled by your confidence in me."
Judge Kavanaugh has served since 2006 on the influential US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and was formerly a White House aide under George W. Bush.
He previously worked for Kenneth Starr, the independent counsel who investigated Democratic former President Bill Clinton in the 1990s.
A Yale graduate, he once clerked for Justice Kennedy, the man he would replace. Judge Kavanaugh recently voiced disagreement with a court decision allowing an undocumented teenage immigrant to get an abortion.
He wrote a Minnesota law review article in 2009 arguing that presidents should be shielded from criminal investigations and civil lawsuits while in office.
Analysts say that could have weighed in his favour with the White House, given that the Supreme Court may at some point be asked to rule on matters arising from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing Russia-related investigation.
The nominee must be confirmed by the US Senate, which the Republican president's party narrowly controls 51-49. A nominee needs a simple majority of 51 votes to be confirmed.
With Senator John McCain battling cancer in his home state of Arizona, Republicans can currently only muster 50 votes. Before a full vote on the chamber floor, the prospective justice will be grilled by the Senate Judiciary Committee in hearings that can go on for days.
Judge Kavanaugh said he would begin meetings with senators on Tuesday. Democrats are certain to press Trump's latest nominee on the landmark 1973 Roe vs Wade ruling that legalised abortion nationwide.
Conservative Christians have long vied to overturn that decision, and Trump has previously said he wants "pro-life" justices opposed to abortion rights.
The White House and Republican party want the nomination in the bag before November's mid-term elections.
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B'luru: "Least priority, shifted late," says brother of patient who died in Ramaiah hospital fire
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Bengaluru: Hours after a fire broke out at the Critical Care Unit (CCU) of the MS Ramaiah Memorial Hospital on New BEL Road on Thursday, a 34-year-old patient, Sujay Sujathan Panicker, tragically passed away. His family has accused the hospital authorities of negligence, which they claim led to his death.
The fire at Ramaiah Memorial Hospital is believed to have been caused by a short circuit. Initial reports suggested that there were no casualties in the incident.
Sujay, originally from Kollam in Kerala, had been residing in Bengaluru with his family since 2004. He was undergoing treatment for pneumonia, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), and H1N1 since September 1 at the hospital.
Sujay's wife and father released a video accusing the hospital of negligence. In the video, his wife, Rohini Jayan, alleged that the hospital authorities took no action against those responsible for the fire.
Sujay’s brother, Sujin Sujathan Panicker, speaking to Vartha Bharathi, detailed the family’s ordeal. He said that despite his sister-in-law requesting assistance during the chaos, the hospital staff pushed her away, assuring her that all patients had been safely evacuated to the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU). However, Sujin claims that his sister-in-law did not see Sujay being shifted.
He further stated, “Sometime later, when a doctor arrived, she (Rohini) inquired about Sujay. It was only after the doctor questioned the staff that they rushed to evacuate him.”
Sujin added that by the time his brother was evacuated, 50 minutes had already passed since the fire broke out. "He was still inside, while all the other patients were taken out first. He was admitted to the hospital with a respiratory illness, yet he was given the least priority during the chaos. He was the last one to be evacuated."
He also claimed that Rohini had already noticed that Sujay’s condition had deteriorated and believed he had passed away, though the hospital authorities did not officially declare his death.
Sujin further stated that the hospital authorities called him and his father to the board room at the 8th floor of the hospital, where senior executives and doctors who had treated Sujay were present “During the interaction they (hospital authorities) claimed that Sujay was still alive and that his condition had worsened amid the smoke and that his chances of survival were less, which was not true.”
"Despite staff being present to evacuate my brother, they remained negligent. The fire broke out at 1:00 p.m., so why did it take 50 minutes to get him out? He was in a corner bed in the CCU, and it seemed they either overlooked the room or ignored it. Even after repeated requests, it took them 50 minutes to evacuate him," Sujin added.
Sujin also expressed concerns that the hospital authorities might attempt to influence the investigation. "They can influence anyone—any hospital, any report."
At the time of the interview, Sujin stated that neither anyone from the government nor from the health department had contacted the family.
A complaint has been filed in connection with the incident at the Sadashivanagar police station. "The statements of the family members have been recorded, and an investigation into the matter is underway. An FIR has been lodged under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) Section 106 (causing death due to negligence)," said Sadashivanagar police station Sub-Inspector.
Meanwhile, officials from Ramaiah Memorial Hospital were unavailable for comment.
