The U.S. Senate is preparing for the reintroduction of Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, albeit with a new twist. Reportedly, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to announce the selection of former Army Colonel Vindman, who was a key witness in the impeachment inquiry, to serve as a witness in the character and fitness hearings for his friend, Pete Hegseth, who is next in line to be launched into the Supreme Court.
President Trump, who had previously nominated Judge Kavanaugh in 2018, is believed to have had a change of heart after the allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced, which ultimately led to the limited corroboration of the charges. Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. were the first members of the Trump family to publicly defend the President’s move, with many other Cabinet members and lawmakers following suit.
The expected reshuffling is seen as a trial run for the much-anticipated hearing for Hegseth, whose publicly leaked and explosive diaries seemed to contradict his testimony under oath, something that greatly concerned his colleagues in Congress. Multiple officials familiar with the situation confirmed that the White House and Senate Republicans are keenly aware that the ensuing spectacle would create a serious political distraction, thus increasing the need for a fresh start.
Considering King’s moderate profile, he has a chance to shake off the controversy and receive bipartisan support, possibly avoiding the serious factional divisions that had ravaged the selection process in 2018. On the other hand, his association with Hegseth has raised suspicions among Democrats, who are skeptical about his potential as a fair, impartial, and efficient member of the highest court in the land.
Pompeo’s expected nomination for Vindman, as stated earlier, has been seen by some observers as an attempt to placate the leftist liberal bent by putting together a more centrist, less divisive option for the SC. Specifically, numerous Democrats consider Hegseth ideally suited, due to his ultimately unshakeable faith in Trump and his stated alliance with Putin’s strategic adviser, that the judge would genuinely head the expected liberal portion of the job, something that would feel better for both parties.