Trump calls Brett Kavanaugh sexual misconduct claims ‘a hoax’

US President Donald Trump has been greeted with rounds of applause at his triumphant swearing-in ceremony for new Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. But Americans aren’t happy.

Following arguably the biggest — and hardest fought — victory of his controversy-strewn presidency, Trump was crowing.

Early on in the ceremony he apologised to Kavanaugh and his family for the hurt caused by the recent FBI probe.

“On behalf of our nation, I want to apologise to Brett and the entire Kavanaugh family for the terrible pain and suffering you have been forced to endure,” he said at the jurist’s White House swearing-in ceremony.

“Brett Kavanaugh is a man of outstanding intellect, a brilliant scholar, and his credentials are unsurpassed,” Mr Trump said.

“When he’s not working or with his family, he’s giving back to his community. He spent 26 years in public service and, just like Justice (Neil) Gorsuch, he clerked for Justice (Anthony) Kennedy.”

Kavanaugh insisted he had “no bitterness” over his bruising nomination process as he vowed to be a “team player.”

“The Supreme Court is a team of nine. And I will always be a team player on the team of nine... The senate confirmation process was contentious and emotional. That process is over,” he said.

“My focus now is to be the best justice I can be. I take this office with gratitude and no bitterness.”

The swearing in is the first time a Supreme Court justice (Kennedy) has ever sworn in his former clerk.

During the ceremony Kavanaugh said the Supreme Court “is not a partisan or political institution,” and promised to “always be a team player on a team of nine.”

All other eight justices attended the ceremony.

Kavanaugh described the confirmation process as “contentious and emotional” but said he has “no bitterness.”

He added all four of the clerks who will work for him at the high court are women.

Kavanaugh’s Saturday confirmation in one of the closest such Senate votes in history highlighted deep American polarisation ahead of November 6 congressional midterm elections where Democrats hope to end Republican dominance.

But far from using the aftermath of the battle to try to heal the nation, Trump piled into even fiercer attacks.

TRUMP: ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS ‘A HOAX’
Boarding the Marine One helicopter at the White House ahead of a trip to Florida, he branded the sexual assault allegations that threatened to derail Kavanaugh’s path to the top court “a hoax” and “all made up, fabricated.” Democrats, Trump said, “tortured him (Kavanaugh) and his family. I thought it was a disgrace.” The president — whose Republicans fear losing at least the lower chamber of Congress in November — angrily predicted that the Kavanaugh row would backfire on Democrats.

“I think a lot of Democrats are going to vote Republican,” he said. “I think you’re going to see a lot of things happening on November 6 that wouldn’t have.” Democrats fought tooth and nail to stop Kavanaugh’s candidacy, claiming that the accomplished, conservative-minded judge was not suited to the Supreme Court, which will now tilt decisively to a more Republican-friendly panel.

Then, just as his confirmation seemed inevitable, 11th-hour allegations emerged that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl while at high school and exposed himself to a female classmate at an alcohol-fuelled dorm party at Yale University.

No concrete evidence was produced to back up the searing accusations, which Republicans described as a dirty tricks campaign.

However, a CNN poll conducted in the final days of the fight over his confirmation has found

51 per cent in the poll oppose Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court, up from 39 per cent who opposed it in early September.

Support for Kavanaugh’s confirmation has merely risen, from 38 per cent backing him in early September to 41 per cent.

The poll also found a majority of Americans have doubts about Kavanaugh’s truthfulness and freedom from political influence.

52 per cent of Americans say they believe the women accusing Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct over the judge’s denials of those accusations (38 per cent believed him more than the women).

Half of them said they thought he lied about his alcohol use as a young adult. Half also said Kavanaugh’s personal conduct has disqualified him to serve on the court, and 53 per cent said his professional qualifications do not outweigh any questions about his personal conduct.

Furthermore, 56 per cent think he would be influenced by his personal political beliefs when considering cases before the Supreme Court.

After an extra FBI probe — which media reports say was drastically curtailed by the White House — also found nothing new, Kavanaugh was finally voted into the coveted post.

Kavanaugh officially took the oath in a more hurried, private procedure Saturday, but the White House version late Monday was a chance for the Trump administration to perform the equivalent of a victory lap.

ROSENSTEIN SAFE — FOR NOW
Meanwhile, Mr Trump told reporters at the White House he had no plans to fire Deputy Attorney-General Rod Rosenstein, delivering a reprieve for the Justice Department official whose future has been the source of intense speculation for two weeks.

Mr Trump said that he had “a very good relationship” with Mr Rosenstein and was eager to speak with him aboard Air Force One on a flight to Florida for the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference.

The flight provides an opportunity for their most extensive conversation since news reports last month that Mr Rosenstein had discussed the possibilities in early 2017 of secretly recording Mr Trump to expose chaos in the White House and invoking constitutional provisions to get him removed from office.

Those reports triggered an avalanche of speculation about the future of Mr Rosenstein — and also the special counsel’s investigation into possible co-ordination between Russia and the Trump campaign since the deputy Attorney-General appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller to his post and closely oversees his work.

“I didn’t know Rod before, but I’ve gotten to know him,” Mr Trump said on Monday. “I look forward to flying with him. It’ll be very nice.”

The Justice Department denied that Mr Rosenstein had proposed invoking the 25th Amendment of the Constitution and issued a statement that said the remark about recording the president was meant sarcastically.

Even so, Mr Rosenstein told White House officials that he was willing to resign and arrived at the White House at one point with the expectation that he would be fired. He met in person with White House chief of staff John Kelly and spoke by phone with Mr Trump during a tumultuous day that ended with him still in his job.