*By Christian Smith*
In 1991, Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) was among the seven female Democratic congresswomen who convinced Senate Democrats to allow Anita Hill to testify about her sexual assault allegations against then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas.
And now, given Prof. Christine Blasey Ford's searing testimony on Thursday, Lowey thinks Brett Kavanaugh should not be confirmed to the Supreme Court.
"You have to look at the whole person, and from what I hear from Dr. Ford, I would not want to see Judge Kavanaugh on the highest court of the land," she said.
To Lowey, the Court is sacred ー and its justices should follow suit in their personal conduct, not just in their careers.
"We know that an appointment to the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court of the United States of America, is more than intelligence and an Ivy League school. His credibility, and his character, has to be evaluated," she said.
In a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday, Ford answered questions for over three hours about her claims that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when the two were in high school ー accusations that Lowey said seem credible.
"She seemed, certainly to me, to present an honest, honest perspective," Lowey said.
Her convictions about Ford aside, Lowey noted that the accusations against Kavanaugh should still be investigated thoroughly by the proper authorities.
"We should take our time, and he should be subject to an FBI investigation," Rep. Lowey said. She acknowledged, though, that Kavanaugh should still get a confirmation vote.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/congresswoman-nita-lowey-d-ny-calls-on-senate-to-allow-fbi-investigation-of-kavanaugh-accusers-claims).
New York has reported its lowest number of daily COVID-19 deaths in weeks. The state on Friday reported 422 deaths as of the day before.
The coronavirus first seen in China is now ravaging the U.S., and Asian Americans are continuing to wrestle with a second epidemic: hate. Hundreds of attacks on Asian people have been reported, with few signs of decline.
Stocks are holding steady in early trading Friday as Wall Street nears the end of its tumultuous week.
Some businesses in Georgia are reopening as the state's governor eases a month-long shutdown despite fears that a new wave of coronavirus infections could result.
Past studies have not found good evidence that the warmer temperatures and higher humidity of spring and summer will help tamp down spread of the virus.
Congress has delivered a nearly $500 billion infusion of coronavirus spending, almost unanimously rushing new relief to employers and hospitals buckling under the strain of a pandemic that has claimed almost 50,000 American lives and one in six U.S. jobs.
Outspoken New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo came for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in a press conference Thursday, accusing him of politicizing coronavirus relief efforts
The stock market ended another turbulent day more or less where it started after an early rally got washed away. The S&P 500 ended with a tiny loss Thursday, having given up an early gain of 1.6%.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday that a state survey of about 3,000 people found that 13.9% had antibodies suggesting they had been exposed to the virus.
Hart Island is a mile-long patch of land in the Long Island Sound off the coast of the Bronx, which normally slips under the radar for most New Yorkers. In recent weeks, the unassuming island made headlines after drones captured aerial images of workers loading simple caskets three-deep into trenches wide enough to fit over 100 bodies.
