Yankees GM Brian Cashman, Cardinals president Michael Bidwill endorse Trump SCOTUS pick Brett Kavanaugh
President Donald Trump announced his selection to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by outgoing Justice Anthony Kennedy Monday as conservative Washington D.C. insider Brett Kavanaugh.
Kavanaugh, an appellate court judge based in Washington D.C. with ties to the George W. Bush administration, was also a high school classmate of New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and Arizona Cardinals president Michael Bidwill at Washington’s Georgetown Prep.
Prominent sports figures endorse Trump’s SCOTUS pick
Both endorsed Kavanaugh’s candidacy for the high court in a letter addressed to Congressional leaders including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was a HS classmate of Cardinals’ owner Michael Bidwill at Georgetown Prep, class of '83. Bidwill organized their classmates for a letter of support that will be sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The letter: pic.twitter.com/3m6gmXAN4J
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 10, 2018
Kavanaugh’s confirmation will run through the Senate, prompting the endorsement from Cashman, Bidwill and several of their Georgetown Prep alumni.
The letter addresses the controversy surrounding the nomination after McConnell’s Senate refused to vote on outgoing President Barack Obama nominee Merrick Garland in 2016 which allowed Trump to instill right-leaning Neil Gorsuch to the high court when he took office. Kavanaugh would be the second appointment under Trump, further cementing a conservative-leaning Supreme Court.
“Although some may use the confirmation process as a rallying cry for advancing deeply and honestly held beliefs for many groups in our country, we earnestly ask you to rise above the passions and examine who Brett Kavanaugh is and whether his juridicial ability, extensive experience and many accomplishments in public service qualify him to the position of an Associate Justice.”
Kavanaugh’s conservative bonafides
Kavanaugh’s experience includes assisting Bush in the historic 2000 Florida recount that saw the Texas governor confirmed President of the United States by the Supreme Court over Al Gore in the landmark Bush v. Gore decision.
Kavanaugh then served as Bush’s counsel in the White House before Bush nominated him for the D.C. Circuit in July 2003.
Kavanaugh also worked with special counsel Ken Starr during the Whitewater investigation of President Bill Clinton. He was a primary author of Starr’s report to Congress calling for the impeachment of Clinton in the wake of the sex scandal involving White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
Bidwill doesn’t shy from politics
Bidwill has not shied from supporting conservative causes and was a prominent cheerleader for the 2015 campaign of far-right Republican Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, who has signed a controversial abortion bill and assisted in the escalation of National Guard presence at the Mexico border amid the policy of separating immigrant parents from their children.
Bidwill further endorsed Kavanaugh’s qualifications on the Cardinals’ official website.
“The purpose of the letter is to talk about Brett as a person,” Bidwill said. “We have known him and known what a brilliant mind he has. He’s eminently qualified.”
Cashman also endorsed Gorsuch appointment
Cashman has generally stuck with the Yankees line of avoiding politics, but last year endorsed Gorsuch, who was also a high school class mate at Georgetown Prep.
“He was easily voted class president, and for good reason,” Cashman told the New York Daily News of the Gorsuch appointment. “Based upon the two years I went to high school with (Gorsuch), he was extremely intelligent, and a high-character guy. I thought he was a tremendous choice.”
More from Yahoo Sports:
• LiAngelo Ball will play in his dad’s league after all
• Why isn’t the U.S. better at soccer? It’s all about $$$
• Massive bee invasion delays Texas minor league game
• Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs have the entire NBA waiting
————————
Jason Owens is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter.
