Dear Petitioners,

We all know the outcome of yesterday’s vote on the Kavanaugh Confirmation.  Unfortunately this is one petition on Change.org where we cannot "declare victory."

Thanks to all of you who signed this petition in earnest. Take comfort in knowing that we stand in good company, including more than 2,400 law school professors, in protesting Kavanaugh’s appointment. Ultimately we must still believe that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice."

Collectively, we owe a debt of gratitude to Melissa Bender ‘94 and Allison Hill-Edgar ‘94, for their fortitude and determination in hand-delivering the petition to Senator Sasse’s office.

As a Washington outsider, an idealist and a former classmate, I am disappointed by Senator Sasse. I recognize that the Senator had to weigh many considerations when casting his vote. I continued to hold out hope when I saw the Senator’s “MeToo” speech on October 3rd. As he was in the room September 27th, the day of Dr. Blasey Ford and Judge Kavanaugh’s testimonies, I think his vote should have been guided by what he witnessed there that day rather than tribal partisanship. I remain curious about how Senator Sasse, who has a doctorate in American History, made the choice he did. I remain firm in my conviction that Senator Sasse will wind up on the proverbial “wrong side of history” when it comes to his vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation.  

Now let us all turn our attention to the midterms over the next month. I encourage everyone on both sides of the aisle to vote and to play an active part in our democracy. Personally I’ve found organizations like Indivisible, Swing Left and the League of Women Voters offer worthwhile opportunities to participate in voter registration drives and other get out the vote (#GOTV) activities.  

Again, many thanks,

Aren Cohen H-R ‘94