The Alaska Federation of Natives says it opposes the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court.
AFN’s statement Wednesday comes as the Senate considers confirming President Trump’s pick for a lifetime appointment to the high court.
Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski has met with Kavanaugh and said she would be mulling over his record. Murkowski’s positions on abortion rights and willingness in the past to break from her fellow Republicans make her a potential key vote in Kavanaugh’s confirmation.
Murkowski has enjoyed strong support from the Alaska Federation of Natives and many credit her historic 2010 general election win through a write-in campaign to support from Alaska Native voters, at least in part.
AFN says it opposes Kavanaugh on the basis of his statements or decisions on Native rights cases, as well as concern that he is more conservative than current justices whose positions on Native rights could be disastrous for Alaska.
Casey Grove is host of Alaska News Nightly, a general assignment reporter and an editor at Alaska Public Media. Reach him at cgrove@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Casey here.
