Ariel Dumas, a writer for the "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," has apologized for a tweet she sent on Saturday that said, "Whatever happens, I'm just glad we ruined Brett Kavanaugh's life."
"The last couple of weeks have been hard for the country and for me personally," Dumas tweeted on Sunday. The complexity of frustration, anger and sadness can’t be accurately conveyed on twitter, and I regret my tone-deaf attempt at sarcasm in the wake of it."
The last couple of weeks have been hard for the country and for me personally. The complexity of frustration, anger and sadness can’t be accurately conveyed on twitter, and I regret my tone-deaf attempt at sarcasm in the wake of it.
— Ariel Dumas (@ArielDumas) October 7, 2018
The Senate confirmed Brett Kavanaugh, a former circuit judge of the D.C. Court of Appeals, to the U.S. Supreme Court on Saturday and Chief Justice John Roberts swore him in on Sunday. Lawmakers confirmed Kavanaugh 50-48, with Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.) being the only Democrat to vote for him and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska) the only Republican not to support him.
His confirmation came after three women came forward accusing him of sexual misconduct while a teenager, which he categorically denied. One of those women, Christine Blasey Ford, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee that when they were in high school in the 1980s, Kavanaugh held her down, groped her, and turned up the music to cover up what was happening.
Dumas alluded to Ford's allegations in a tweet Friday about Sen. Jeff Flake (R., Ariz.), who a week prior asked the Senate Judiciary Committee to recommend the White House reopen an FBI investigation into Kavanaugh. The investigation was reopened for just under one week, and after investigators wrapped up the probe late Wednesday and reported no substantial findings, Flake voted to confirm Kavanaugh.
"Senator Jeff Flake, you are turning up the music so no one can hear our screams for help," Dumas said.
Senator @JeffFlake - you are turning up the music so no one can hear our screams for help.
— Ariel Dumas (@ArielDumas) October 5, 2018
Kavanaugh decried the accusations against him as "last minute smears" designed to stall his nomination.
"If the mere allegation, the mere assertion of an allegation, a refuted allegation from 36 years ago, is enough to destroy a person's life and career, we will have abandoned the basic principles of fairness and due process that define our legal system in our country," Kavanaugh told the Senate Judiciary Committee.