Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh penned an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal on Thursday, decrying what he described as "vicious" attacks against him while admitting he "might have been too emotional" during his hearing on Capitol Hill last week.
"I was very emotional last Thursday, more so than I have ever been," Kavanaugh wrote. "I know that my tone was sharp, and I said a few things I should not have said."
The embattled nominee was criticized after his hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee for the visible emotion he displayed as he testified under oath. In his opening remarks, he appeared angry and sometimes tearful as he adamantly denied he sexually assaulted Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, or anyone.
Kavanaugh described his testimony as "forceful and passionate" — which he claimed, "reflected my overwhelming frustration at being wrongly accused, without corroboration, of horrible conduct completely contrary to my record and character."
The nominee wrote that his responses before the committee "also reflected my deep distress at the unfairness of how this allegation has been handled."
In the op-ed, Kavanaugh stood firm that, if confirmed, he'd be a trusted associate justice, writing the U.S. "can count on [him] to be the same kind of judge and person I have been for my entire 28-year legal career: hardworking, even-keeled, open-minded, independent and dedicated to the Constitution and the public good."
"As a judge, I have always treated colleagues and litigants with the utmost respect. I have been known for my courtesy on and off the bench. I have not changed. I will continue to be the same kind of judge I have been for the last 12 years," the judge wrote.
Kavanaugh concluded that if he's confirmed by the Senate to the vacant seat on the bench, he "will keep an open mind in every case and always strive to preserve the Constitution of the United States and the American rule of law."
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