I'm Lee Rowland from the ACLU studios in New York City.

This is At Liberty, the podcast where we discuss today's most pressing civil rights and civil liberties topics.

Today, the ACLU opposes Kavanaugh.

It's hard to overstate the degree to which Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination

and the sexual misconduct allegations against him have gripped the nation over the past week.

In a dramatic hearing on Thursday, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee

that Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her in high school.

Kavanaugh denied her claims in a combative and emotional response.

Prompted by Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, the FBI opened a limited one-week investigation into Kavanaugh's conduct.

Meanwhile, some groups that hadn't previously opposed Kavanaugh have changed course as a result

of the allegations. The American Bar Association, for example, has called for further investigation

after previously raiding Kavanaugh well-qualified.

Another such group is the American Civil Liberties Union.

The organization does not ordinarily oppose or support judicial nominations.

However, over the weekend, the ACLU's National Board voted to suspend that policy in order to formally

oppose the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. Here to discuss it all is the

head of that board, ACLU President and Brooklyn Law School Professor Susan Herman. Susan,

thanks so much for being here today. Thank you, Lee. Good morning. Good morning.

Well, this is really an extraordinary historical moment for the country. Could you walk us through

where the ACLU is and has been on all things, Kavanaugh? Well, I think I'd like to start

where the ACLU has been and is on all

things nonpartisan, because we define ourselves as a nonpartisan organization, which means that

...