Senate Democrats are asking US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh some very pointed questions about a subject that doesn’t usually come up for candidates for the country’s highest court like, “Do you have a gambling problem?” and, “Have you ever been treated for gambling addiction?”. The unusual line of questioning is the result of a deep dive into Kavanaugh’s personal finance that has revealed a few oddities that could be consistent with problem gambling.
To say that Kavanaugh, or any or Trump’s appointees and nominees, is controversial is a bit of an understatement. And with the majority vote in the bitterly divided US Supreme Court up for grabs, Kavanaugh and his lifelong financial history are getting a very close look. One thread that’s emerged is a number of financial transactions and debts that are raising eyebrows. These include consumer debt of between $60,000 and $200,000 that Kavanaugh says was used for home improvement and tickets to see the Washington Nationals play. (That consumer debt was mysteriously liquidated shortly after his nomination, but that’s another story entirely). Kavanaugh’s critics point to the fact that the $10,000-$15,000 amounts he advances on his cards aren’t really consistent with purchases for baseball tickets.
There’s also mentions of Kavanaugh losing, “…still another game of dice,” in e-mails from his friends. Whether these comments were made in jest or refer to his preference for table games, is yet unknown.
While there’s certainly nothing wrong with gambling, Senate Democrats are desperate for any take on the nominee that could derail his nomination and postpone hearings on his replacement until after the impending mid-term elections. In short, watch for much more discussion of Kavanaugh’s gambling habits in the days ahead.