Kavanaugh’s ties to disgraced mentor loom over confirmation

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will likely face questions during his confirmation hearing about his relationship with a mentor now accused of sexual harassment.

After graduating from Yale Law School, Kavanaugh was hired in 1991 as a law clerk for 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Alex Kozinski.

The job was a key stepping stone for Kavanaugh’s legal career. Now, questions are being raised about whether Kavanaugh was aware of inappropriate workplace conduct by Kozinski and, if so, his response. Kavanaugh has denied being aware of any allegations until last year.

Kozinski retired last December after multiple female law clerks and colleagues accused him of sexual harassment.

Democratic Sen. Mazie K. Hionoi of Hawaii says she’ll ask Kavanaugh about Kozinski during next week’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearings.

EDITOR’S NOTE _ One in a series of stories examining the nomination of federal appeals court Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court