Father of Parkland Shooting Victim Says Brett Kavanaugh 'Turned His Back' to Him at Confirmation Hearing
The father of Parkland shooting victim Jamie Guttenberg says Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh “turned his back” when he approached to shake hands during a break in his confirmation hearing on Tuesday.
Fred Guttenberg, who attended the first day of Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings as a guest of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, approached the Supreme Court nominee as the room broke for lunch. Video footage from CSPAN shows Guttenberg reaching out his arm toward Kavanaugh, who looks at him for a moment before turning away as a security guard walks up and steps in between them.
Fred Guttenberg, the father of Jamie Guttenberg who was killed in the shooting in Parkland, Fla., left, tries to shake hands with @realDonaldTrump's Supreme Court nom., Brett Kavanaugh, right, during a lunch break. Kavanaugh did not shake his hand. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) @ap pic.twitter.com/smcCGuLT6X
— Andrew Harnik (@andyharnik) September 4, 2018
Guttenberg later tweeted that he put out his hand to introduce himself as Jamie Guttenberg’s dad.
“He pulled his hand back, turned his back to me and walked away,” Guttenberg said on Twitter. “I guess he did not want to deal with the reality of gun violence.”
Just walked up to Judge Kavanaugh as morning session ended. Put out my hand to introduce myself as Jaime Guttenberg's dad. He pulled his hand back, turned his back to me and walked away. I guess he did not want to deal with the reality of gun violence.
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) September 4, 2018
White House spokesperson Raj Shah said security intervened before Kavanaugh could shake hands with an “unidentified individual.”
As Judge Kavanaugh left for his lunch break, an unidentified individual approached him. Before the Judge was able to shake his hand, security had intervened. https://t.co/ylOhtA1s6G
— Raj Shah (@RajShah45) September 4, 2018
Guttenberg disputed Shah’s statement on Twitter, saying: “Incorrect. I was here all day and introduced by Senator Feinstein. No security involved. He turned and walked away.”
Shah later posted a video that he said “clearly shows” security intervening.
NEW VIDEO of hearing room clearly shows security intervened when Judge #Kavanaugh was approached. pic.twitter.com/ZGRRCcWroW
— Raj Shah (@RajShah45) September 4, 2018
Guttenberg did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The AP reports that Capitol Police talked with Guttenberg and he was back in the hearing room for the afternoon session of the confirmation hearing.
