Brett Kavanaugh defends his emotional testimony in WSJ op-ed - here's what he said

After attacks from critics over his emotional testimony Thursday, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh defended his actions in an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal Thursday.

"I am a pro-law judge"

Kavanaugh made the case that he is an impartial judge of the law and that he would not be biased if he were to be confirmed as a Supreme Court justice.

"In each case, I have followed the law," he wrote. "I do not decide cases based on personal or policy preferences. I am not a pro-plaintiff or pro-defendant judge. I am not a pro-prosecution or pro-defense judge."

"I am a pro-law judge," he asserted.

Kavanaugh also addressed the allegations of sexual assault made against him.

"After all those meetings and after my initial hearing concluded," Kavanaugh wrote, "I was subjected to wrongful and sometimes vicious allegations. My time in high school and college, more than 30 years ago, has been ridiculously distorted. My wife and daughters have faced vile and violent threats."

“I was very emotional last Thursday"

He defended the emotional testimony he gave that has been ridiculed by the left for its vehemence.

"My statement and answers also reflected my deep distress at the unfairness of how this allegation has been handled," he wrote.

"I was very emotional last Thursday," Kavanaugh continued, "more so than I have ever been. I might have been too emotional at times. I know that my tone was sharp, and I said a few things I should not have said. I hope everyone can understand that I was there as a son, husband and dad. I testified with five people foremost in my mind: my mom, my dad, my wife, and most of all my daughters."

"I revere the Constitution"

Many Democrats and pundits took the testimony as a sign that Kavanaugh didn't have the temperament to be an unemotional judge of the law in the highest court of the United States. Kavanaugh made the case that he would be unbiased in his decisions if he were confirmed.

"I revere the Constitution," he concluded. "I believe that an independent and impartial judiciary is essential to our constitutional republic. If confirmed by the Senate to serve on the Supreme Court, I 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."

Here's more on the opinion piece from Kavanaugh:

Republicans plan to hold a confirmation vote on Saturday, but Democrats hope that a few holdouts might doom the nomination for Kavanaugh despite the majority that Republicans have.