Director, Commonwealth Policy Center

Two important principles of American law protect all of us. The first is that the accused are innocent until proven guilty. The second is that everyone deserves due process of the law. This means that evidence and witnesses are needed to establish facts and the accused have a right to defend themselves against false charges. However, this isn't happening with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. He's been pronounced guilty before having a chance to defend himself. Hawaii's Sen. Mazie Hirono is one such accuser. She called Christine Blasey Ford "brave" who needs not just "to be heard, but "to be believed." But what if such charges are false? To sacrifice principles of justice on the altar of political expediency might gain someone a political victory but we become weaker as a nation if that's allowed to happen.