Amnesty International inexplicably jumps into the Kavanaugh debate - and gets brutal backlash

In yet another bizarre sideshow to the debate over Brett Kavanaugh, the president's nominee to the Supreme Court, Amnesty International was berated online for trying to jump into the divisive political contest.

"Silly season"

The London-based human rights organization tweeted that they supported the Democratic narrative in the debate over President Donald Trump's nomination.

"BREAKING: We are issuing a rare call for a halt to a vote on President Trump’s nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the #SCOTUS unless and until any information relevant to Kavanaugh’s possible involvement in human rights violations," they tweeted Monday.

They added a statement from Margaret Huang, the Executive Director of Amnesty International USA.

“Amnesty International takes no position on the appointment of particular individuals to government positions," she explained, "unless they are reasonably suspected of crimes under international law and could use their appointment to the position in question to either prevent accountability for these crimes or to continue perpetration."

The statement explained that Amnesty had concerns about Kavanaugh's involvement in the decisions made by the George W. Bush administration in relation to enhanced interrogation techniques and rendition programs. Kavanaugh served for five years under the former administration.

Amnesty also cited the sexual harassment allegations made against Kavanaugh.

"As sexual assault also implicates a number of human rights," the statement read, "including the right to be free from gender-based discrimination and violence, we also call for a thorough vetting in regard to any allegations made against Kavanaugh to this effect, including those by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez."

"We are verging on parody"

The statement from Amnesty was widely ridiculed on social media, with many pointing out that the statement could undermine their credibility on other human rights issues.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA," responded conservative commentator Erick Erickson. "Today is apparently "hand in my organization's credibility" day on the left."

Jonathan Kay of Quillette responded, "whatever you think about Kavanaugh (I have no idea where the truth lies in regard to the accusations), this is sad. the next time @amnesty raises its voice about torture in prisons, its moral capital will have been frittered away on the fashionable side of a US political squabble."

"We are verging on parody," said Caleb Howe of Mediaite.

"I'm waiting to assess this until we hear from PETA and Greenpeace as to whether we should proceed," responded Hot Air editor Ed Morrissey sarcastically.

"Silly season," responded Guy Benson of Townhall.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has indicated that they will hear testimony Thursday from one of Kavanaugh's accusers about their claims before their vote on whether to confirm him to the Supreme Court.