Lugar: Kavanaugh Allegations 'Very Serious'

Former Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar offered thoughts on allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and on the Trump administration’s tariffs at the launch of an event in Indianapolis Tuesday.

Lugar served in the Senate during Justice Clarence Thomas’s confirmation hearing, and heard Anita Hill’s testimony. Lugar voted to confirm Thomas in 1991. He says the allegations against Brett Kavanaugh are, in his words, “very serious.”

“I believe everyone needs to be heard at this point. At the same time, we do need to get another Supreme Court justice,” he says.

Lugar was also critical of President Donald Trump’s trade war with China. He says the impact of those policies will hit Indiana farmers very soon.

“This is not good for agriculture in America, or anywhere else for that matter,” Lugar says.

Lugar says he won’t endorse a candidate for the U.S. Senate race. He praised U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) and Republican challenger Mike Braun for their campaigns, but says he doesn’t want to involve himself with an endorsement.

“At this point, they deserve to have their own campaign. I’m not a part of the campaign, I’m not a candidate, I’m not trying to enforce points of view – and I’m afraid it would be misinterpreted,” he says.

Lugar’s Washington D.C. think tank, the Lugar Center, ranked Donnelly as the fourth most bipartisan senator in the first 2017 Congressional session.

Lugar made these comments during press availability at the launch of Indy Do Day, a volunteerism initiative in Central Indiana.