Brett Kavanaugh: Trump's Supreme Court nominee snubs father of Parkland School shooting victim

'I guess he did not want to deal with the reality of gun violence'

Brett Kavanaugh, Donald Trump’s latest nominee for the Supreme Court, turned his back and walked away as the father of a Parkland school shooting victim extended a hand for him to shake during his confirmation hearing.

Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter Jaime was killed in the February 2018 attack, approached Mr Kavanaugh after the latter rose from the witness table for a break on Tuesday.

He extended his hand to Mr Kavanaugh, who paused for a moment, but failed to accept it before turning away as a security guard stepped in.

Mr Guttenberg later tweeted: “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.

“To be clear, I was invited by Senator Feinstein to attend today. Anyone who knows me knows I will talk to anyone. I initiated an effort to introduce myself to Kavanaugh. It was my decision and I own it. Anyone trying to come up with some political master plan is simply wrong.

“YES, I DO NOT SUPPORT KAVANAUGH. It is true. I won't support anyone who does not support gun safety. That said, I went up to him as a dad with the hope that he might actually ask why and the hope that we could discuss it.”

White House spokesman Raj Shah said security officials intervened before Mr Kavanaugh was able to shake the hand of the “unidentified individual”. He shared a video clip of the moment, saying it showed that “as the judge was leaving and had already turned away and begun walking, security intervened and ushered the judge away”.

Mr Guttenberg pushed back on Twitter, saying: “Incorrect. I was here all day and introduced by Senator Feinstein. No security involved. He turned and walked away.”

Video footage of the incident shows Mr Guttenberg approaching Mr Kavanaugh and extending his hand. The nominee considers it and listens to Mr Guttenberg, before turning away, accompanied by a man wearing an orange tie and an earpiece.

Democratic senator Richard Blumenthal tweeted later that Mr Guttenberg “deserves better than a cold shoulder”.

After the encounter, Capitol Police talked with Mr Guttenberg. He was seen sitting in the hearing room for the afternoon session.

The 14 February massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida left 17 people dead.

Students later organised widespread gun control protests that included classroom walkouts and marches in cities across the US.

A survivor of the shooting was among the witnesses due to testify at Mr Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing.

California senator Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the committee, had previously raised concerns about the nominee’s legal approach to the second amendment. He dissented in a key District of Columbia case prohibiting assault weapons.

Additional reporting by agencies