Senator Mazie Hirono Said Men Should “Shut Up and Step Up” on Sexual Misconduct in Light of Kavanaugh Allegation

“Do the right thing, for a change.”

When asked by a reporter whether the four women — all of whom are Democrats — on the Senate Judiciary Committee would influence the committee’s deliberations on Brett Kavanaugh‘s Supreme Court nomination, Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) replied, “Guess who is perpetrating all of these kinds of actions? It’s the men in this country. I just want to say to the men in this country, just shut up and step up. Do the right thing, for a change.”

Hirono’s comments were made during a press conference held by Senate Democrats to address questions or concerns regarding the now delayed confirmation vote for Kavanaugh, due to a sexual assault allegation from a woman named Christine Blasey Ford. As a result of the allegation, the vote originally scheduled for September 20 has been postponed so Kavanaugh and Ford can appear before the Senate next week. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.

“I expect all of the enlightened men in our country, ’cause there must be millions of men out there who are enlightened, who also will rise up to say we cannot continue the victimization and the smearing of someone like Dr. Ford,” Hirono said at the press conference.

“And you know what, she is under no obligation to participate in the Republican efforts to sweep this whole thing under the rug, to continue this nomination on the fast track and to participate in a smear campaign and basically a railroad job,” she said. “This is what they did to Anita Hill.” Hill made sexual harassment allegations against Clarence Thomas during his 1991 Supreme Court nomination process and testified before the Senate.