Fred Guttenberg attempts to shake Brett Kavanaugh’s hand. Image by Getty Images

When the father of a student killed in the mass shooting at her high school in Parkland, Florida, earlier this year approached Brett Kavanaugh at the Supreme Court hopeful’s confirmation hearing, Kavanaugh simply walked away.

In a tweet, Fred Guttenberg suggested he attended the hearing to observe discussions about the Second Amendment and gun control, of which he has been a staunch advocate for since the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, which resulted in the death of his 14-year-old daughter Jamie.

Guttenberg said that he walked up to Kavanaugh as the morning session ended and held out his hand to introduce himself as Jaime Guttenberg’s dad.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

“He pulled his hand back, turned his back to me and walked away,” Guttenberg tweeted. “I guess he did not want to deal with the reality of gun violence.”

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.

— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) September 4, 2018

Here is the photo of me trying to shake Kavanaugh’s hand. https://t.co/5MtQxq5wza

— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) September 4, 2018

Wow, here you can hear @fred_guttenberg telling Kavanaugh that his daughter “was murdered in Parkland,” and Kavanaugh whirls and walks away pic.twitter.com/VdkTij2Vdp

— Tommy Christopher (@tommyxtopher) September 4, 2018

Alyssa Fisher is a news writer at the Forward. Email her at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount