A close friend of newly appointed Supreme Court judge Elena Kagan has refuted allegations and rumours that she is a lesbian.
Politico quoted Sarah Walzer, Ms Kagan’s roommate in law school and a close friend, as saying on Tuesday: “I’ve known her for most of her adult life and I know she’s straight. She dated men when we were in law school, we talked about men — who in our class was cute, who she would like to date, all of those things. She definitely dated when she was in D.C. after law school, when she was in Chicago — and she just didn’t find the right person.”
Ms Walzer, half amused and half appalled to be discussing her friend’s sexual orientation, agreed to be interviewed after Ms Kagan’s supporters decided they should tactfully put an end to the rumour, which White House officials had already tried to squelch in background interviews with reporters.
She said she decided to talk to Politico because the discussion of Ms Kagan’s personal life has become a “distraction.”
“It’s taking away from substantive discussion of the issues from a really substantive person who deserves to be given the opportunity to address the substantive issues,” she said.