Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanugh’s hearings begin today at 9:15AM in front of the Senate Judiciary committee. More than likely Kavanaugh will face a lot of questions about abortion and executive power.
We will cover the hearings live every day.
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Sen. Robert Portman (R-OH), and Supreme Court litigator Lisa Blatt (a liberal who once clerked for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg on the US Court of Appeals) will introduce Kavanaugh o he committee.
Fortune highlighted a few questions Kavanaugh will likely face:
Kavanaugh is likely to face questions about abortion, executive power, and sexual harassment. Given the Republicans’ narrow margin in the Senate, assuring the party’s two pro-choice members of his commitment to protect the abortion rights of Roe v. Wade will be essential to Kavanaugh’s confirmation. That pair, Sens. Susan Collins (R–Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R–Alaska), could tip the 50-49 Republican majority against Kavanaugh.The judge’s statements about protecting the executive from independent counsel prosecutors will likewise be scrutinized in light of the Mueller investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and its possible ramifications for Trump. Kavanaugh is on record questioning the ruling that required Nixon to turn over his White House recordings, and he’s talked of overturning protections for independent counsels.
Confirmation requires a simple majority, which Republicans have, 50 to 49. We’ll have to keep an eye on moderates Susan Collins from Maine and Lisa Murkowski from Alaska. However, Kavanaugh may receive some Democrat votes since 10 of them are up for re-election in November in states where Trump won in 2016: Senators Joe Donnelly (D–Ind.), Heidi Heitkamp (D–N.D.) and Joe Manchin (D–W.Va.).
The hearing has started and the Democrats have already demanded an adjournment. Sen. Cory Booker lashed out at the process and said it has not been transparent enough. Sen. Richard Blumenthal agreed.
Sen. Feinstein brings up abortion right away now that the committee can finally question Kavanaugh! She said that saying Roe v Wade is “settled law” is not enough and wants to know the answer whether it’s “correct law.”
Feinstein also mentions guns and the NRA in her opening statement.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar tells Kavanaugh that she will want to know where he stands when it comes to presidents and criminal investigation. She wants to know if he thinks the president is above the law and referenced his University of Minnesota law review article.
OVER SIX HOURS LATER……Rice, Portman, and Blatt will finally introduce Kavanaugh!
Rice promises the committee that Kavanaugh will uphold and cherish the Constitution.
Portman says he has known the Kavanaughs for years and spoke to President George W. Bush, who called the nominee a class act. Portman, like Rice, believes Kavanaugh deserves to sit on the Supreme Court. He has been described as honest as fair during his time on the Court of Appeals.
Of course the hearing is almost immediately interrupted by protests. Looks like the anti-Semite Linda Sarsour led the charge.
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