Judge Kavanaugh Says His Loyalty Is to the Constitution, Not Trump

Senator Patrick Leahy sought to impugn Judge Kavanaughs integrity by questioning his testimony for his confirmation as an appeals judge.

Kavanaugh seemed to hold his own for the most part.

If you want a Supreme Court that will uphold your rights at work, at home, and in making your most personal decisions, contact your USA senators and let them know that they should only confirm a Supreme Court justice who believes in these protections for all people. The document is partially redacted.

“Democratic senators interrupted the hearing 63 times before lunch”.

Democratic Senator Cory Booker appealed to Grassley’s “sense of decency and integrity” and said the withholding of the documents by Republicans and the White House left lawmakers unable to properly vet Kavanaugh.

As committee chairman Sen.

“My process was fair”, Grassley said as he opened the session.

Eruptions throughout the day highlighted concerns and partisanship within the Senate Judiciary Committee.

But Kavanaugh dodged Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein’s question about whether a sitting president can “be required to respond to a subpoena”, a query that could come into play as Special Counsel Robert Mueller investigates potential collusion between Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russian Federation.

In the Minnesota Law Review, Kavanaugh argued that while the nation requires a check against “a bad-behaving or law-breaking president”, that check is provided only by the US Constitution.

The questioning of Kavanaugh has carried strong political overtones ahead of the November congressional elections.

Though Wednesday’s hearing was less acrimonious than Tuesday’s, it remained tense, with the shouts from protesters at times interrupting the proceedings.

Sens. Susan Collins of ME and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska are the only two Republicans even remotely open to voting against Kavanaugh, though neither has said she would do so.

He also avoided clearly answering a question about whether a president could pardon himself or someone else in exchange for a promise not to testify against him.

Such decisions can feel abstract or academic on paper, but their impact on our everyday lives are often all too real. “No one is above the law in our constitutional system”, he said. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) while interrupting Grassley, referring to the September 3 release to the committee of 42,000 documents relating to the nominee’s work with past administrations.

Trump jumped into the fray late in the day, saying on Twitter that Democrats were “looking to inflict pain and embarrassment” on Kavanaugh.

Based on Kavanaugh’s past, it appears he would take a more conservative approach to cases, Clark added. They can confirm Mr Kavanaugh if they stay united.

Kavanaugh said he considers the Roe v. Wade abortion decision “an important decision. settled law” that has been “reaffirmed many times”. But Kavanaugh disagreed and wrote a dissenting opinion. “There’s no reason Brett Kavanaugh couldn’t have given a straight answer”, she tweeted.

Each of the Judiciary panel’s 21 members is initially questioning Kavanaugh for half an hour, with more follow-up questions in the coming days. He said he was “shocked and disappointed”.

When the disruptions continued, Kavanaugh asked Grassley, “Should I proceed?” Kavanaugh, who Democrats have suggested could be a threat to reproductive rights, said his decision would be compelled by “precedent” – not personal views.

Mrs. Feinstein also pressed Judge Kavanaugh on gun control. Kavanaugh has an extensive political background, including work for the President George W. Bush White House.

“My mom taught me in the first instance, judging is not just about theory”, he said. Mike Lee, R-Utah, to release of some of the Bush-era documents.

On Wednesday, Kavanaugh cautioned that the question could come in front of him in his current position as a D.C. appellate judge or if he is confirmed to the Supreme Court.