Senate Concludes Kavanaugh Hearing; Confirmation Likely
Abortion was a main focus throughout the weeklong hearing
By Jessica Gresko
Published Sep 7, 2018 at 12:15 AM | Updated at 4:24 PM PDT on Sep 7, 2018
Former White House Counsel Dean Warns Against Confirming Kavanaugh
//www.nbclosangeles.com/news/breaking/Former-White-House-Counsel-Dean-Warns-Against-Confirming-Kavanaugh-492720451.html
Former Nixon White House counsel John Dean urged a Senate committee on Friday to reject the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Dean said, in part, "If Kavanaugh's confirmed, a president who shoots someone on Fifth Avenue can't be prosecuted in office."
(Published Monday, Sept. 10, 2018)
Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh returned to the Senate Friday for a final hearing day
On the Republican side, witnesses testifying in support of Kavanaugh included longtime friends and former law clerks
Democratic witnesses expressed concern about Kavanaugh's record on a range of issues, including affirmative action
After two marathon days questioning Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, senators concluded his confirmation hearing Friday by listening to others talk about him — friends stressing his fairness and warmth but opponents warning he'd roll back abortion rights and shield President Donald Trump.
One of the Democrats' star witnesses was John Dean, Richard Nixon's White House counsel who cooperated with prosecutors during the Watergate investigation. He told lawmakers that the high court with Kavanaugh on it would be "the most presidential powers-friendly court in the modern era."
Senators on the Judiciary Committee are likely to vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation on Sept. 20 with a vote by the full Senate the following week. Republicans hope to confirm the judge, who would nudge the high court further to the right, in time for the first day of court's new term, Oct. 1.
With special counsel Robert Mueller deep into his investigation of Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, committee Democrats expressed concerns throughout the weeklong hearing that Kavanaugh would side with Trump on questions such as whether a president can be forced to testify. Kavanaugh, like previous nominees, declined to answer hypothetical questions that might come before him as a justice.
Booker Threatens to Release Confidential Docs on Kavanaugh
Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ, backed by Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, said he was releasing "committee confidential" documents related to Trump Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh despite the threat of expulsion from the Senate.
Trump, campaigning in Fargo, North Dakota, said the Democrats had made fools of themselves and crowed that he was looking forward to running against "one of those people" in 2020. Committee members Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kamala Harris of California are among the Democrats considered possible candidates in the next presidential campaign.
Abortion was another main focus throughout the hearing, with Democrats portraying Kavanaugh as a judge who might vote to undercut or overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision establishing a constitutional right to abortion. Senate Democrats, in the minority 51-49, hope to appeal to two Republican senators who support abortion rights to break from their party and vote against Kavanaugh.
On Friday, New York University law professor Melissa Murray told lawmakers that Kavanaugh would provide the "necessary fifth vote that would utterly eviscerate" Roe v. Wade.
On the Republican side, witnesses testifying in support of Kavanaugh included longtime friends and former law clerks. They talked about his intelligence and open-mindedness, calling him "thoughtful," ''humble," ''wonderfully warm" and a "fair-minded and independent jurist." A number praised his concerted efforts to hire as law clerks both minorities and women.
Senate Democrats had worked into the night Thursday on Kavanaugh's final day of questioning in a last, ferocious attempt to paint him as a foe of abortion rights and a likely defender of President Donald Trump.
But the 53-year-old appellate judge stuck to a well-rehearsed script throughout his testimony, providing only glimpses of his judicial stances while avoiding any serious mistakes that might jeopardize his confirmation.
Kavanaugh: 'Supreme Court Must Never Be Viewed as a Partisan Institution'
Judge Brett Kavanaugh said in opening remarks at his confirmation hearing Tuesday that the "Supreme Court must never be viewed as a partisan institution." He vowed to always keep an open mind if he joins the Supreme Court.
(Published Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018)
On Friday, Democratic witnesses expressed concern about Kavanaugh's record on a range of issues including affirmative action, the rights of people with disabilities, access to birth control and abortion. Democratic witnesses also included a student who survived the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, and Rochelle Garza, the legal guardian for a pregnant immigrant teenager whose quest for an abortion Kavanaugh would have delayed last year.
Yale law school professor Akhil Reed Amar, a liberal testifying in support of Kavanaugh, had a message for Democratic senators: "Don't be mad. He's smart. Be careful what you wish for. Our party controls neither the White House nor the Senate. If you torpedo Kavanaugh you'll likely end up with someone worse."