Senate Republicans are trying to rush through the nomination of Judge Kavanaugh by holding his hearing before the Senate is able to see a key subset of his records. Judge Kavanaugh is being considered for a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land, and the American people deserve to know who he is. What are Republicans trying to hide?
Senate Republicans plan to begin Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing on September 4 – many weeks before a subset of Kavanaugh’s records can be released.
CBS News: “The National Archives informed the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Thursday that his request for documents regarding Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh can’t be fulfilled until the end of October. Chairman Chuck Grassley had asked for Kavanaugh’s emails and paper filings from his time as Bush’s associate White House counsel, and more documents pertaining to his nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.”
Less than 0ne percent of Kavanaugh’s records are public. Ninety-nine percent of Elena Kagan’s records were made public before her hearing.
Senator Feinstein: “99% of Elena Kagan’s White House records were made public before her nomination hearing. 0.08% of Brett Kavanaugh’s records are public now. It’s unprecedented to go to these lengths to hide a Supreme Court nominee’s records from the American people.”
The few documents that have already been provided came from a Republican lawyer who once worked for Kavanaugh.
Senator Durbin: “Take note: Unless it was produced by the National Archives, every document you see from Judge Kavanaugh’s White House tenure was selectively chosen for release by his former deputy, Bill Burck. This is not an objective process.”
Washington Post: “Durbin was referring to lawyer William Burck, who is heading a team of about 50 lawyers reviewing the documents. In a letter, Burck said his team has stepped in because National Archives staff members were busy working on the official committee request for documents. His team determined some documents could be released before the National Archives passed judgment.”
Republicans still refuse to release any records from Kavanaugh’s time as White House staff secretary, which would be far more revealing than the few cherry-picked documents released so far.
CNN: “While the documents make evident the kinds of issues that crossed Kavanaugh’s desk — from anti-terrorism measures to victims’ compensation to judicial selection — they shed virtually no new light on his legal thinking or stands on issues.”
CNN: “The release will not include documents from Kavanaugh’s time serving as White House staff secretary from 2003-2006, as Senate Democrats have demanded. Republicans have asserted that such records would not be useful in determining how Kavanaugh would rule as a Supreme Court justice.
Yet, in the latter position, Kavanaugh worked closely with Bush on the selection of Supreme Court justices, the response to Hurricane Katrina and other policy priorities. All told, documents from a nominee’s earlier work can sometimes be more revealing than the carefully choreographed public testimony that has defined Senate hearings in recent decades. They can offer a window into thinking on important social issues and interactions with colleagues.”