Dems interrupt Kavanaugh hearing, asking that it be adjourned
BY JORDAIN CARNEY AND LYDIA WHEELER - 09/04/18 09:52 AM EDT 108
© Greg Nash
Democrats made an unsuccessful bid to adjourn Brett Kavanaugh's Senate hearing on Tuesday, arguing they hadn't had time to review more than 42,000 documents handed over to the committee on Monday.
Democrats began interrupting the committee chairman almost as soon as he started trying to give his opening statement on the first day of the Supreme Court nominee's confirmation hearings.
Democrats, one after one, interrupted Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) to lambast the committee's process on handling Kavanaugh's documents and urged the chairman to adjourn the hearing until they had time to review the new paperwork.
Grassley fired back at Democrats, saying there was "no reason" to delay.
Democrats were aided by protestors in the hearing audience who continued to interrupt Grassley as he tried to move forward or respond to Democrats.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called the committee's handling of the documents a "charade" and a "mockery" to the chamber.
"If we cannot be recognized I move to adjourn," Blumenthal said. "We have been denied real access to the documents we need."
Grassley argued that they weren't in executive session and so they would not hold a vote on adjourning the committee hearing.
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Caif.) said that the senators could not "possibly move forward" given the late hand-over of documents.
The committee received an additional 42,000 pages of documents related to Kavanaugh's past work for the Bush administration the night before the hearing. Democrats have argued that a vote on Kavanaugh's nomination should be delayed until his extensive record can be reviewed.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) continued to argue that Democrats believed this hearing "should be postponed."
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) tried to appeal to Grassley's "decency" but he was also shot down.
“What is the rush, what are we trying to hide by not having the documents up front," Booker said as Grassley continued to slowly bang his gavel. "We are rushing through this process in a way that's unnecessary."
Grassley said he wanted to respond to Booker, but when he started by saying he “respected very much a lot of things” he had to say, he was immediately interrupted by protesters screaming out from the audience.
“Senators, we demand you vote no,” one yelled.
"This should be an impeachment proceeding and not a confirmation hearing," one protester said.
Another urged senators to "be a hero and cancel this year."
Grassley ultimately denied the move to adjourn early.
"Senators have had more than enough time ... to adequately access Judge Kavanaugh's qualifications," Grassley said.
He added that his staff had already read the 42,000 pages handed over to the committee Monday on a "committee confidential" basis and there was "no reason to delay the hearing."
"We have received and read every page of Judge Kavanaugh's extensive record," Grassley said.
-Updated 10:03 a.m.
LOAD COMMENTS (108)
Posts
