Kavanaugh back in D.C. to meet GOP senators
he’ll be able to handle it, and I have every confidence he’ll be confirmed,” Hatch said.
Democrats, as the Senate minority, have few options to block Kavanaugh. But they are raising red flags over Kavanaugh’s past writing that suggests investigations of sitting presidents are a distraction to executive branch leadership. They see that as concerning amid the special counsel’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and Russian ties to the Trump campaign.
“The American people should have their eyes wide open to these stakes,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the minority leader.
No date has been set for confirmation hearings. But Sen. John Cornyn, R-texas, who also met with Kavanaugh on Wednesday, said he was hopeful the committee could begin its work during the final week of August.
Republicans want to have Kavanaugh confirmed by the start of the court’s session in October and before the midterm election.
Cornyn acknowledged Trump’s choice of the judge was “a little bit of a calculated risk … because Judge Kavanaugh has the longest paper trail” of any potential nominee. Kavanaugh was first confirmed to the appellate court in 2006.
On the other hand, Cornyn said, Trump should be congratulated for nominating somebody whose record is so long that “people can evaluate on their own, fairly.”