Due to his years in George W. Bush’s White House Counsel’s Office and as his staff secretary, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is likely connected to millions of pages of records, giving Democrats a chance to overzealously request documents and slow the confirmation process.
According to a Monday Politico report, Kavanaugh is not the only nominee to come with paper baggage—Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Elena Kagan also had held White House jobs before their nominations.
However, due to his posting as staff secretary, Kavanaugh likely came into contact with millions of documents and emails that rotated through the office.
By requesting to see all of the documents, which are public record and available for vetting, Democrats may be able to throw a wrench in the confirmation process and push Kavanaugh’s hearing until after the August recess.
Former National Archives official Sharon Fawcett told Politico that working through a million documents in a month would not be possible. She added that some documents would have to be “prioritized” to complete the job in such a short timespan, bringing up the question of who will decide which documents to release.
Per Politico, senators will also want to see documents from when Kavanaugh was working as a prosecutor for Whitewater Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr, many of which are not public.
Some of those documents may get Kavanaugh into trouble, as he reportedly routinely leaked details of the Lewinsky probe to reporters, setting up unflattering parallels with the almost leak-proof probe of Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
Does not the McConnell rule apply?
Or is that a rule that only applies to nominations by presidents who are democrats? What’s the answer Mitch?
And there is no way a president cannot be indicted and stand trial. The argument that the government would be paralyzed is flat wrong…it’s why we have a vice- president who would take power under the 25th amendment if a sitting president were way too occupied by a trial. The Ship of State then would sail on.
Just the fact that the Mango Mussolini chose him is ample reason to show Kavanaugh the door…
Well the real McConnell rule is McConnell Rules, so yes and no. I this case McConnell will rule that they don’t have to wait because they have the President and congress he wants.
So then “the voices of the American people” really do not matter,…right?
It really is that simple. Of course, conservatives lie about anything and everything to hide their motives from the hoi polloi so it will be interesting/entertaining to hear if he actually acknowledges his prior crime and what kind of cockamamie story he comes up with.
But you’re absolutely right - the only rule is that McConnell rules.