Verbal Brawling, Chaos Dominate First Day Of Kavanaugh Hearings, But Dems Still Face Brutal Odds Of Blocking Nominee
"If you want to pick judges for your way of thinking, then you better win an election,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told Democrats who dominated the first day of hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Republicans remained mostly unfazed, confident that they have enough votes to get him through.
The New York Times:
Democrats Open Contentious Hearings With Attack On ‘Partisan’ Kavanaugh
Senate Democrats tore into President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee on Tuesday, painting Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh as a narrow-minded partisan as the opening day of his confirmation hearings verged on pandemonium. Dozens of screaming protesters were hauled out of the hearing room in handcuffs. The verbal brawl began moments after the hearings began. Democrats, furious at being denied access to records related to Judge Kavanaugh, immediately interrupted the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, demanding time to consider tens of thousands of pages of documents released late Monday — the night before the hearing. (Stolberg and Liptak, 9/4)
The Washington Post:
Partisan Fury Bursts Into The Open As Kavanaugh Hearings Begin
But GOP senators mostly calmly defended Kavanaugh from what Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) called the Shakespearean nature of the hearing — “sound and fury, signifying nothing” — confident that there were no defections from the solid Republican support Kavanaugh needs to be confirmed as the Supreme Court’s 114th justice. The 53-year-old judge, who serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, sat impassively for nearly seven hours of senators’ statements before speaking for less than 20 minutes. Senators plan to begin questioning him Wednesday morning. (Barnes, Kim, Marimow and Wagner, 9/4)
Politico:
Schumer, Democrats Wrestled Over Staging Mass Kavanaugh Walkout
Given the brutal odds they face in beating a nominee they can’t stop unilaterally, Democrats went as far as they could go without splintering. Even Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) admitted the display had caught on, remarking that “either you run the committee, or it runs you” and telling Democrats that “you guys have been very successful today in running the committee.” (Everett and Schor, 9/4)
Los Angeles Times:
Kavanaugh's Supreme Court Hearing Gets Off To A Combative Start As Democrats Protest The Process
Republicans rushed to Kavanaugh’s defense and accused Democrats of playing politics with the nomination. "If you want to pick judges for your way of thinking, then you better win an election,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told Democrats. (Savage, Haberkorn and Wire, 9/4)
The Wall Street Journal:
Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court Hearing Has Testy Start
Judge Kavanaugh, who spoke at day’s end, made no reference to the seven hours of partisan debate. He touted his judicial impartiality at a session in which Democrats painted him as a servant of social conservatives and business interests. “I don’t decide cases based on personal or policy preferences. I am not a pro-plaintiff or pro-defendant judge. I am not a pro-prosecution or pro-defense judge. I am a pro-law judge,” he said. “If confirmed to the court, I would be part of a team of nine, committed to deciding cases according to the Constitution and laws of the United States.” (Bravin and Tau, 9/4)
Los Angeles Times:
10 Things To Watch For In The Brett Kavanaugh Confirmation Hearing Wednesday
Democrats have at least two days — and 50 minutes each — to ask Kavanaugh about abortion, gun rights, presidential power, healthcare or whatever else they choose. Republicans will have the same time to draw out Kavanaugh’s credentials and strengths. Here’s a look at what we’ll be watching for Wednesday. (Wire and Haberkorn, 9/4)
NPR:
Kavanaugh Hearings Day 2: Senators' Questions To Take Center Stage
Kavanaugh is also likely to be questioned about his thoughts on presidential power and immunity. Although he worked on the Starr report, he later wrote that a sitting president should not have to face the distraction of civil or criminal investigations — a position that worries Democrats in light of the ongoing Department of Justice probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible ties to the Trump campaign. "We have to confront an uncomfortable but important question about whether President Trump may have selected you, Judge Kavanaugh, with an eye towards protecting himself," said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del. (Horsley, 9/5)
The Wall Street Journal:
Roe V. Wade Likely To Play Starring Role At Kavanaugh Hearings
Abortion is expected to figure prominently at the Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Since Republican President Trump announced his pick to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy, Democrats and abortion-rights activists have expressed alarm about the fate of Roe v. Wade, the 45-year-old ruling that first established abortion as a fundamental right under the Constitution. As a guide, here are some questions and answers about the abortion legal landscape, how it could change, and what to expect at the hearings. (Gershman, 9/4)
NPR:
Kavanaugh Hearings, Day 1: Protesters Focus On Roe; Attempted Handshake Goes Viral
There were frequent disruptions by demonstrators inside the hearing room, often interrupting the Democrats' interruptions. Many expressed concerns over the fate of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. At one point, a protester could be heard shouting "more women are going to be subject to back-alley abortions." And outside the hearing room a group of women dressed in bonnets and red robes from The Handmaid's Tale stood silently. U.S. Capitol Police say they arrested a total of 70 demonstrators Tuesday. (Naylor, 9/4)
Los Angeles Times:
For Many Women Across The U.S., It’s Already A Post-Roe Reality
If the Senate confirms Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, the high court will have a consistently conservative majority. As a result, Roe vs. Wade, which legalized abortion nationwide, would be vulnerable. The most dramatic possibility would be that it is overturned outright. That would return the decision to the states about whether to ban or limit abortion. Though Trump campaigned on a promise to appoint judges who would overturn Roe vs. Wade, a more likely scenario is that a conservative Supreme Court would approve restrictions that eliminate certain protections for abortion rights without making the practice illegal. To understand what could happen, it’s crucial to look at the reality of abortion across the country today. (Shalby and Krishnakumar, 9/4)
The Associated Press:
Potential 2020 Democrats Seize On Kavanaugh Senate Hearings
Spoiling for a fight, a trio of Democratic senators weighing 2020 presidential campaigns seized upon the opening moments of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's Senate confirmation hearings Tuesday in a show of force aimed at countering President Donald Trump. One by one, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, including Kamala Harris of California, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Cory Booker of New Jersey, demanded that Republicans delay Kavanaugh's hearing after a last-minute release of more than 40,000 pages of documents and the withholding of more than 100,000 others. (9/4)