Democrats staged demonstrations Tuesday protesting the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing of President Trump’s latest Supreme Court pick, Brett Kavanaugh.
The process was held up for more than an hour with Democrats voicing objections attempting to adjourn the hearing, as Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) attempted to proceed.
“We cannot possibly move forward. We have not had an opportunity to have a meaningful hearing,” California Democrat Senator Kamala Harris said speaking over Grassley.
“Mr. Chairman, I would like to be recognized to ask a question before we proceed. The committee received just last night – less than 15 hours ago – thousands of documents that we have not had a chance to read or review or analyze. We cannot possibly move forward.” pic.twitter.com/IWSeM6AtNx
— Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris) September 4, 2018
Protests erupt as Kavanaugh hearing begins. Watch live: https://t.co/IDzmCWFykK pic.twitter.com/puUfsMwOhQ
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) September 4, 2018
Democrat New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker appealed to Grassley “to be recognized on [his] sense of decency and integrity.”
“This committee, sir, is a violation of even the values I’ve heard you talk about time and time again. [And] we have not received the documents that you have even called for,” Sen. Booker directed at Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley during Brett Kavanaugh’s hearing pic.twitter.com/fgRL9va3EP
— POLITICO (@politico) September 4, 2018
Once some protesters were escorted out of the building, Grassley proceeded with his opening statements, saying, “Judge Kavanaugh is one of the most qualified nominees – if not the most qualified nominee – I have seen.”
At least one protester wore a “Resist” t-shirt, symbolizing the protests were more against the Trump agenda than Kavanaugh himself.
Demonstrators also spoke over Sen. Orrin Hatch’s remarks, prompting the Utah Republican to call for the ouster of a protester: “Mr. Chairman, I think we ought to have this loudmouth removed… we shouldn’t have to put up with this stuff.”
"Mr. Chairman, I think we ought to have this loudmouth removed," Sen. Orrin Hatch says as another protester interrupts Brett Kavanaugh hearing. "We shouldn't have to put up with this kind of stuff." https://t.co/ehGe03ECIL pic.twitter.com/dWG7P9ovzN
— ABC News (@ABC) September 4, 2018
Laying out how Democrats coordinated an outrage campaign over the committee withholding “hundreds of thousands” of documents related to Kavanaugh as “committee confidential,” Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) defended the outbursts and described them as “the noise of democracy.”
“Republicans have said they hope to have Kavanaugh confirmed by a floor vote by early October, when the next Supreme Court term begins,” reports Fox News.
The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today!