SCOTUS: “Democrats Wasted Day One”…“Democrats Create Chaos at Kavanaugh Hearing”

WASHINGTON – The confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavnaugh began today with desperate delay tactics from Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats, who repeatedly interrupted other senators’ remarks and attempted to stop proceedings.

 

“The volley of Democratic interjections began after Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) attempted to open the high-stakes four-day hearing. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) helped coordinate that strategy despite not serving on the Judiciary panel, convening a call with the committee's minority members over the weekend, according to a source familiar with the planning.”

 

“One after another, Democrats repeatedly interrupted Grassley in the opening minutes, breaking into their protests to allow Kavanaugh to speak before resuming their push to stop the process until they can examine more records.”

 

“But the display of disruption, galvanizing as it was to Kavanaugh’s liberal critics, ultimately did little but delay a day of partisan jockeying that closed, more than seven hours later, with the nominee telling senators that “I do not decide cases based on personal or policy preferences.”

 

 

“The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus went out of business last year, but it found a successor Tuesday on Capitol Hill as Democrats and demonstrators performed at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.”

 

“The political theatrics kicked into high gear right out of the gate. Grassley wasn’t more than three lines into his opening statement when, one by one, Democrats attempted to hijack the hearing with calls for more of Kavanaugh’s documents, and even a motion to adjourn the hearing altogether.”

 

“So get the popcorn ready and expect to see more political theater throughout this week. Democrats will move on to Act II with their political posturing and outrage on full display.”

 

“Who needs the Ringling Bros. circus when we have the Senate circus?”

 

All of this fight about process and voting on a motion to adjourn is indicative of how weak a hand that Democrats have to play here. Not much else they can do to fight.

“Heading into Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing Tuesday morning, my unofficial over/under on how many words Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley could get through before a protester interrupted him was 14.5. Sure enough, it was just before the 14^th word when that interruption happened.”

 

“Grassley, who tried to stay patient as Democrats executed their very foreseeable, scripted protest, denied the request as out-of-order several times.”

 

“Democrats, including several senators poised for 2020 presidential bids, tried to block the proceedings over Kavanaugh records withheld by the White House”

 

“One by one, Democrats, including Kamala Harris of California, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, all potential presidential contenders, demanded that Republicans delay the hearing.”

 

“Many Democratic senators already have announced their intention to vote against Kavanaugh and many Republicans have likewise signaled their support.”

 

Democrats plotted coordinated protest strategy over the holiday weekend and all agreed to disrupt and protest the hearing, sources tell me and @frankthorp

 

Dem leader @chuckschumer led a phone call and committee members are executing now

 

 

“Earlier Tuesday, protests from Democratic lawmakers and demonstrators delayed the formal start of proceedings by more than an hour.”

 

“Within moments of Tuesday's confirmation hearing kickoff, top Democrats tried to sideline the session with a rapid-fire string of objections concerning access to the nominee's records.”

 

“The spectacle underscored the political nature of the confirmation hearings, coming two months before the midterms and as some senators gear up for a possible 2020 presidential run against President Trump. Several of those senators led the charge Tuesday in objecting to Kavanaugh.”

 

“The disruptions continued as lawmakers attempted to make opening statements. There were 63 interruptions before the break for lunch.” 

 

The hearing is not going to be postponed. Complaining about process is to get good headlines inside the beltway. But it doesn’t last. No dem seems mad that their former leader of the senate opened the door to 50 vote threshold for nominees.

 

“Tuesday’s fight by Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats to block the Supreme Court nomination hearing of Brett Kavanaugh was urged by MSNBC Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough, who even suggested that liberals walk out if a delay doesn’t happen.”

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