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| Brett Kavanaugh supreme court hearing: Planned Parenthood urges rejection with ads – live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A moment of levity as Sen. Ben Sasse congratulates Sen. Amy Klobuchar on her remarks, which made reference to Hamilton, James Madison and the Magna Carta, among others judicial minds and documents. | |
| At the start of the confirmation hearing on Tuesday, a new ABC News/Washington Post poll finds support for his appointment is among the lowest for a high court nominee since 1987. | |
| “Only two nominees have had weaker public support: Harriet Miers, who withdrew her nomination, in 2005; and Robert Bork, rejected by the Senate in 1987,” according to ABC. | |
| 38% of Americans say Kavanaugh should be confirmed to the Supreme Court | |
| 39% of Americans say the judge should not be confirmed while the rest undecided in this poll. | |
| Six in 10 Americans also say Kavanaugh should publicly state his position on abortion before being confirmed, the poll found. | |
| As the hearings kicked off, Planned Parenthood Tuesday announced a new six-figure ad buy, urging senators to reject Kavanaugh. | |
| The TV and radio ads will run in Alaska, the home state of Senator Lisa Murkowski, a moderate Republican considered one of the few swing votes on the supreme court nomination. Susan Collins, the Maine Senator and other swing vote, has also been the target of ads. Abortion rights groups fear Kavanaugh’s confirmation could spell the end of Roe v Wade, which guarantees the legality of abortion. Both Murkowski and Collins would have to vote against him to kill the confirmation. | |
| Grassley announces that the committee will take a brief 30-minute break. | Grassley announces that the committee will take a brief 30-minute break. |
| While the senators deliver their opening statements, we’re waiting for an announcement from Arizona governor Doug Ducey, who is expected to name former senator Jon Kyl to replace senator John McCain, who died last month from brain cancer. | While the senators deliver their opening statements, we’re waiting for an announcement from Arizona governor Doug Ducey, who is expected to name former senator Jon Kyl to replace senator John McCain, who died last month from brain cancer. |
| Cindy McCain, John McCain’s widow who was considered a possible replacement, said on Twitter that Kyl is a “dear friend” and that the appointment is a “great tribute to John that he is prepared to go back into public service to help the state”. | Cindy McCain, John McCain’s widow who was considered a possible replacement, said on Twitter that Kyl is a “dear friend” and that the appointment is a “great tribute to John that he is prepared to go back into public service to help the state”. |
| Jon Kyl is a dear friend of mine and John’s. It’s a great tribute to John that he is prepared to go back into public service to help the state of Arizona. | Jon Kyl is a dear friend of mine and John’s. It’s a great tribute to John that he is prepared to go back into public service to help the state of Arizona. |
| Arizona’s junior senator Jeff Flake, who is retiring, called it an “excellent choice” and said there is “no one more qualified” to serve the state for a second turn. | Arizona’s junior senator Jeff Flake, who is retiring, called it an “excellent choice” and said there is “no one more qualified” to serve the state for a second turn. |
| Governor Ducey has selected Senator Jon Kyl as Senator McCain’s replacement. What an excellent choice! There is no one more qualified and Arizona is well served. Kudos to Senator Kyl for his willingness to serve once again. | Governor Ducey has selected Senator Jon Kyl as Senator McCain’s replacement. What an excellent choice! There is no one more qualified and Arizona is well served. Kudos to Senator Kyl for his willingness to serve once again. |
| Republicans hold the narrowest 50-49 majority in the Senate, leaving Mitch McConnell little room for error on the Kavanaugh nomination should the vote fall along party-lines. | Republicans hold the narrowest 50-49 majority in the Senate, leaving Mitch McConnell little room for error on the Kavanaugh nomination should the vote fall along party-lines. |
| Kyl helped sherpa Kavanaugh through the vetting process and his appointment will give Republicans cushion should a GOP senator waver in their support for the nominee. | Kyl helped sherpa Kavanaugh through the vetting process and his appointment will give Republicans cushion should a GOP senator waver in their support for the nominee. |
| For more on what the appointment means: | For more on what the appointment means: |
| One by one the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are delivering their opening remarks. The Republicans are accusing Democrats of impugning Kavanugh’s distinguished record for partisan gain. Democrats are offering a glimpse of the questions they plan to ask Kavanaugh during the questions portion of the hearing (likely tomorrow). | One by one the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are delivering their opening remarks. The Republicans are accusing Democrats of impugning Kavanugh’s distinguished record for partisan gain. Democrats are offering a glimpse of the questions they plan to ask Kavanaugh during the questions portion of the hearing (likely tomorrow). |
| Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, acknowledged the protests at the top of his remarks: “What we’ve heard is the noise of democracy. This is what happens in a free country when people can stand up and speak.” He added, in a rebuke of Cornyn: “It is not mob rule.” | Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, acknowledged the protests at the top of his remarks: “What we’ve heard is the noise of democracy. This is what happens in a free country when people can stand up and speak.” He added, in a rebuke of Cornyn: “It is not mob rule.” |
| Durbin closes by asking Kavanugh to show that he has nothing to hide by calling on the committee to suspend the hearing until his records are released to the public. | Durbin closes by asking Kavanugh to show that he has nothing to hide by calling on the committee to suspend the hearing until his records are released to the public. |
| “Step up, ask this gathering to suspend,” Durbin said, as Kavanaugh scribbled in his notepad. (These are just opening remarks, so the judge can’t actually respond yet.) | “Step up, ask this gathering to suspend,” Durbin said, as Kavanaugh scribbled in his notepad. (These are just opening remarks, so the judge can’t actually respond yet.) |
| Republicans counter that Democrats have already made up their minds about Kavanaugh and that their interruptions and delay requests are just for show. | Republicans counter that Democrats have already made up their minds about Kavanaugh and that their interruptions and delay requests are just for show. |
| (1) Booker at the Kavanaugh hearing: We just need more time to carefully consider this nomination. What’s the Rush?(2) Inbox, moments ago: pic.twitter.com/GUj7NIyf9B | (1) Booker at the Kavanaugh hearing: We just need more time to carefully consider this nomination. What’s the Rush?(2) Inbox, moments ago: pic.twitter.com/GUj7NIyf9B |
| Republicans hand out this as the senators continue to argue. “Minds made up” it says. “senate judiciary committee democrats rallied against judge Kavanaugh before the ink was dry on his nomination.” pic.twitter.com/VHTo0GkVpY | Republicans hand out this as the senators continue to argue. “Minds made up” it says. “senate judiciary committee democrats rallied against judge Kavanaugh before the ink was dry on his nomination.” pic.twitter.com/VHTo0GkVpY |
| More than 30 women have been arrested so far during today’s hearing on Brett Kavanaugh, according to the Women’s March. Among them were the group’s co-founders Linda Sarsour and Bob Bland, Women’s March senior advisor Winnie Wong and Orange is the New Black creator Piper Perabo. | More than 30 women have been arrested so far during today’s hearing on Brett Kavanaugh, according to the Women’s March. Among them were the group’s co-founders Linda Sarsour and Bob Bland, Women’s March senior advisor Winnie Wong and Orange is the New Black creator Piper Perabo. |
| “Women are disrupting this hearing today because our lives are at risk. Women will die if Kavanaugh is confirmed,” Rachel O’Leary Carmona, chief operating officer of Women’s March, said in a statement. | “Women are disrupting this hearing today because our lives are at risk. Women will die if Kavanaugh is confirmed,” Rachel O’Leary Carmona, chief operating officer of Women’s March, said in a statement. |
| “Politicians on both sides of the aisle need to know – if you don’t stop Kavanaugh, we will make you pay in November and in 2020. If you’re a Democrat, we’ll primary you - if you’re a Republican, your seat will be flipped. The gloves are off, the rings are on, and we’re ready to resist the fight that chose us. | “Politicians on both sides of the aisle need to know – if you don’t stop Kavanaugh, we will make you pay in November and in 2020. If you’re a Democrat, we’ll primary you - if you’re a Republican, your seat will be flipped. The gloves are off, the rings are on, and we’re ready to resist the fight that chose us. |
| “There is a political price to pay if you’re complicit in Trump’s white supremacist agenda: you will be voted out.” | “There is a political price to pay if you’re complicit in Trump’s white supremacist agenda: you will be voted out.” |
| Sen. Cornyn begins his statement by remarking on how cooly Kavanaugh and his family have handled the protests. | Sen. Cornyn begins his statement by remarking on how cooly Kavanaugh and his family have handled the protests. |
| Soon he’s interrupted by a woman outraged that the senators haven’t received all of teh requested documents on his record: “I had to have a background check to work in a laundromat!” | Soon he’s interrupted by a woman outraged that the senators haven’t received all of teh requested documents on his record: “I had to have a background check to work in a laundromat!” |
| In conclusion, Cornyn says he hopes that every can take a “deep breath” as they move forward into the next phase of the hearing. “We’re not doing well so far,” he jokes, drawing a few polite laughs. | In conclusion, Cornyn says he hopes that every can take a “deep breath” as they move forward into the next phase of the hearing. “We’re not doing well so far,” he jokes, drawing a few polite laughs. |
| Senator Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, called the hearing “not only shameful, it’s a sham”. He said pointedly as Kavanaugh sat stone-faced before him that the judge should not even be in the room. | Senator Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, called the hearing “not only shameful, it’s a sham”. He said pointedly as Kavanaugh sat stone-faced before him that the judge should not even be in the room. |
| Highlighting his 44-year service in Congress, Leahy said: the confirmation hearing is the “most incomplete, most partisan, least transport vetting for any supreme court nominee that I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen more of those than anyone serving in the senate today”. | Highlighting his 44-year service in Congress, Leahy said: the confirmation hearing is the “most incomplete, most partisan, least transport vetting for any supreme court nominee that I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen more of those than anyone serving in the senate today”. |