Franken offers Dems a line of questioning for Kavanaugh’s ‘weirdly specific bit of bulls—‘ – By Jacqueline Thomsen (thehill.com) / July 13 2018
Former Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) on Friday offered up a line of questioning for Democrats to use on President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
Franken, who resigned in December after multiple allegations of groping women, said that if he were still in the Senate he would want to drill down details on a statement that Kavanaugh made this week when he was nominated.
After being introduced by Trump during an event at the White House on Monday night, Kavanaugh thanked the president, saying, “Throughout this process, I’ve witnessed firsthand your appreciation for the vital role of the American judiciary.”
Kavanaugh then declared: “No president has ever consulted more widely, or talked with more people from more backgrounds, to seek input about a Supreme Court nomination.”
Franken, a former member of the Senate Judiciary Committee that interviews Supreme Court nominees, wrote in a Facebook post Friday that he wanted to learn more about Kavanaugh’s claim, referring to it as a “weirdly specific bit of bullshit.”
When Judge Brett Kavanaugh appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee, I wish I could be there. Because I have some questions I’d love to see him answer. Here they are: https://t.co/hLGuu4QW3w
— U.S. Senator Al Franken (@SenFranken) July 14, 2018
Franked listed 25 questions he would pose to the nominee, including asking him if it was his belief that judges must “obtain a full and fair understanding of the facts before making a determination” and that the statement “did not reflect a full and fair understanding of the facts—isn’t that right?”
Franken said it was important to press Kavanaugh on the statement because “it’s critical to recognize that the very first thing he did as a Supreme Court nominee was to parrot a false, partisan talking point.”
“We ought to be having a real conversation about what conservatives have done to the principle of judicial independence—and what progressives can do to correct it,” the former senator said. “I can think of no better example of the problem than Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination and the bizarre lie he uttered moments after it was made official.”
“And I can think of no better opportunity to start turning the tide than Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing—even if it means going down a rabbit hole for a few uncomfortable minutes,” he added.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) hasn’t said when the panel will hold confirmation hearings for Kavanaugh, but he told CNN this week that it would likely happen by September.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Friday he expects the full Senate to vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination before October.
