- Title: Democrats protest as U.S. high court nominee's chaotic hearing opens
- Date: 4th September 2018
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 4, 2018) (UNRESTRICTED POOL - Restrictions: Broadcast: Part No Use USA. No Use CNN. Digital: Part No Use Digital ) JUDGE BRETT KAVANAUGH ENTERING THE HEARING ROOM AND STANDING AT THE HEARING TABLE TO POSE FOR THE MEDIA WIDE OF THE MEDIA STANDING TO TAPE KAVANAUGH SIDE WIDE VIEW OF KAVANAUGH NOW SEATED AND POSING FOR THE MEDIA WIDE OF THE SENATE PANEL AS HEARING BEGINS (SOUNDBITE) (English) JUNIOR DEMOCRATIC U.S. SENATOR FOR CALIFORNIA KAMALA HARRIS, INTERRUPTING THE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN'S OPENING COMMENTS TO SAY: "Mr. Chairman, I'd like to be recognized for a question before we proceed. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to be recognized to ask a question before we proceed. The committee received just last night less than 15 hours ago 42,000 pages of documents that we have not had an opportunity to review or read or analyze. (CHAIRMAN HEARD SAYING: You're out of order, I'll proceed.) We cannot possibly move forward, Mr. Chairman. We have not been given the opportunity to have a meaningful hearing on this nominee." (SOUNDBITE) (English) PAN TO SENIOR DEMOCRATIC U.S. SENATOR FOR MINNESOTA AMY KLOBUCHAR WHO ALSO INTERRUPTS THE CHAIRMAN'S COMMENTS TO SAY: "Mr. Chairman, I agree with my colleague, Senator Harris. We received 42,000 documents that we haven't been able to review last night and we believe this hearing should be postponed." (SOUNDBITE) (English) PAN TO DEMOCRATIC U.S. SENATOR FOR CONNECTICUT RICHARD BLUMENTHAL WHO ALSO INTERRUPTS THE CHAIRMAN'S COMMENTS TO SAY: "Mr. Chairman, if we cannot be recognized I move to adjourn. Mr. Chairman, I move to adjourn. (CHEERS FROM THE AUDIENCE IN THE ROOM) Mr. Chairman, I move to adjourn. (CHEERING) Mr. Chairman, we have been denied real access to the documents we need to advise and consent which turns this hearing into a charade and a mockery of our norms. And Mr. Chairman, I therefore move to adjourn this hearing." (PROTESTER HEARD IN THE ROOM) WIDE PAN OF ROOM AS PROTESTER IS HEARD OFF CAMERA WIDE OF COMMITTEE, ZOOM ON COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN , REPUBLICAN SENATOR FOR IOWA CHUCK GRASSLEY, AS SENATOR BLUMENTHAL ASKS FOR THE HEARING TO BE ADJOURNED TO WHICH GRASSLEY SAYS THEY WILL CONTINUE AS PLANNED
- Embargoed: 18th September 2018 14:51
- Keywords: Donald Trump Brett Kavanaugh U.S. Supreme Court Senate confirmation hearings document dump abortion Roe v. Wade
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Lawmaking,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0018W7PF7R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Senate confirmation hearing for Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump's U.S. Supreme Court pick, opened in chaos on Tuesday (September 4), as Democrats complained about Republicans blocking access to documents stemming from the nominee's previous work in the White House under President George W. Bush.
News photographers clicked pictures of a smiling Kavanaugh as he entered the hearing room. But moments after Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley opened the hearing, Democrats protested the withholding of the documents and asked to have the proceedings adjourned.
Several protesters also disrupted the opening of the hearing, with one shouting "this is a travesty of justice."
Democrats have demanded in vain to see documents relating to the three years Kavanaugh, nominated by Trump for a lifetime job on the top U.S. court, spent as staff secretary to Bush, a job that involved managing paper flow from advisers to the president. Kavanaugh held that job from 2003 to 2006.
Grassley accused the Democrats of obstruction. - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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