Republican Senators in the Senate Judiciary Committee are apparently blocking efforts by Democrats to get documents about U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh during the time he worked for the George W. Bush administration as White House Staff Secretary for 3 years. At issue is whether Kavanaugh lied to Congress about his role in crafting the Bush administrations harsh interrogation techniques(torture) for terrorists.
When Kavanaugh appeared before Congress for his confirmation hearings to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, he denied playing any advisory role in the crafting of the torture techniques. After he was confirmed to the DC Circuit Court however, evidence emerged suggesting he had indeed advised the Bush administration on the torture procedures. Even more troubling, as a judge on the federal appeals court he heard cases that dealt with the same torture techniques he helped craft but he did not recuse himself, as any credible judge would
Naturally the Democrats in the senate judiciary committee are very interested in documents from the Bush administration that would settle the issue as to whether Kavanaugh lied to congress or not. Lying to congress is after all a felony and if it can be shown that Kavanaugh knowingly engaged in felonious conduct, he should not be confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court. As a matter of fact if this can be proven, he should never have been confirmed to the federal appeals court in the first place.
It appears the Republicans in the senate judiciary committee have realized that such a revelation–that Kavanaugh lied to congress–could torpedo his confirmation and as expected, have started a shameful stonewalling campaign.
According to the Rachel Maddow Show(clip above), GOP senators in the senate judiciary committee have stonewalled so much, that Dem senators have resorted to seeking Kavanaugh documents using Freedom of Information Act(FOIA) requests. As Maddow correctly points out, U.S. Senators have never been forced to resort to FOIAs in their quest for information. As a matter of fact, senate judiciary Republicans during the confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan sought and received all documents related to her work under the Obama administration
Bottom line Dems must call out Republicans in the senate judiciary committee for stonewalling on the crucial kavanaugh documents. There is absolutely no excuse for their conduct given the fact that senate judiciary republicans sought and received all documents related to Justice Elena Kagan’s work in the Obama administration
For those of you very happy with @Emolclause’s activism don’t shy away from the “tip jar” below on your way out