Brett Kavanaugh Appears On Capital Hill
This week, Judge Brett Kavanaugh appeared on Capital Hill for his Supreme Court confirmation hearings. Republicans believe that Kavanaugh is an "experienced, independent-minded jurist with a sparkling résumé, and ...an advocate and mentor for women in the judiciary". In contrast, Democrats see the judge as someone who will take away abortion rights, as well as health care for people with pre-existing conditions, and ultimately protect Trump. Democrats are also accusing him of misleading Congress during his 2006 appeals court confirmation hearing.
Before the hearings began this week, there was a discrepancy about Republicans not releasing documents from when Kavanaugh worked for President George W. Bush. The Trump administration also decided to keep 100,000 pages from being released. Then on Monday night, President Bush's lawyers gave the Senate 42,000 pages of confidential documents just 13 hours before the hearings began. With many doubting how influential these documents will be, Senator Chuck Schumer tweeted that no one will be able to review the documents before the hearing.
People all over the country have expressed their displeasure at the possibility of Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court. One pediatrician from Washington, D.C, Dr. Sanjeev Sriram, listed Kavanaugh's beliefs on the Affordable Care Act, as well as his plans to outlaw abortion in the U.S as his reasons for not supporting Kavanaugh. He believes that these measures will not stop women from getting them, but instead that women will seek cheaper, more dangerous abortions if it is outlawed. Judge Kavanaugh's relationship with the N.R.A is also a topic of conversation. On Tuesday, Fred Guttenberg, who lost a child due to the Parkland shooting, said he tried to approach the judge, but was ignored. Guttenberg believes that Kavanaugh, if elected, will vote against gun safety bills.
On Thursday Senator Cory Booker, after asking about the release of "confidential" documents on racial profiling made by Kavanaugh, made those documents public. This could lead to Booker being expelled from the Senate. Today should be the last day of the confirmation hearings.
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