Two months after his nomination to the US Supreme Court by President Trump, Judge Brett Kavanauhgh will sit before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday for approximately 17 hours of confirmation hearings spanning four days.
He will be questioned on his conservative views espoused in over 300 opinions and dissents over his 12-year career on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit – a typical steppingstone for Supreme Court Justices.
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While Republicans are lined up to support Kavanaugh and his nomination can’t be blocked, Democrats in the minority are expected to hammer the nominee on his views.
“There will be sparks at this hearing. Sparks will fly,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). “And there will be a lot of heat.”
Tuesday’s hearing will consist of both sides laying out their initial cases for or against the nominee, while Kavanaugh will give his opening statement along with Senators on the committee.
Formal questioning of Kavanaugh begins on Wednesday.
Kavanaugh will stress the importance of judicial independence and teamwork during his opening statement to the committee according to excerpts of his statement which were released by the White House.
In his opening statement, Kavanaugh stresses that he has worked to not favor prosecutors or defendants in his career, and assures senators that he will not decide cases based on policy positions. –The Hill
“A good judge must be an umpire—a neutral and impartial arbiter who favors no litigant or policy. … I don’t decide cases based on personal or policy preferences. I am not a pro-plaintiff or pro-defendant judge. I am not a pro-prosecution or pro-defense judge. I am a pro-law judge,” reads Kavanaugh’s remarks.
“To me, Justice Kennedy is a mentor, a friend, and a hero,” added Kavanaugh, whose seat he has been nominated to replace.
“As a Member of the Court, he was a model of civility and collegiality. He fiercely defended the independence of the Judiciary. And he was a champion of liberty,” he added.
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