The Story
Judge Brett Kavanaugh is in the hot seat this week.
Tell me more, tell me more.
President Trump tapped Kavanaugh to be the newest member of the Supreme Court. He would replace Justice Anthony Kennedy – the court's swing justice who announced his retirement earlier this year. Today, Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings kick off.
Can I get a refresher on Kavanaugh?
He's a conservative judge and an originalist – someone who thinks the Constitution should be interpreted exactly how the Founding Fathers wrote it. He's known for his work with the independent counsel that investigated President Bill Clinton. He also worked as a staff secretary and White House counsel for Dubya. And has been a federal appeals judge in DC since '06.
So how do the hearings work?
It's a multi-day process. Kavanaugh will sit down in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Expect some opening statements, a couple days of intense questions, and some character witnesses called to testify. Then the committee votes whether to recommend him to the rest of the Senate. And the Senate decides whether to give him the thumbs up or down. Kavanaugh needs at least 51 votes to pick up his new robes.
I have a feeling this could get dramatic…
It could. Expect Dems to grill him on his views on abortion, health care, and executive power. He also might get asked about what's in the tens of thousands of docs the White House is keeping on lock from his time working for the Bush admin. Or he might be asked about the 42,000 pages of documents that were released hours before the start of the hearings.
How likely is it that he'll get his robes?
Very likely. Republicans have a veeery slim majority in the Senate. Democrats tried (but failed) to delay the hearings. And will prob try (and fail) to block his nomination.
theSkimm
Trump is on his way to getting his second SCOTUS nominee confirmed in less than two years in office. If Kavanaugh gets the OK, it would shift the highest court to the right. And give him the power to help make decisions that will affect Americans for generations to come.
PS: Our app has audio episodes (aka Skimm Notes) that go deep on topics you need to know about. Including Brett Kavanaugh. Get it here.
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