Senate Democrats officially requested all of the documents related to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s time in the George W. Bush White House, spanning 2001 to 2006.
Talks have broken down between Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee as Kavanaugh awaits a confirmation hearing. Led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Democrats held a press conference urging Republicans to join with them in demanding the release of Kavanaugh’s entire record.
[Related: Chuck Grassley formally requests Kavanaugh White House records amid document battle]
Schumer stood next to empty boxes meant to represent the thousands of pages of documents that have not been released. Republicans have criticized Democrats for calling for everything but the kitchen sink.
Schumer stressed that most of the documents made available to lawmakers was filtered by the personal lawyer to Reince Priebus, President Trump’s former chief of staff and Steve Bannon, Trump’s former adviser.
“The vast majority of documents that Congress will get to view will have been screened by the personal lawyer of George Bush, Reince Priebus, and Steve Bannon — hardly an impartial screener,” Schumer said.
“What are they hiding? Republicans are putting the ‘secret’ in ‘secretary,’” Schumer added, referring to Kavanaugh’s position as staff secretary under Bush.
Democrats argue the documents have “real value” to understanding the kind of judge Kavanaugh would be on the Supreme Court.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said Democrats are requesting the same amount of documents that Republicans did during Justice Elena Kagan’s confirmation process.
“Staff secretary is a top White House adviser … it rewrites memos, it puts its own view into memos,” Feinstein said. “We want the same formula that was used for Justice Kagan.”
Democrats want insight into Kavanaugh’s views on a variety of issues, including his thoughts on the CIA’s torture program during the Bush years.
Schumer expects an answer from the National Archives by the end of the week on whether they will fulfill Democrats request for the documents. If they are denied, Schumer said he hopes public pressure will force Republicans to join them in requesting Kavanaugh’s full record.
“This is a lifelong decision; it is likely this Supreme Court vacancy will be filled for many living Americans and for generations,” said Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., “It is a big deal.”
