Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the New York Democrat in line to become chairman of the House Judiciary Committee if Republicans lose control this November, said Friday he plans to open a formal investigation into allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh if Democrats take the chamber.

“It is not something we are eager to do,” Nadler said in an interview published Friday evening. “But the Senate having failed to do its proper constitutionally mandated job of advise and consent, we are going to have to do something to provide a check and balance, to protect the rule of law and to protect the legitimacy of one of our most important institutions.”