White House press secretary Sarah Sanders accused Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of encouraging Senate Democrats not to meet with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and said he is playing “political games.”
“For members of the opposing party to demand answers to questions and yet refuse to even meet with a qualified Supreme Court nominee is unprecedented,” Sanders told reporters during Monday’s White House press briefing. “Sen. Schumer should stop these political games and meet with Judge Kavanaugh.”
[Opinion: Two weeks later, 0 Democrats have met with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh]
Sanders said administration officials “welcome Senate Democrats who take their constitutional duty of advice and consent seriously,” and said Kavanaugh “stands ready” to meet with Democratic and Republican senators.
Since Trump tapped Kavanaugh to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court, he has met with 23 Republican senators and no Democrats.
Kavanaugh’s opponents are warning that confirming him to the high court could threaten abortion rights and access to affordable healthcare, and point to his previous comments on independent counsels as a reason why senators should oppose his nomination.
Senate Democrats are also calling for the release of thousands of records related to Kavanaugh’s time working for the White House during President George W. Bush’s administration and for independent counsel Kenneth Starr, a push that could slow his confirmation.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said following Kennedy’s retirement announcement late last month the Senate would vote to confirm a new justice by the fall.
But according to Politico, McConnell told Senate Republicans last week that if Democrats continue to push for the trove of Kavanaugh’s documents to be released, he would delay a confirmation vote until just before the November midterm elections.
