It was an interesting way to start a confirmation hearing. Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats talked as though Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh had just beamed to earth from another planet or materialized out of thin air moments before the hearing began.

To hear them tell it, they’ve barely heard of Kavanaugh—a man this same committee confirmed as a U.S. circuit court judge 12 years ago. Yet now it seems they know nothing about him, and have no material or documents that could help them get up to speed about this mystery man.