Senator Maria Cantwell's office issued the following today:
09.07.18
Senators Cantwell, Murray Join Judiciary Committee Democrats to Demand Trump Supreme Court Nominee Judge Kavanaugh’s Full White House Record
Washington, D.C.
– U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Patty Murray (D-WA) joined 17
of their Democratic colleagues in calling on the White House to make
Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s complete White House record available to the
Senate and the public.
“Access to a Supreme Court nominee’s full
record is necessary for the Senate to fulfill its constitutional duty to
advise and consent,” the senators wrote. “More important, it is essential for the American people to have confidence in our confirmation process.”
“The rush and secrecy has left us to wonder what the White House is withholding from the American people,” the senators continued. “It should make the documents available for review.”
In addition to Senators Cantwell and Murray,
U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV),
Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tom Carper (D-DE), Doug Jones
(D-AL), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand
(D-NY), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tom Udall (D-NM), Angus King (I-ME),
Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mark Warner (D-VA), Bob
Casey (D-PA), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) signed the letter.
A copy of the letter is available below:
Donald F. McGahn, IICounsel to the PresidentThe White House1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NWWashington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. McGahn:
We write to support and reiterate the request
made by our colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee to make Judge
Kavanaugh’s White House records available to the Senate and the public.
Access to a Supreme Court nominee’s full record is necessary for the
Senate to fulfill its constitutional duty to advise and consent. More
important, it is essential for the American people to have confidence in
our confirmation process.
The lack of complete information associated
with this nomination is unprecedented and threatens to undermine the
public’s confidence in a fair and impartial judiciary. To date, members
of the Judiciary Committee have seen only 7% of Judge Kavanaugh’s White
House record. In comparison, the Senate had access to 99% of Justice
Kagan’s White House record prior to her confirmation. Last week, a Bush
White House attorney directed over 100,000 pages from Judge Kavanaugh’s
work in the White House Counsel’s Office to be withheld based on
“constitutional privilege.” And just hours before this week’s hearing,
the White House released 42,000 additional pages of his record to the
Judiciary Committee. Meanwhile, 186,000 pages of documents that were
made available to the Senate are being withheld from public view.
The rush and secrecy has left us to wonder
what the White House is withholding from the American people. It should
make the documents available for review.
We owe it to the American people to evaluate
Supreme Court nominees in an open, transparent, and fair process.
Unfortunately, the process so far has been anything but. We urge you to
make Judge Kavanaugh’s full record available immediately before we
proceed with his confirmation.
Sincerely,
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