Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee madly raced to the bottom of demagoguery and stupidity this week during the hearings to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh, who sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, to the U.S. Supreme Court.
But two of the leftists stood out in particular: Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey (shown) and Kamala Harris of California, both of whom might be Democratic contenders for the presidency.
As one would expect, yesterday’s histrionics involved race.
Booker: Man of Principle
For his part, Booker made a great show of claiming he would release memos that divulged some outrage about “racial profiling.”
“I am going to release the emails on racial profiling,” he stated. “I understand that the penalty comes with a potential ousting from the Senate…. And if Sen. Cornyn believes I violated Senate rules, I openly invite and accept the consequences.” Cornyn is Senator John Cornyn of Texas, who chaired the hearing.
But Booker was grandstanding. Reported Fox News, “Booker didn’t actually break any rules with that release. The Republicans on the Judiciary Committee said they worked with the George W. Bush library and the Justice Department overnight to clear the emails. The restrictions were waived early Thursday morning.” Continued Fox:
“We cleared the documents last night shortly after Senator Booker’s staff asked us to,” said Bill Burck, a lawyer for Bush involved in the release of documents. “We were surprised to learn about Senator Booker’s histrionics this morning because we had already told him he could use the documents publicly.”
“Apparently, some just wanted to break the rules and make a scene, but didn’t check their email,” a spokesman for committee Republicans said in a statement. The committee posted the same documents.
“Clearly, he is running for president,” GOP Senator John Thune later told Fox News, speaking of Booker.
And what did these e-mails expose about Kavanaugh’s terrible views on racial profiling?
Nothing. Absolutely nothing in the documents Booker posted was controversial.
Harris on “White Supremacy”
On Tuesday we heard from Harris, who attempted to link Kavanaugh to white nationalists who rallied in Charlottesville last year. She tried to trap him into agreeing with President Trump’s statement on the matter with this question: “You will recall that the president who nominated you described the incident by saying, “I think there is blame on both sides.’ So I think this will be a simple question for you. Do you sir, believe there was blame on both sides?”
Kavanaugh answered perfectly:
One of the principles I’ve articulated throughout this hearing is the independence of the judiciary. And one of the things judges do … is stay out of current events, stay out of commenting on current events, because it risks confusion about what our role is. We are judges who decide cases and controversy. We’re not pundits. We don’t comment on our current events. We stay out of political controversy.
Harris interrupted him: Are you saying it’s too difficult a question?… Are you saying you cannot answer that pretty simple question? Kavanaugh replied,
I’m saying the principle of the independence of the judiciary means I can’t insert myself into politics in either of two ways: commenting on political events or, in my view, commenting on things said by politicians…. I’m not here to assess comments made in the political arena, because the risk is I’ll be drawn into the political arena.
Harris tried to outdo herself on Wednesday, desperately suggesting that Kavanaugh unethically or inappropriately discussed Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into President Trump.
Imperiously warning Kavanaugh to “be sure about your answer, sir,” Harris asked whether Kavanaugh had discussed Mueller or his investigation with anyone, or anyone at the law firm of Trump’s lawyer, Mark Kasowitz.
Harris badgered Kavanaugh with a supercilious tone and facial expressions. Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah observed that answering the question was impossible, given the number of lawyers and law firms in Washington, D.C., and that Kavanaugh would have to see a list of lawyers who worked at the firm.
“I don’t know everyone who works at that law firm, senator,” Kavanaugh answered, adding that he doesn’t remember any such conversation. But like Lee, Kavanaugh said he would need a roster of lawyers at the firm to answer.
After a testy exchange, Harris turned to the cameras, declaring, “Clearly you’re not going to answer the question.”
On Thursday, Harris came back at Kavanaugh again, and with the same high-handed tone, she said she “received reliable information” that he had such a conversation.
Replied Kavanaugh, “The answer is no.”
Photo: AP Images
