Kavanaugh Was Set Up For Embarrassment, Ambush By GOP Keeping Records Secret

[appalachiablue]

"This Is How Republicans Led Kavanaugh Into An Ambush." By trying to keep Kavanaugh's records secret, Republicans set him up for embarrassment. By Ian Millhiser, Think Progress, Sep 7, 2018. <Snips>

Republican efforts to keep much of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s record secret in the lead up to Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing placed the nominee in an terrible position this past week, often making him appear evasive, unprepared, or even outright deceptive.

Neil Gorsuch, who occupies a seat on the Supreme Court that Republicans held open for a year until Donald Trump could fill it, is arrogant. It is less clear, however, whether Judge Kavanaugh is an outright liar or merely a man who was caught badly off guard during the most important job interview of his life.

Republicans did their own Supreme Court nominee a disservice by trying to keep so much of his record out of the public eye. Their secrecy meant that Kavanaugh had to respond to attacks on the fly, often while trying to remember what he meant in an email written 15 years ago, and without any warning about which attacks were coming.

After Roberts and Kagan were nominated, the National Archives turned over piles of documents related to their work in the Reagan and Clinton administrations. Their documents were available online days or weeks before their hearings. By the time Roberts and Kagan appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee, they already had a pretty good idea what sort of questions they would face.

It’s not hard to guess why Republicans decided to move forward with the hearing this week, despite the fact that only some of Kavanaugh’s record was available- and the most likely explanation isn’t secrecy. If the hearing were delayed until after the documents arrived in late October, Kavanaugh’s confirmation vote would have to wait until after this November’s election.- More, https://thinkprogress.org/brett-kavanaugh-email-disclosures-increased-suspicion-a7251789e2f1/

*"Brett Kavanaugh May Have A Perjury Problem." Maybe there's a reason Senate Republicans tried to keep Kavanaugh's emails secret? https://thinkprogress.org/brett-kavanaugh-john-yoo-did-not-tell-truth-nsa-wiretap-program-f32a71e840e7/

[duforsure]

1. He has set himself up

And will become fully exposed for what he is.....corrupt, and a liar.

[drmeow]

2. Boo hoo

cry me a river.

[pecosbob]

3. I must technically disagree with one point

He lied about receiving the stolen Miranda documents when interviewed by the Committee when he was first appointed to the bench.

[machoneman]

4. Disagree. They rushed it in fear of our blue wave in November.

Yes, they botched this by not releasing past information figuring they could bull-rush this past us.

So, Charlie, we want real tunas!

[yurbud]

5. If Democrats could act like an opposition party for TWO MONTHS they could sink him