Posted on 09/06/2018 9:13:08 AM PDT by yesthatjallen
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) on Thursday released emails from Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's time as a White House counsel, escalating a heated fight over his documents.
Booker released approximately 12 pages of emails tied to discussions Kavanaugh had on racial inequality including one email thread titled "racial profiling."
The documents are marked "committee confidential," meaning they are not supposed to be discussed or released publicly.
But the move comes after Booker said during a heated debate on Kavanaugh's third day before the Judiciary Committee that he would release the email thread.
"I am right now, before your process is finished, I am going to release the email about racial profiling, and I understand the penalty comes with potential ousting from the Senate," Booker said at the hearing.
Booker acknowledged that he would be "knowingly violating the rules."
Booker questioned Kavanaugh on Wednesday night about his stances on racial inequality, referring to emails from his time as a White House counsel for President George W. Bush. But, Republicans later pointed out, one of the emails he was referring to was labeled as "committee confidential."
In one of the emails, Kavanaugh questioned Department of Transportation (DOT) affirmative action regulations.
"The fundamental problem in this case is that these DOT regulations use a lot of legalisms and disguises to mask what in reality is a naked racial set-aside," Kavanaugh writes in one of the emails from 2001.
He adds that he believes four Republican justices will "realize as much in short order and rule accordingly."
Tens of thousands of documents have been given to the committee under the label of committee confidential.
Shortly after Booker released the documents, Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley's (R-Iowa) staff released a bulk of new emails, previously marked "committee confidential," that had been cleared for public release. Booker's emails were included in the document tranche.
Booker's announcement immediately sparked a rhetorical firefight between Judiciary Committee members, with both sides accusing the other of bad behavior.
Democrats on the committee argued that the process wasn't fair. Democrats have taken issue with Bill Burck, Bush's lawyer, being able to sort through the documents. Burck is a former GOP staffer and colleague of Kavanaugh's.
"I have not made a big fight about this ... but again, lest silence imply consent, I think that rule is as ineffectual as if the chair had unilaterally repealed the law of gravity," Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) said. "It simply isn't so. I haven't agreed to this rule. I haven't voted on this rule."
Other Democrats quickly backed up Booker.
Sen. (D-Hawaii) followed Booker's lead, tweeting screenshots of documents from Kavanaugh's time in the Bush White House that are stamped "committee confidential."
Hirono's tweet included two pages of an email thread from 2002 about "Treasury testimony on Capital Investment in Indian Country."
"I think the testimony needs to make clear that any program targeting Native Hawaiians as a group is subject to strict scrutiny and of questionable validity under the constitution," Kavanaugh wrote in the email thread.
“I would defy anyone reading this document to conclude this document should be deemed confidential in any way shape or form,” Hirono said prior to releasing the tweets.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) added that there was "no basis for the rules" and said Democrats are "here under protest."
"I hereby reserve the right to release documents before any confirmation vote, so that my colleagues can see what the truth is. Between now and any vote on confirmation there is the right to release documents that she or he believe are appropriate," Blumenthal said.
The moves rankled Republicans on the committee.
Grassley, growing testy, interrupted Booker to ask: "How many times you going to tell us that?"
Democrats lamented that some documents were committee confidential, and Republicans warned that Booker would be breaking Senate rules.
"Running for president is no excuse for violating the rules of the Senate," Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said to Booker. "I'd encourage our colleagues to avoid the temptation to either violate the Senate rules or to treat the witness unfairly."
Cornyn added that: "This is no different from the senator deciding to release classified information. ... That is irresponsible and outrageous."
Nothing will done to Booker.
The other side of the thin blue line is choas destruction anarchy and bloodshed. You ok with that too cory??
McTurtle should remove Booker from ALL committee assignments. Now.
Perhaps we start a venue to ignore IRS laws. Why is Sharpton still on the street?? He owe’s over 4K in taxes.
Kamala Harris must be pissed. She’s got to find a way to one-up Booker. Climb up on Kavanaugh’s desk and relieve herself?
How do these folks get put on a committee like this anyhow.
All this shouting and hollering reminds me of going into an asylum where the patients just start screaming whenever.
cory booker, silly little girly man...
Assignment from either the Majority or Minority leader.
“Anarchy. Unless someone goes to jail, there is no rule of law.”
At this point I’ve given up on the yellow bellied coward Sessions.
That is a foolish outlook
Throw him out of the Senate. Then have him charged as needed. Send this little gay bastard to hell. That is all!
Arrest him, prosecute him, jail him and remove him from office. No ifs, ands or buts. Tagline
That would be some sick entertainment. I cant get the vision out of my head. Yikes.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) added that there was "no basis for the rules" and said Democrats are "here under protest." "I hereby reserve the right to release documents before any confirmation vote, so that my colleagues can see what the truth is. Between now and any vote on confirmation there is the right to release documents that she or he believe are appropriate," Blumenthal said.
That's funny, at this point, all Demwits are in office under my protest. Won't last though. Thanks yesthatjallen.
Probably not something you can prosecute in a court of law. However the senate should immediately revoke his access to all sensitive Judiciary information for cause.
Vote on it today. Then pass a law that disruption of the senate while in session is punishable by a $10,000 minimum fine. This is not a first amendment issue.
Bring it up for a vote and watch the dems squirm. Time to put spike strips in front the dems clown car.
Is he as determined that the American people have the right to see the FISA documents? Hillary’s emails? What’s on Anthony Weiner’s laptop? Or is his passion only against Kavanaugh’s appointment and anything related to President Trump? I think I know the answer to that.
If there are no basis for the senate rules today i would like to see Tedd Cruz get up walk over and deck richard blumenthal.
I’m so confused.... Out of 4 threads now, I have yet to see anything considered “racial profiling”. Booker is another schmoe.
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