Committee delays Kavanaugh confirmation vote

WASHINGTON—The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, as expected, delayed its scheduled vote on U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh to next Thursday. Any committee member can request a one-week delay in voting on a nominee, and committee Democrats demanded more time and access to additional documents related to Kavanaugh’s background. But while the delay was granted, Republicans rejected an effort by Democrats to subpoena documents from Kavanaugh’s time as a staff secretary in the George W. Bush White House, saying Democrats should focus instead on his time as White House counsel.

Kavanaugh is expected to coast through next week’s committee vote along partisan lines. After that, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will schedule the full Senate vote, which could happen the week of Sept. 24th. GOP leadership has indicated they would like Kavanaugh confirmed by the end of the month, in time for him to join the Supreme Court’s new session beginning Oct. 1.

After the raucous confirmation hearing wrapped up last week, committee members had a week to submit written questions for the record and solicit Kavanaugh’s responses. Democrats submitted a record 1,278 questions, while Republicans submitted nine. The total number exceeds all the written questions submitted to every prior Supreme Court nominee combined, according to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.