WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on a dispute over records associated with the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court (all times local):
6:30 p.m.
Senate Republicans are requesting documents from Supreme Court nominee Bret Kavanaugh’s time in the Bush White House but they’re doing it without the support of Democrats who believe more documents should be produced.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley said Friday evening that he has requested access to Kavanaugh’s White House Counsel’s office emails, all paper files maintained by him in that position and all documents relating to his nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
Grassley’s request doesn’t include documents from Kavanaugh’s time as Bush’s staff secretary. Kavanaugh held that position from 2003 to 2006 after serving in the White House Counsel’s office.
Democrats have said they want records from Kavanaugh’s time as staff secretary too. Republicans say Democrats’ request is a delay tactic.
3:20 p.m.
The Senate’s top Democrat is appealing to former President George W. Bush in a fight over documents related to Supreme Court nominee and former Bush aide Brett Kavanaugh.
Kavanaugh worked for Bush from 2001 to 2006.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer on Friday released a letter to Bush urging him to make public “the complete record of Judge Kavanaugh’s service.” That includes Kavanaugh’s time in the White House counsel’s office and as staff secretary. Schumer says Republicans apparently plan to request a “pre-screened subset of Judge Kavanaugh’s record.”
Democrats and Republicans have sparred in particular this week over Kavanaugh’s staff secretary records. Democrats say they’re crucial. Republicans disagree.
Separately, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein has written the National Archives to complain about access to documents related to the Kavanaugh nomination.
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5:30 a.m.
More than a decade after he served as what’s been called the president’s “inbox and outbox,” Brett Kavanaugh’s role as White House staff secretary to President George W. Bush has become a flashpoint as Republicans push his confirmation to the Supreme Court.
Democrats want to see records from the time, portraying the potentially millions of documents as vital to understanding his approach to the law. Republicans disagree and have accused Democrats of using the issue to try to delay Kavanaugh’s confirmation.
The debate could interfere with Republicans’ goal of swiftly confirming President Donald Trump’s pick for the court in time for the start of the new term Oct. 1. With Senate control slimly held by Republicans 51-49, Democrats can’t block Kavanaugh’s nomination outright if Republicans hold together. Instead, Democrats are trying to delay the proceedings in hopes that time spent reviewing the judge’s record could unearth fresh concerns to sway senators’ opinions and upend voting.
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