Wednesday, on the “Hugh Hewitt Show,” Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said the Senate hearings for President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh will begin in September, with a vote likely in October.
Partial transcript as follows:
HEWITT: When are the hearings going to start, Senator Grassley?
GRASSLEY: Well, all I can tell you at this point, and maybe a week from now I can be more specific, sometime during September. But the earlier, the better, and if these documents coming from the archives and from George W. Bush’s presidential library and other things get up here soon, then the sooner the better, we can have a hearing. But we normally take, let me give you some sort of a ballpark rationale for what I just said. July the 9th, the nominee is appointed by the president. Then, usually, 65-70 days on average, Kagan took about 80-some days. So, about two-thirds of that time would be used for staff and senators going over everything that we have on a particular candidate, and then you have a week of hearing. So, you hope to do it on a Tuesday and Wednesday, or it might be a Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and then you’re going to have a day that week for people that are for Kavanaugh and people that are against Kavanaugh, and then there’ll be a week for him to answer questions in writing, because not every question is going to be asked orally. And then he’s put on the agenda, and our rules allow a person to be held over. So, probably two weeks from the time he gets all the questions answered, he’d be debated in our committee, voted out the same day, then probably within two days, go to the Senate floor. So, if we could get this all done by October 1st when the Supreme Court starts its new fall session, would be ideal. But I think we can get it done soon after that if we don’t get it done by October the 1st.
HEWITT: There’s no way to start the hearings in August, because some people had hoped that we would have that special session, part of it would be given over to the Kavanaugh hearings?
GRASSLEY: I kinda doubt it. I wouldn’t say no at this point, because this is only August 1st. But it seems to me like early September would be the earliest. But I’d rather say, at this point, sometime in September. But the point is we need to get this done, and we will get it done early this fall, so that we don’t have to worry about it being brought up in the election.
…
HEWITT: I sure would love to get those Kavanaugh hearings going in August. And so is there a 10% chance of that happening, senator?
GRASSLEY: I don’t think so.
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