As organizations committed to open government and accountability, we are concerned by reports of incomplete requests for access to government records related to the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. We are concerned that the curtailed document requests will hinder the Senate’s ability to fully assess Judge Kavanaugh’s background and qualifications and makes an assumption of privilege without requiring the White House to assert a claim. We believe it is the role of the White House to assert privilege claims over documents, not the role of the Senate Judiciary Committee to save them the trouble. The Senate’s decision on whether to confirm a Supreme Court nominee has vast and long-lasting ramifications for the nation, and it is vital that senators from all parties are able to request and access the documents they need to make that decision.
US: Senators Denied Documents Relevant to Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court Nomination
Source: Human Rights Watch | Published: 8/8/2018