Delaware’s junior senator is one of several senators who spent Wednesday grilling Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on his judicial record.
Sen. Chris Coons said he has real concerns about Kavanaugh’s views on presidential power.
He called for the confirmation hearings to be postponed after President Donald Trump’s former lawyer implicated him in two felonies and his former campaign manager was convicted of bank and tax fraud.
Coons said Kavanaugh refused to answer whether a sitting president can be subpoenaed - calling it a hypothetical question.
“I intend to revisit that line of questioning and put in front of him specific decisions and speeches by Judge Kavanaugh," he said. "He should be willing to answer those questions.”
Coons said Kavanaugh is also being evasive on other important questions - such as whether he thought Roe v. Wade was correctly decided.
Coons said he has concerns about the nominee’s stated views that a president has broad power.
“That he thinks a president shouldn’t be subject to investigation by a special counsel, be able to fire a special counsel or special prosecutor at will and shouldn’t be subject to a subpoena for evidence or testimony,” he said.
Senators will continue to ask Kavanaugh questions Thursday. Kavanaugh needs the support of 51 senators to be confirmed.
Coons said he believe there’s still a dozen senators who have yet to state publicly how they will vote on the nomination.
He adds he hopes members of the public who have an opinion on the nomination will contact their senators. Coons said Delawareans can leave him a comment at coons.senate.gov/kavanaugh.
