Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) released a “committee confidential” document allegedly showing evidence of Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, discussing racial profiling in the wake of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Booker said Thursday that he was aware that the action could result in his expulsion from the Senate.
Booker began questioning Kavanaugh on Wednesday regarding the email, which was part of a trove given to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Sen. @CoryBooker: “I’m knowingly violating the rules. Sen Cornyn has called me out for it. I’m saying right now that I’m releasing committee confidential documents.”
— CSPAN (@cspan) September 6, 2018
Senator @JohnCornyn: “Running for president is no excuse for violating the rules of the Senate…” pic.twitter.com/A2pB19ENPP
Booker alleged that the document contains emails in which Kavanaugh discussed racial profiling. Booker used the document to question Kavanaugh during yesterday’s hearing.
Booker’s action reflects frustration from Senate Democrats about the availability of documents from Kavanaugh’s time in the Bush administration and the fact that they have had to rely on Bush’s lawyers, not the National Archives, to access the documents.
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) asked for a stay on the hearing so that Democrats could analyze the new documents. Booker said Thursday that he was willing to face the consequences of his act of “civil disobedience.”
“I openly invite and accept the consequences of my team releasing that email right now,” even though it could result in “potential ousting from the Senate.”
While Booker said he didn’t believe that his action would result in such a severe punishment, Sen. John Cornyn (D-Texas), the Senate Majority Whip, saw fit to remind Booker of the rules and warned him of the possible consequences.
“Bring it,” Booker replied.
“Running for president is no excuse for violating the rules of the Senate,” Cornyn said.
Sen. @CoryBooker: “I’m knowingly violating the rules. Sen Cornyn has called me out for it. I’m saying right now that I’m releasing committee confidential documents.”
— CSPAN (@cspan) September 6, 2018
Senator @JohnCornyn: “Running for president is no excuse for violating the rules of the Senate…” pic.twitter.com/A2pB19ENPP
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) jumped to Booker’s defense, saying, “I concur with what you are doing. Let’s jump into this pit together … If there is going to be some retribution against the senator from New Jersey, count me in. I want to be part of this process.”
Dick Durbin to Cory Booker: “I concur with what you are doing. Let’s jump into this pit together … If there is going to be some retribution against the senator from New Jersey, count me in. I want to be part of this process.” (via CBS) pic.twitter.com/4x9FW84L10
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) September 6, 2018
Other Senate Democrats have piled on, including Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).
Mazie Hirono announces that she’ll also release a Committee confidential document to the press, says that if Cory Booker is going to be punished, “count me in, too.”
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) September 6, 2018
These are the docs Rs don’t want you to see—because they show that Judge Kavanaugh wrongly believes that Native Hawaiian programs are Constitutionally questionable. I defy anyone reading this to be able to conclude that it should be deemed confidential in any way, shape, or form. pic.twitter.com/yj31vDNGia
— Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) September 6, 2018
This seems to be the moment liberals have been waiting for ahead of the midterms, with elected officials pulling no punches when it comes to thwarting Trump’s policies and appointees.
Cory Booker has finally done what we wanted the Dems to do. He has taken a stand.
— Michelle Bhasin (@michellebhasin) September 6, 2018
Wow Cory Booker is ready to risk it all to let us know what is going on.
— 👑 Ace (@TheRulersBack_) September 6, 2018
Booker himself tweeted the following:
What you do matters.
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) September 6, 2018
What you say matters.
No matter how big the fight
Or inevitable the conclusion seems
Stand up.
Speak up.
Wrong, temporarily victorious
Is never greater than Right, forever vigilant.
Booker has been eyed as a potential challenger to Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.
Read the document here.
