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Supreme Court candidate Brett Kavanaugh refuses to answer questions about the extent of the president's power of thanks. (September 5th)
AP

WASHINGTON – Democrats seeking to block Brett Kavanaugh's decision to go to the Supreme Court have a new chance Thursday after a 12-hour marathon that the 53-year-old survived largely unscathed Wednesday.

The 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee will receive a 20-minute round of questions, during which Kavanaugh will be questioned again about his views on presidential power and on a number of social issues. health and gun control.

More: Kavanaugh claims his independence by hearing

President Donald Trump's second presidential candidate in the high court followed the lead of today's judges by skirting sharp questions about Supreme Court precedents and potential future cases. He has also been elusive on issues concerning the president, such as Trump's attacks on the Justice Ministry and Special Adviser Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections.

Here is an overview of three things that happened on Wednesday.

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Did he discuss the Mueller probe?

As the hearing neared the 12 o'clock on Wednesday night, he seemed disconcerted when Senator Kamala Harris, D-California, asked if he had discussed Mueller's investigation with anyone. one of a law firm headed by Marc Kasowitz. "Pay attention to your answer," said Harris.

"I do not know everyone who works in this company," Kavanaugh finally answered.

"You do not want to tell us," said Harris.

The protests continued

The nightly clash between Kavanaugh and Harris caused another explosion of voices on the part of the protesters in the courtroom, and the Capitol police took about twenty people. In the past two days, nearly 150 people have been deported after shouting objections to Kavanaugh's appointment.

A coalition of opposing Kavanaugh Supreme Court nominees urged activists across America to travel to Washington to disrupt his confirmation hearings in the Senate this week, and many responded to the call.

Capitol police arrested 70 people for explosions and disturbances at Kavanaugh's hearing Tuesday – and protests continued Wednesday during his testimony.

The protests were so frequent that Wednesday's hearing took a decided turn and Republican senators expressed frustration at the interruptions. The police temporarily closed the hearing to other spectators, leaving empty seats.

& # 39; Nobody is above the law … & # 39;

Kavanaugh sought to show his independence from the president who appointed him, telling members of the Senate Judiciary Committee that his loyalty would go to his copy of the Constitution. He declined to say whether a president should respond to a subpoena, an issue that could be submitted to the Supreme Court on the basis of Special Adviser Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections.

When asked if he still thought that a president could dismiss an independent prosecutor, as he wrote 20 years ago, he said only: "C & # 39; was my point of view in 1998. "

"Nobody is above the laws in our constitutional system," Kavanaugh said at the start of what was to be a 12-hour day. "It does not matter who you are in our system … it's the same justice in law."

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