Supreme Court candidate avoids Trump's criticism

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US Supreme Court chief Brett Kavanaugh said on Thursday that he believes the judiciary has full authority to control the White House's power, but has refused to criticize the man. who had chosen him, President Donald Trump.

During a second day of testimony, Kavanaugh refused to comment on Trump's criticisms of the judicial system or to praise the president's character.

At the confirmation hearing in Kavanaugh's Senate, the Conservative Judge of the Federal Court of Appeal also warned against a new e-mail message highlighting his views on abortion and race issues after a fight partisan for the publication of documents.

More than a decade ago, documents released by Kavanaugh on Thursday were released to the White House by Republican President George W. Bush. Democrats opposed a previous decision by Republican leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee not to make e-mails public.

The third day of the confirmation hearing was interrupted several times by protesters hostile to Kavanaugh. The candidate, who has endless days of long interrogations, remained in a good mood, making no mistake that could derail his confirmation in a Senate closely controlled by other Republicans Trump, despite the efforts of Democrats who were opposed .

Some Liberals have expressed concern that Kavanaugh will be a buffer for Trump and protect him from prosecution and investigation.

Asked by Democratic Senator Cory Booker that he was chosen because of an expectation of loyalty to Trump, Kavanaugh replied, "My only loyalty is to the Constitution. I am an independent judge.

Kavanaugh refused to say he had "the greatest respect" for Trump, a phrase that Booker said he used to describe Bush.

JUDICIAL AUTHORITY

Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said Kavanaugh's appointment comes at a time when Trump poses a threat to the American rule of law and faces an ongoing investigation into special advocates. Kavanaugh said that his 12 years as a judge have shown that he was not afraid to "invalidate the executive power when it violates the law."

Kavanaugh had refused Wednesday to answer the question of whether a president should respond to a summons, saying he could be called to rule on the issue. But questioned by Durbin on the scope of presidential power, Kavanaugh stressed the judicial authority.

"When a court order compels a president to do something or forbids a president to do anything under the Constitution or US laws, in our constitutional system, that's the last word," said Kavanaugh.

Kavanaugh, again questioned about his views on the Supreme Court's 1974 ruling against President Richard Nixon, demanding that prosecutors be registered at the Oval Office, stating that the case had been properly decided. He called it "a moment of judicial independence where I think the court met" in a unanimous decision.

Kavanaugh declined to answer questions about how this case could be applied in the investigation of Special Adviser Robert Mueller on a possible collusion between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia.

He also reiterated his refusal to comment on whether he would recuse himself if a case involving the Mueller Inquiry or other issues relating to Trump's conduct were submitted to him.

If confirmed, Kavanaugh is seen as likely to tip the rightmost US court. This perspective worries Democrats and Republicans about volatile issues such as abortion, gun law, gay rights, the death penalty, religious freedom and business regulation.

The Kavanaugh Nominating Committee will hear outside witnesses on Friday before the end of the hearing. Republicans hope that the full Senate will be able to vote on the appointment before the new Supreme Court mandate begins on October 1.

"LAW SET"

In a 2003 e-mail posted Thursday, Kavanaugh suggested drawing a line from a preliminary opinion article that stated: "Lawyers everywhere believe that Roe v. Wade and his descendants are the well-established law of the country. " saying that the Supreme Court could overturn it.

Asked about the document, Kavanaugh said he had suggested the change because he thought the draft text exaggerated the thinking of the jurists at the time. He again refused to say whether the historic 1973 decision that legalized abortion throughout the country, Roe v. Wade, had been properly decided, although he indicated – as he did on Wednesday – that this decision deserved to be respected. Court."

The hearing opened with the Democrats who complained that various documents had not already been made public by the Republican leaders of the commission. They were released by the committee a few minutes later.

Booker called the process used by the committee to decide which documents would make public "a little mockery," a feature dismissed by Republican panel president Chuck Grassley. Booker said he was ready to face a possible sanction under Senate rules by publishing the documents himself, although Republicans said they had already agreed to release them.

Trump has chosen Kavanaugh, 53, to replace Judge Anthony Kennedy, who announced his retirement in June.