By Todd Ruger

CQ-Roll Call

WASHINGTON, D.C. —The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sometime in September with the goal of a floor vote by Oct. 1, Chairman Charles E. Grassley said Wednesday.

Grassley laid out the timeline for the Supreme Court confirmation process during an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt, saying “the earlier the better,” but noting the Senate still doesn’t have key documents from Kavanaugh’s past.

“And if these documents coming from the archives and from George W. Bush’s presidential library and other things get up here soon, then the sooner the better we can have a hearing,” Grassley said.

Grassley said he would prefer a Kavanaugh confirmation hearing in early September, since it could take the committee two weeks to vote on the nomination because of committee rules. He said he would be able to be more specific about the confirmation hearing dates next week.

“If we can get this all done by Oct. 1 when the Supreme Court starts its new fall session it would be ideal, but I think we can get it done soon after that, if we don’t get it done by Oct. 1,” Grassley said.

Democrats have objected to what they say is a limited scope of documents Grassley and other Republicans on the committee sought from Kavanaugh’s background, particularly his work as White House staff secretary in the George W. Bush administration.

“I think we should receive the entire record from the Bush library,” Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said at a hearing Wednesday. “I do hope that ultimately the majority and minority can work that out and we can get those documents produced so we can move ahead with that confirmation hearing.”

Grassley sent a letter July 27 to the Bush presidential library seeking records about Kavanaugh’s work at the White House Counsel’s Office, but not his time as staff secretary. Committee Democrats did not sign on to the letter, and then sent their own request July 31 asking for records for Kavanaugh’s work as staff secretary

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