Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh late Wednesday declined to say whether he had discussed special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation with anyone from a law firm founded by President Trump’s personal attorney.
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) grilled Kavanaugh in a tense exchange on if he had spoken with anyone at Kasowitz Benson & Torres, the firm founded by Marc Kasowitz, telling the nominee: “Be sure about your answer, sir.”
Kavanaugh dodged answering the question directly, instead asking Harris if she was talking about a specific person.
{mosads}“Is there a person you’re talking about? I’m not sure I know everyone who works at that law firm,” he said. “I’m not remembering [any conversation].”
“How can you not remember whether or not you had a conversation about Robert Mueller or his investigation with anyone at that law firm?” Harris, a longtime prosecutor and former attorney general of California, asked. “This investigation has only been going on for so long.”
At one point, Kavanaugh asked the senator directly what person she had in mind.
“I think you’re thinking of someone and you don’t want to tell us,” Harris replied.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) defended Kavanaugh, suggesting Harris give the nominee a list of names.
“Washington is full of law firms, law firms are full of people,” he said.
After a brief interruption from protesters and senators discussing procedural rules for the hearing, Harris continued to press Kavanaugh, who ultimately said he couldn’t answer her question without a “roster of people” who worked at the firm.
A unidentified Democratic aide told Politico that some Democrats “have reason to believe that a conversation happened and are continuing to pursue it.” Harris said that she plans to follow up in written questions for Kavanaugh, according to Politico.
Trump hired Kasowitz to represent him in the Mueller probe in May 2017, but he stepped aside from the post just two months later, when he was replaced by Ty Cobb. Kasowitz represented Trump in the Trump University fraud case and is also representing him in the defamation lawsuit filed by Summer Zervos, a former “Apprentice” contestant who has accused Trump of sexual misconduct.