Booker releases new batches of ‘confidential’ Kavanaugh documents

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) on Thursday night released new batches of “confidential” documents from Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s work for former President George W. Bush.

Booker released two additional tranches of emails from Kavanaugh’s time as a White House lawyer. The emails, which are a combined 26 pages, are marked “committee confidential,” meaning they have not been cleared for public release or to be discussed publicly.

“Here are two additional ‘committee confidential’ documents that have been kept out of public view until now,” Booker wrote in a tweet announcing the latest release of the emails.

A spokesman for Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) confirmed that the documents’ “committee confidential” classification remains in effect.

{mosads}The releases bring the total tranches of “confidential” documents released by Booker to five. Booker released a separate set of documents on Thursday morning, but GOP aides and Bill Burck, a lawyer for Bush, noted that set of emails had been cleared for public release hours before the hearing started.

In one four-page tranche released on Thursday night, Kavanaugh is trying to set up a meeting with Manny Miranda, a then-GOP Senate aide who hacked Democratic files. Kavanaugh has been grilled about what knowledge, if any, he had of Miranda’s actions. 

In a second 22-page tranche released on Thursday evening, Kavanaugh in 2003 forwards an op-ed which describes Roe v. Wade as a “bad law,” adding: “Interesting piece from Stephen Carter, who is not conservative.” 

The releases come after Booker sparked a rhetorical firefight earlier in the day when he warned during a Judiciary Committee hearing that he would be releasing “confidential” information. 

Booker has defended his decision, arguing the document process set up by Republicans on the Judiciary panel is a “sham.”  

“The American people regardless of your political perspective should be outraged that we have a process that is keeping critical documents hidden from the rest of the American public,” Booker told reporters. 

But his move drew from Republicans who implied that he was breaking Senate rules in an effort to bolster potential 2020 White House ambitions. 

“Running for president is no excuse for violating the rules of the Senate,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said to Booker. “I’d encourage our colleagues to avoid the temptation to either violate the Senate rules or to treat the witness unfairly.”

A spokesman for the Republican National Committee (RNC) blasted out an email to reporters entitled: “Cory Booker can’t keep his grandstanding straight.” 

“Senator Cory Booker boldly declared he is knowingly violating Senate rules. 30 minutes after his grandstanding for the cameras, Booker says he didn’t violate any Senate rules,” the spokesman said.