Blumenthal Tries, Fails to Bait Kavanaugh into Trump Attack

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Thursday tried and failed to bait Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh into criticizing President Donald Trump’s “attacks on the judiciary.”

Blumenthal (pictured above) held up a printed sheet of 41 tweets by the president, but he highlighted two from July 13, 2016, in which the then-Republican presidential candidate reacted to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s declaration that he was a “faker.” Ginsburg later apologized.

“Justice Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court has embarrassed all by making very dumb political statements about me. Her mind is shot — resign!” Trump tweeted.

In the second tweet, Trump wrote, “Is Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg going to apologize to me for her misconduct? Big mistake by an incompetent judge!”

Blumenthal confronted Kavanaugh, who is testifying this week because the president nominated him on July 9.

“Do you think Justice Ginsburg has embarrassed us all?” he asked.

Kavanaugh parried the query.

“Senator, I’m not going to get drawn into a political controversy,” he said. “I’ve maintained I’m not gonna get within three ZIP codes of a controversy here.”

Blumenthal said there is no reason why Kavanaugh could not weigh in on the issue.

“This is not political. This is about Justice Ginsburg,” he said.

Blumenthal said he was deeply troubled by Trump’s “attacks on the judiciary. They have been blatant, craven and repeated.”

Kavanaugh expressed his admiration for Ginsburg but again declined to comment on Trump.

“Senator, respectfully, you’re asking me to — after having read those comments — you’re asking me to comment on something another person said, and I’m not going to do that,” he said.

But Kavanaugh added, “I’ve spoken about my respect and appreciation for the eight justices on the Supreme Court, the honor it would be if I were to be confirmed to be part of that team of nine, with those eight people, all of whom I know and respect. And I know they’re all dedicated public servants who have given a great deal to this country. I’ve made that clear throughout this hearing.”

Kavanaugh also declined to comment on Trump’s criticism of U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who was presiding over a civil lawsuit against Trump University during the election campaign. Trump said Curiel could not be fair because of his Mexican heritage.

Related: Kavanaugh Treads Cautiously on Cameras in the Courtroom

“The judiciary, and nominees like yourself, have an obligation to stand up for the judiciary,” Blumenthal said.

Kavanaugh pushed back.

“The way we stand up is deciding cases and controversies independently, and without fear or favor,” he said. “Beyond that, we follow the canons and the leadership of Chief Justice [John] Roberts, who is a superb leader of the American judiciary.”