Democrats stonewall Kavanaugh in light of Cohen, Manafort guilt

Several Democratic senators have decided not to meet with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, citing President Trump's implication in possible financial crimes.

Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen pleaded guilty Tuesday to violating campaign finance laws, saying he committed the crimes "at the direction of a candidate for federal office," inevitably Trump.

"I have cancelled my meeting with Judge Kavanaugh," said Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), explaining that Trump "does not deserve the courtesy" as an "unindicted co-conspirator in a criminal matter." She said the president picked Kavanaugh "to protect, as we say in Hawaii, his own okole," or "backside." Kavanaugh has argued that a sitting president cannot be indicted.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said Kavanaugh's "nomination is tainted and should be considered illegitimate," while Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif) echoed Hirono by saying Americans don't want "an unindicted co-conspirator" to select a Supreme Court justice. Summer Meza