Cardin Defends Record On Behalf of Marylanders

Sen. Ben Cardin said that even though Judge Brett Kavanaugh is now Justice Brett Kavanaugh and that won't change, some of the concerns around the process persist.

"We recognize that there is hard feelings and damage done with the manner in which the Supreme Court nominee was considered," Cardin told Brett Hollander in a phone interview on Thursday.

He put much of the blame for the process on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's rushed timeline, particularly after several women alleged sexual assault and other misconduct dating back to the early 1980s. In an additional background investigation conducted at the direction of President Donald Trump, the FBI interviewed nine witnesses, but did not talk to Kavanaugh, initial accuser Christine Blasey Ford or some of the other accusers and witnesses available.

"We did not have all the information before the confirmation hearings," Cardin said. "There wasn't a complete investigation, and the reasonable request that was made for additional witnesses and additional information was not granted."

The Democrat also defended his own record, claiming to have been an "effective voice" on behalf of Marylanders, pushing issues like dredging and availability of clean drinking water. Cardin is seeking his third term in the U.S. Senate, facing Republican Tony Campbell and independent Neal Simon.

Hollander also asked him about the recent trend of more vociferous liberal opposition, a trend which has included Trump administration officials and Sen. Ted Cruz being heckled or turned away at Washington-area restaurants.

"Part of our democratic system is involvement by our constituents, I welcome that," Cardin said. "But they shouldn't cross the line, they shouldn't threaten, they shouldn't obstruct. That's wrong."