Trump’s pick for the vacant supreme court seat faced grilling from Democrats and rowdy protests but gave a master class in evasion

The Senate confirmation hearing of Donald Trump’s choice to be the next judge on the US supreme court, ultra-conservative Brett Kavanaugh, has been a tumultuous affair. The event was marked by noisy protests, interruptions, “handmaids”, a grieving father, a squirming nominee, a document dump and a master class in evasion. Here are the highlights of the week.

• Immediately before the hearing began on Tuesday morning on Capitol Hill, Democrats expressed outrage at the “historically secretive and opaque” vetting process of Kavanaugh, 53. Tens of thousands of documents about the judge’s track record were released just the night before and many more remained withheld.

• Protesters dressed as handmaids, resembling the characters in the televised drama of Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale, staged a silent demonstration. Their presence spoke volumes about the perceived threat of a conservative-leaning court to the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade decision that effectively legalized abortion in the US.

Lauren Gambino (@laurenegambino) Protesters wearing Handmaids Tale robes outside of the Supreme Court confirmation Heading for Brett Kavanaugh this morning pic.twitter.com/ZAKajK3Dy7

• A few moments into the hearing, Democrats on the Senate committee repeatedly interrupted the Republican chairman to demand an adjournment on the grounds of the late document dump. Requests denied. Chaos ensued as protesters in the room jumped up, waving women’s rights posters and screaming criticism of Kavanaugh and Trump. Seventy arrests were made during the morning inside and outside the hearing.

Documents on Kavanaugh's hidden views 'being withheld from public' Read more

• Kavanaugh spent most of the day taking notes or sitting with a strange expression of displeasure as Democrats attacked. It read as a mix of horror and dismay, badly disguised as po-faced, as if someone had passed him a note in class saying: “It’s worms for dinner. By the way, no one likes you.”

• Further drama was only a lunch break away. As the hearing paused, the father of a student killed in the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, approached Kavanaugh, introduced himself and reached out to shake hands. Kavanaugh paused, stared at him, then turned abruptly without saying a word and walked out.

• Kavanaugh faced hours of intense questioning on Wednesday. He declined to say how he would rule on the legality of abortion and similarly dodged on whether the president has the authority to pardon himself. The atmosphere was calmer, but there were outbursts such as: “Sham president, sham justice!” and “No Trump puppet!”

• California’s Democratic senator and former attorney general, Kamala Harris, opened her blistering grilling of the nominee with: “Has the judge ever spoken with anyone at Kasowitz, Benson &Torres – the law firm of Donald Trump’s [former] personal attorney Marc Kasowitz – about the ongoing investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller?” Kavanaugh visibly squirmed, then spluttered. “I’m asking you a very direct question – yes or no?” Harris said icily. Kavanaugh obfuscated.

• Before the Thursday session began, the New York Times printed leaked confidential documents from Kavanaugh’s stint in the George W Bush White House, in which he questioned whether the Roe v Wade decision on abortion was “settled law”. And the New Jersey Democrat Cory Booker announced he would leak a confidential document containing Kavanaugh’s thoughts on racial profiling, noting that he could be ousted from the Senate for doing so.

• Not to be outdone by handmaids, nine protesters stood outside the White House dressed in black judicial robes and Trump masks.

Karen Travers (@karentravers) “Stop Trump’s Supreme Court Takeover” - a protest outside the White House featuring 9 people in Trump masks and black robes #SCOTUS pic.twitter.com/RjZRWMfNQf

• Late on Thursday, the inquisition was over for Kavanaugh personally. Friday’s session would hear from witnesses speaking against or in support of the judge.

• After all the hurly-burly, Kavanaugh now faces a vote by the full Senate, expected later this month. Republicans have a wafer-thin majority, with 51 of the 100 seats, and Kavanaugh’s confirmation would be considered a major victoryfor the embattled president before the midterm election in November.