The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday will begin its confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh. If confirmed, Kavanaugh will replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Former Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice, Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), and attorney Lisa Blatt will introduce Kavanaugh on Tuesday before Kavanaugh gives his opening statement. Senators will give their remarks on Tuesday before questioning Kavanaugh on Wednesday. Various outside witnesses will give their testimonials on Thursday.

In his opening statement on Tuesday, Kavanaugh, echoing Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, will say that a “good judge must be an umpire—a neutral and impartial arbiter who favors no litigant or policy.”

Breitbart News will have live updates throughout the week. All times eastern.

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Senators will begin questioning on Wednesday, with Senators getting 30 minutes for the first round and 20 minutes for the second.

5:05 PM:

Here's how well the #Kavanagh hearing is going for Dems:@wolfblitzer led with three other headlines and the fourth was "mob rule" — Joel B. Pollak (@joelpollak) September 4, 2018

4:55 PM: Kavanaugh closes by saying he lives on the “sunrise side of the mountain.” (George W. Bush on the campaign trail talked about how one of his favorite paintings depicted living on the “east side of the mountain.”)

Mr. Chairman, Senator Feinstein, and Members of the Committee, I look forward to the rest of the hearing and to your questions. I am an optimist. I live on the sunrise side of the mountain, not the sunset side of the mountain. I see the day that is coming, not the day that is gone. I am optimistic about the future of America and the future of our independent Judiciary. I revere the Constitution. If confirmed to the Supreme Court, I will keep an open mind in every case. I will do equal right to the poor and to the rich. I will always strive to preserve the Constitution of the United States and the American Rule of Law.

4:51 PM: Kavanaugh talks about attending Redskins title games with his dad and watching Cal Ripken break Lou Gehrig’s “seemingly unbreakable record” of consecutive games played.

4:50 PM: Kavanaugh: Majority of My Law Clerks Have been Women; More than a Quarter Minorities:

One of the best parts of my job as a judge is each year hiring four recent law school graduates to serve as my law clerks for the year. I hire the best. My law clerks come from diverse backgrounds and points of view. A majority of my 48 law clerks have been women. More than a quarter of my law clerks have been minorities. And I have had far more African-American law clerks than the percentage of African-American students in U.S. law schools. I am proud of all my law clerks.

4:48 PM: Kavanaugh talks about tutoring for underprivileged students, serving meals for the homeless, and coaching basketball. He says “teachers and coaches change lives” and thanks all who have gotten him there and all the teachers and coaches in America.

4:47 PM: Kavanaugh on his judicial philosophy:

My judicial philosophy is straightforward. A judge must be independent and must interpret the law, not make the law. A judge must interpret statutes as written. A judge must interpret the Constitution as written, informed by history and tradition and precedent. In deciding cases, a judge must always keep in mind what Alexander Hamilton said in Federalist 83: ‘the rules of legal interpretation are rules of common sense.’ A good judge must be an umpire — a neutral and impartial arbiter who favors no litigant or policy. As Justice Kennedy explained in Texas versus Johnson, one of his greatest opinions, judges do not make decisions to reach a preferred result. Judges make decisions because ‘the law and the Constitution, as we see them, compel the result.’ Over the past 12 years, I have ruled sometimes for the prosecution and sometimes for criminal defendants, sometimes for workers and sometimes for businesses, sometimes for environmentalists and sometimes for coal miners. In each case, I have followed the law. I don’t decide cases based on personal or policy preferences. I am not a pro-plaintiff or pro-defendant judge. I am not a pro-prosecution or pro-defense judge. I am a pro-law judge. As Justice Kennedy showed us, a judge must be independent, not swayed by public pressure. Our independent Judiciary is the crown jewel of our constitutional republic. In our independent Judiciary, the Supreme Court is the last line of defense for the separation of powers, and the rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution. The Supreme Court must never, never be viewed as a partisan institution. The Justices on the Supreme Court do not sit on opposite sides of an aisle. They do not caucus in separate rooms. If confirmed to the Supreme Court, I would be part of a Team of Nine, committed to deciding cases according to the Constitution and laws of the United States. I would always strive to be a team player on the Team of Nine.

4:46 PM: Kavanaugh: “I tell people, ‘Don’t read what others say about my judicial opinions. Read the opinions.'”

4:45 PM: Kavanaugh on his mother:

Brett Kavanaugh praises his mother as a "trailblazer" and "judicial hero." "Her trademark line was 'use your common sense'…My mom taught me that judges don't deal in abstract principles. They decide for real cases, for real people, in the real world." https://t.co/iy23wooUq5 pic.twitter.com/BJpMN34fjC — ABC News (@ABC) September 4, 2018

My mom was a trailblazer. When I was 10, she went to law school at American University and became a prosecutor. I am an only child, and my introduction to law came at our dinner table when she practiced her closing arguments on my dad and me. Her trademark line was: ‘Use your common sense. What rings true? What rings false?’ One of the few women prosecutors at the time, she overcame barriers and was later appointed by Democratic governors to serve as a Maryland state trial judge. Our federal and state trial judges operate on the front lines of American justice. My mom taught me that judges don’t deal in abstract theories; they decide real cases for real people in the real world. And she taught me that good judges must always stand in the shoes of others. The Chairman referred to me today as Judge Kavanaugh. But to me, that title will always belong to my mom.

4:40 PM: Kavanaugh says Kennedy “fiercely defended the independence of the judiciary” and “he was a champion of liberty”:

As a nominee to the Supreme Court, I understand the responsibility I bear. Some 30 years ago, Judge Anthony Kennedy sat in this seat. He became one of the most consequential Justices in American history. I served as his law clerk in 1993. To me, Justice Kennedy is a mentor, a friend, and a hero. As a Member of the Court, he was a model of civility and collegiality. He fiercely defended the independence of the Judiciary. And he was a champion of liberty. If you had to sum up Justice Kennedy’s entire career in one word … ‘liberty.’ Justice Kennedy established a legacy of liberty for ourselves and our posterity. I am here today with another of my judicial heroes … my mom. Fifty years ago this week, in September 1968, my mom was 26 and I was 3. That week, my mom started as a public-school teacher at McKinley Tech High School here in Washington, D.C. 1968 was a difficult time for race relations in our city and our country. McKinley Tech had an almost entirely African-American student body. It was east of the park. I vividly remember days as a young boy sitting in the back of my mom’s classroom as she taught American history to a class of African-American teenagers. Her students were born before Brown vs. Board of Education or Bolling vs. Sharpe. By her example, my mom taught me the importance of equality for all Americans — equal rights, equal dignity, and equal justice under law.

4:38 PM: In his opening remarks, Kavanaugh says he has witnessed the Senate’s deep appreciation for the vital role of America’s judiciary during the past eight weeks. He says the term “courtesy calls” underscores how “substantive and personal” the meetings have been. He says he has learned more about the country “and the people you represent” after his meetings. He thanks “President Trump for the honor of this nomination.” He says Trump and Melania Trump were very gracious to his family.

4:36 PM: Finally, Kavanaugh will give his opening statement that should have been given two hours ago had it not been for Senate Democrats and left-wing agitators who constantly interrupted the hearings in the morning. He’s now being sworn in.

4:31 PM Lisa Blatt says she is an “unapologetic” defender of a women’s right to choose and voted for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama twice. Her hero is Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She says she would rather have Feinstein chairing the Committee. She says she has received angry calls but she was raised to “call ’em like I see ’em.” She says “Judge Kavanaugh is the best choice liberals can reasonably hope for” in these circumstances. She says it is not fair to hold Kavanaugh responsible for the fact that Garland is not on the Supreme Court, adds judicial system not well served by “tit-for-tat politics.”

4:23 PM: Portman notes that Kavanaugh is a “class act.” He says Kavanaugh believes that judges should not legislate from the bench and deserves bipartisan support.

4:20 PM: Rice says that as a scholar and diplomat, she has watched people struggle to keep their democracies and is more amazed at what America’s framers designed. She says “we Americans believe our Constitution is our personal protection” and democracy is only stable if there is that kind of trust in institutions. Rice says Kavanaugh will be an “outstanding Supreme Court Justice.” She says Kavanaugh will “thoroughly and faithfully uphold the trust that is our legacy.” She calls Kavanaugh an “old soul” who helped make the Bush administration “steady” in complicated times.

3:57 PM: Graham, who came to the hearings late and missed his spot, is now speaking as the opening statements mercifully come to a close. He promptly blasts the “hypocrisy hearing.” Graham says Trump drives him crazy at times, but he says he told him that he has done nothing better than nominating Messrs. Gorsuch and Kavanaugh. He tells Democrats that “you can’t lose elections and pick judges.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham says the Brett Kavanaugh hearing is "shaping up to be the hypocrisy hearing" https://t.co/CvlhDQZlEX pic.twitter.com/r1Ds2RKZPL — ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) September 4, 2018

Senator Graham: this is shaping up to be the hypocrisy hearing. Points out that Clinton appointed Breyer, a former Kennedy staffer while he was under investigation. Ginsburg was an ACLU lawyer. No Democrats claimed they were too political. — Carrie Severino (@JCNSeverino) September 4, 2018

3:48 PM: Harris talks about getting bussed to school in Berkeley, CA, and being in the second integrated class in elementary school. She wonders if she could have gone to that school had Earl Warren not been the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. She says the Supreme Court seat is “personal” because one Justice can impact various people–whether someone can vote, whether a woman with breast cancer can get health care, whether a transgender worker is treated fairly, whether a pregnant 15-year-old student will be forced to have a “back-alley abortion,” and whether the president is above the law. Harris says she’s afraid Kavanaugh has been selected to implement a right-wing political agenda and would be a conservative politician on the bench. She is concerned whether Kavanaugh will treat everyone equally under the law.

3:45 PM: Harris restates her objection to Grassley’s decision to reject the motion to adjourn the hearings. She goes on and on about missing documents:

The late Senator Kennedy of Massachusetts called these hearings a Supreme Court nominee’s “job interview with the American people.” By that standard, the nominee before us is coming into his job interview with more than 90% of his background hidden and unable for us to review. — Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) September 4, 2018

3:35 PM: Tillis jabs Booker, saying he thinks Kavanaugh is eminently qualified and he doubts the sincerity of those who think he is “complicit in evil.”

3:18 PM: Booker brings up Robert Mueller implies that Trump nominated Kavanaugh after he realized he was in jeopardy. He says that’s another reason why he wants a “pause” on this process. Booker asks Kavanaugh to “recuse himself” to help restore Americans’ faith in its founding documents. Booker claims this is “not manufactured outrage” and brings up the “Russian attack on our nation.” Booker discussing “labor protections” that some in the “labor movement actually died for.” Now he goes on to cancer survivals and people with disabilities who cannot be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions. Booker uses the hearing to say many believe health care is a fundamental right and blasts “multinational corporations” consolidating farms and driving independent farmers out of business. He says a farmer told him about suicide rates and he says the cost of health care goes up, “people lose their lives.” He is hitting all of the key issues for his constituency–abortion, same-sex marriage, people of color thinking it’s better to be rich and guilty than poor and innocent. Booker says he came to D.C, to work for women, immigrants, minorities, disadvantaged, the poor. He says he is a “trailblazer” and wants to go on for three more minutes after talking about how women, blacks, Native Americans were not fully recognized in the Constitution.

Booker thanks a member of the “Little Rock Nine” for attending the hearing.

3:10 PM: Booker calls hearings “insulting” and wonders what the jeopardy would be if the hearings were delayed so Democrats could review more documents. Booker says some of the confidential documents he has seen have made his questions richer. He says he could be “ousted” from the Senate if he revealed what was in those documents.

3:08 PM: Booker is now up and says he hopes his friendship with Grassley will not be impacted by his earlier grandstanding. Talks about their work together on criminal justice reform. Now, Booker begins talking to the cameras… and potential 2020 primary voters.

3:05 PM: Crapo echoes Cruz’s concern that Democrats are trying to re-litigate 2016 and calls Kavanaugh a “judge’s judge.”

2:48 PM: Sen. Hirono (D-HI) praises judges who have ruled against Trump on immigration issues and says Trump did “exactly as he promised” and nominated a “pre-approved name” to “protect himself” from an independent investigation into his “abuse of power.” She says Trump is committed for self-preservation and should be considered in a broader context.

2:38 PM: Sen. Kennedy (D-LA) says he is not looking for a politician or an ideologue. Wants someone who writes “crisp” opinions and knows what semi-colons are for. He largely agrees with Sasse’s remarks about how people should not view the law as politics.

2:28 PM: Grassley says he let the committee run itself and will not force Senators to shorten their opening statements. Blumenthal, who will not even vote for Kavanaugh, just keeps rambling on and on as Senators love to hear themselves talk. He talks about memos, Roe v. Wade, Brown v. Board, and what Kavanaugh thinks of other “well-settled” cases. He ridiculously says Kavanaugh should ask that his hearings be postponed and says if Kavanaugh is confirmed there will be “a taint” and “asterisk” after his name.

2:17 PM: Sen. Blumenthal (D-CT) speaks about the “imperial presidency” and says, like Sasse, he hopes Kavanaugh will “condemn” Trump’s attack on the judiciary. Blumenthal basically accusing Trump of picking the judge for his own case.

2:07 PM: Sen. Flake (R-AZ) opens up by talking about document production. He says Kavanaugh has met the standard the Senate typically uses (“relevant and probative”) re: document production.

1:57 PM: Sen. Coons (D-DE) brings up “the scope of the president’s power,” including whether Trump “may be above the law.” Democrats hammering the “above the law” point. Coons claims Kavanaugh’s writings reflect a “hostility to affirmation action and civil rights.” Coons says the “context of your nomination troubles me the most” before again saying that Trump may have selected Kavanaugh to protect himself.

1:55 PM:

Sen. Grassley's legal doc review team did indeed review the 42K pages of docs yesterday. We had 15 people working on it. — Garrett Ventry (@GarrettVentry) September 4, 2018

1:50 PM:

LOL… From the left: @thenation blames KAVANAUGH for the left-wing disruptions at his own confirmation hearing. https://t.co/mbMl0mD27a — Joel B. Pollak (@joelpollak) September 4, 2018

1:45 PM: Sasse speaks about the importance of the legislative body and how it has increasingly given up its power (he says Congress often decides to “self-neuter”) to the executive branch through various alphabet soup agencies, etc. He says since politics is not being done in the legislature, Americans yearn for a place where it is done, and that’s in the courts. Sasse says, though, that if protests are occurring outside of the Supreme Court instead of Congress, it’s a sign that the country is not healthy. Interesting remarks given many judges associated with George W. Bush’s administration–like Kavanaugh–have been criticized for their “expansive” view of presidential powers.

1:39 PM: Sasse condemns Trump’s attempt to politicization of the Justice Department and he says confirmation hearings have not worked for 31 years because Americans mistakenly think of the Supreme Court as having Justices who wear red and blue jerseys. He says there should be term limits if Justices are indeed political figures, because then the people should have a say. After reviewing Kavanaugh’s record, Sasse says it seems like Kavanaugh has a dislike for legislators who do not do their jobs–“lazy legislators”–who delegate authority to various agencies.

Sen. Ben Sasse: "Judge Kavanaugh doesn't hate women and children. Judge Kavanaugh doesn't lust after dirty water and stinky air. No, looking at his record, it seems to me that what he actually dislikes are legislators that are too lazy and risk-averse to do our actual jobs" pic.twitter.com/RDV2DNZzeb — ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) September 4, 2018

1:37 PM: Sasse starts off by praising Klobuchar.

1:25 PM: Sen. Klobuchar (D-MN) about to make her opening remarks as the confirmation hearings resume. She says this is “not a normal confirmation hearing” because Democrats have only been given 7% of the key documents. She says it’s an “abdication of the role of the Senate” and it’s “our duty to speak up.” She bring up Russia’s election meddling and says “our democracy is on trial.” She repeats her party’s talking points about how “nobody is above the law” and says she is worried about that Trump chose a judge in Kavanaugh “with the most expansive view of presidential power imaginable.” She says she plans to ask Kavanaugh about his dissent re: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and net neutrality cases.

1:05 PM: Kavanaugh’s daughters were reportedly rushed out of the hearings:

Daughters Margaret and Liza had joined Kavanaugh and his wife Ashley at the hearing’s start with younger daughter Liza holding Kavanaugh’s hand as he entered the room. Kavanaugh was supposed to introduce his family early on in the hearing but the interruptions from protestors and senators delayed that part of the proceedings.

Brett Kavanaugh with his daughter. pic.twitter.com/s8zwSYa0JJ — Ariane de Vogue (@Arianedevogue) September 4, 2018

12:47: Committee is taking a 30-minute break.

12:38 PM: Cruz says Kavanaugh battle is nothing more than an attempt to “re-litigate” the 2016 presidential election. He says Gorsuch/Kavanaugh have a “super legitimacy” because voters in 2016 knew the election was about the Supreme Court. He points out that Trump released his list of potential Supreme Court nominees for voters to know. He also specifically cites free speech, religious liberty, and the Second Amendment as being important to 2016 voters. Cruz notes that Clinton specifically said that she would appoint Justices to overturn the seminal ruling in Heller. Cruz says overturning the individual right to keep and bear arms (Heller) would be “radical” because it could potentially “erase” the Second Amendment from the Bill of Rights.

Sen. Ted Cruz on Democrats demanding the release of Kavanaugh documents: "I believe this fight is nothing more and nothing less than an attempt by our Democratic colleagues to re-litigate the 2016 presidential election" https://t.co/CvlhDQZlEX pic.twitter.com/iczrmFaOGQ — ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) September 4, 2018

12:35 PM:

Brett Kavanaugh will send women to Tijuana or force them to kill themselves! https://t.co/dW9fq4HSIT — Joel B. Pollak (@joelpollak) September 4, 2018

12:30 PM: Whitehouse says Kavanaugh knows how to play the game–“a sham.” He also makes it about Trump, saying the White House expects Kavanaugh to “protect” Trump and that should concern everyone.

12:27 PM: Sen. Schatz (D-HI) now an official “no” on Kavanaugh.

I’ve seen enough. I will vote no. As long as the republicans refuse to release 96 percent of the Kavanaugh records, this process is illegitimate. Every other SCOTUS nominee has turned over nearly everything, and I am now convinced they are hiding something. — Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) September 4, 2018

NeverTrump useful idiot craves adoration from the media and the left:

1st question to Kav has to be: Would you delay a trial if one side dropped 42,000 documents the night before?

2nd: Out of respect for due process would YOU, judge, request a week's delay? — Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) September 4, 2018

12:25 PM: Sen. Whitehouse (D-RI) blasting “The Roberts Five” in his remarks and going through a laundry list of grievances. He says they rule for “wealthy corporations” over jury rights.

12:20 PM: Durbin Fact-check:

WHITE HOUSE STATEMENT:

“Senator Durbin has been deliberately misleading the public about Judge Kavanaugh’s testimony. In 2006, in a pointed and detailed line of questioning, he asked Judge Kavanaugh about his involvement in the drafting of specific legal memoranda, which – according to his own line of questioning – authorized enhanced interrogation techniques, such as ‘threatening detainees with dogs, forced nudity, and forcing detainees into painful stress positions.’

At no point did Senator Durbin ask the Judge about other legal issues pertaining to the war on terrorism, such as detainees’ legal rights.

As several colleagues have stated, and Judge Kavanaugh accurately said in his 2006 testimony, he was not involved in crafting legal policies that formed the rules governing detention of combatants. In fact, he was not even read into these compartmentalized conversations that pertained to drafting these legal memoranda and rules, and first learned of them from the news media.

That’s why when Sen. Durbin and Sen. Leahy raised these very same concerns over a decade ago, career prosecutors from the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Section ‘reviewed this matter and determined that there was not a sufficient basis to initiate a criminal investigation.’”

STATEMENTS FROM HIS SUPERIORS AT THE TIME:

ALBERTO GONZALES, FORMER WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL (2001-2005), FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL (2005-2007):

“To the best of my recollection Brett Kavanaugh was not involved with the legal issues surrounding the authorization of the use of enhanced interrogation techniques on high value detainees. At the time, a very limited number of personnel in the White House and at the Justice Department were read into that sensitive issue. Brett was not. It is clear that Brett’s testimony was both absolutely truthful and responsive to the specific questions Senator Durbin had asked and about which other Senators were concerned- that of enhanced interrogation techniques. Taking Judge Kavanaugh’s comments out of context is wrong and unfair.”

TIM FLANIGAN, FORMER DEPUTY COUNSEL TO THE PRESIDENT (2001-2002):

“As this email demonstrates, following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, every attorney in the White House Counsel’s Office dealt with issues stemming from the Global War on Terror, including the rights of detainees. However, the specific legal issues pertaining to the use of enhanced interrogation techniques on detainees—about which Senator Durbin were asking—were compartmentalized to a small subset of administration officials. To the best of my recollection, Brett Kavanaugh was not one of them. He was not read into these issues, did not participate in discussions about their legality and had no role in authoring memoranda or other legal justification for enhanced interrogation techniques.”

DAVID LEITCH, FORMER DEPUTY COUNSEL TO THE PRESIDENT (2002-2005):

“Brett Kavanaugh was an important member of the White House Counsel’s office. He did not, however, work on every significant issue that came through our office. To my knowledge, Brett had no involvement in the development of policies related to interrogation of detainees, including the questions surrounding the legality of various proposals that were considered.”

12:10 PM: Left-wing activists outside of the hearing. Feinstein name-checked Gupta in her opening remarks.

I just spoke at a vigil outside the Kavanaugh hearing to make this clear: Our health is at stake. Our rights are at stake. Our lives are at stake. We are all at stake. That's why we're here fighting to #StopKavanaugh and save the soul of our democracy. And we're not giving up. pic.twitter.com/ZYRJBDwaTE — Vanita Gupta (@vanitaguptaCR) September 4, 2018

12:01 PM: Sen. Lee (R-UT) talks about federalism, separation of powers and says the outburst against Kavanaugh just show that how much the country needs a judge who applies the rule of law. Lee says it is “absurd” to think Kavanaugh misled the Committee, as Leahy had suggested earlier. Lee also speaks about the Ginsburg Standard.

11:58 AM: Durbin wants to know if Kavanaugh thinks Trump or any president is “above the law” and then hammers Kavanaugh over Obamacare dissent. All about Trump for Durbin:

Sen. Dick Durbin to Brett Kavanaugh: "With authoritarian forces threatening our democracy, with the campaign and administration of this president under federal, criminal investigation, we need a direct, credible answer from you: Is this president or any president above the law?" pic.twitter.com/nDPFcWFolo — ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) September 4, 2018

Ridiculous even for Durbin:

DURBIN: "If you believe that your public record is one you can stand behind and defend, I hope that at the end of this you will ask this committee to suspend until we are given all the documents… if your effort today continues to conceal & hide documents, it raises suspicion." pic.twitter.com/Ka1cbYlgs5 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 4, 2018

11:48 AM: Durbin insists “it’s not mob rule,” praises “the noise of democracy,” and goes on an anti-Trump tirade.

“What’s happened in this room… what we’ve heard is the noise of democracy. This is what happens in a free country when people can stand up and speak, and not be jailed and imprisoned, tortured or killed because of it.”

He says people are concerned about Kavanaugh because he is Trump’s nominee.

“You are the nominee of President Trump, who is contemptuous of the rule of law,” he says, adding people are concerned because “you are his man.” He’s concerned Kavanaugh will favor “big corporate interests.”

11:38 AM: Cornyn amazed at the “poker faces” of those in the front row. Blasts the “pandemonium” unlike anything he has seen before at such a hearing. Four more agitators interrupt Cornyn.

11:35 AM: Sen. Leahy (D-VT) blasts the “dangerous rush” to fill Kennedy’s seat. He says “no court in this country would accept this as a legitimate document production” and brings up documents dealing with same-sex marriage, torture, abortion. When a protester interrupts him, a salty Leahy says he will not tolerate interruptions and he doesn’t care what side the agitators are on. He says the Senate is not the conscience of the nation with today’s hearing and accuses Kavanaugh of giving “misleading testimony” at previous confirmation hearings. He vows to return to this subject when Kavanaugh is under oath. Calls process “Orwellian.” He says Kavanaugh may have “intrigued” Trump because of his views on “executive privilege and executive immunity.”

11:20 AM: Women’s March taking credit for the Kavanaugh protests:

We're disrupting the Kavanaugh hearings every few minutes, with hundreds of women prepared to get arrested to prevent these hearings from moving forward. Make a donation today to support the brave women organizing to #SaveSCOTUS and #CancelKavanaugh!https://t.co/z8qeZlrJHt — Women's March (@womensmarch) September 4, 2018

11:19 AM: Hatch blasts Dems looking for “tv clips” for their potential presidential runs.

11:13 AM: Latest protester yells in the faces of police officers escorting her out. What a look for the left.

11:08 AM: Sen. Hatch (R-UT) says this has “been an exhaustive process” and says he has participated on the confirmation hearings of every Justice on the court and he “knows a good nominee when I see one.” He says Kavanaugh is a “great nominee.” Hatch mentions that Kavanaugh likes to eat pasta with ketchup and is the type of person people want as a friend and colleague. He says Democrats are trying to paint him as “one of the four horses of the Apocalypse.” Another protester interrupts and Hatch says, “we shouldn’t have to put up with this kind of stuff” and wants the “loud mouth removed.”

Dick Durbin Admits: Democrats Plotted to Disrupt Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court Hearing | Breitbart https://t.co/EjHA4JdxJs via @BreitbartNews — Joel B. Pollak (@joelpollak) September 4, 2018

11:05 AM:

“I’ve been watching cartoons this morning to get ready for the hearing,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said as he arrived for today’s Kavanaugh hearing. — Marianna Sotomayor (@MariannaNBCNews) September 4, 2018

10:50 AM: Grassley finally going into his opening statement. Protesters still interrupting Grassley as he says he expects Kavanaugh to follow the Ginsburg Standard at the hearings. He says Kavanaugh’s record demonstrates “a deep commitment” to the rule of law. Grassley says he’ll put the last seven pages of his opening statements on the record. Feinstein is up next, and she, too, says she’ll truncate her opening statement. Feinstein talks about how she sentenced women who committed abortions to state prison and also granted them parole. She says the statistics in the 50s and 60s were “horrendous” re: women who became pregnant. She asks Kavanaugh if he thinks Roe is “correct” instead of just “settled” law. Feinstein slams Kavanaugh over his pro-life and support for the Second Amendment.

1hr15mins after start of hearing, Grassley is now giving his opening statement — Lawrence Hurley (@lawrencehurley) September 4, 2018

10:40 AM: Grassley, as he stated, still has not given his opening statement. He again denies Blumenthal’s motion to adjourn because the Committee is not in executive session.

10:34 AM: Kennedy asks if they will ever get to hear from the nominee and Grassley asks how long Democrats are going to stage their interruptions.

“This is the same Chuck Grassley that ran the Gorsuch hearings,” he says. “How long do you want to go on?”

10:32 AM: Cornyn: “This is first hearing I’ve seen according to mob rule.”

10:30 AM: Another protester tossed:

Another protester tossed from the Kavanaugh hearing. ⁦@reviewjournal⁩ pic.twitter.com/iAPt5Cg5Xy — Gary Martin (@garymartindc) September 4, 2018

10:25 AM: Harris immediately “pins” this at the top of her Twitter feed.

“Mr. Chairman, I would like to be recognized to ask a question before we proceed. The committee received just last night – less than 15 hours ago – thousands of documents that we have not had a chance to read or review or analyze. We cannot possibly move forward.” pic.twitter.com/IWSeM6AtNx — Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris) September 4, 2018

10: 16 AM: Durbin confirms Dems planned protests:

Meta: Sen. Tillis raises this @NBCPolitics report live during the hearing, and Sen. Durbin acknowledges it happened. https://t.co/zHwbgGUlMy — Micah Grimes (@MicahGrimes) September 4, 2018

Democrats plotted coordinated protest strategy over the holiday weekend and all agreed to disrupt and protest the hearing, sources tell me and @frankthorp Dem leader @chuckschumer led a phone call and committee members are executing now — Kasie Hunt (@kasie) September 4, 2018

10:12 AM: Grassley again floats possibility of going into “Saturday and Sunday” to finish the hearings.

10:10 AM: Sen. Kennedy (R-LA) asks: “What are going to be the ground rules? Are we allowed to interrupt each other and witness? Should we seek recognition from the chair?”

Grassley says he has never experienced this.

10:05 AM: Feinstein says “there is frustration” on her side, and brings up Garland. She says she “regrets this” but “you have to understand the frustration on this side of the aisle.” She brings up “torture” and “Enron.”

Booker suggests hearings “unconstitutional.” Blumenthal says hearings would be “tainted and stained forever.”

10:02 AM: Did Republicans on the Committee not expect Democrats to pull something? Republicans on the Committee letting Democrats gang up on Grassley and being spineless, not showing any fight.

Democrat after Democrat pushing to slow down the Kavanaugh process. Cornyn says almost everyone on Dem side of dais "would be held in contempt of court." — Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) September 4, 2018

9:59 AM: Grassley says “it’s pretty boring to hear the same thing all the time.”

9:58 AM: At least 17 arrested:

USCP tell me they have arrested 17 demonstrators who disrupted the Kavanaugh hearing — Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) September 4, 2018

9:50 AM: Grassley thanks the police officers for removing the protesters. Senators, led by Harris, continue to interrupt Grassley about adjourning the hearing. Booker says “not one Senator here” has had time to read the 40,000 documents and insists on adjourning the hearing. Durbin now saying hearings would be “unfair” without time to review all of Kavanaugh’s documents.

Activist Linda Sarsour is removed from the hearing after calling the hearing a “travesty of justice”. Other activists are removed as they shout “please vote no”. https://t.co/JzZhcwJBjU — Lauren Gambino (@laurenegambino) September 4, 2018

VIDEO: Protesters arrested in the hearing room for Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing asking the hearing to end. pic.twitter.com/ZCTcuwq7qZ — Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) September 4, 2018

THE PROTESTERS: are all in the back two rows – these are the seats for the public. Roughly 40 spots. Many being left empty at moment as protesters removed. pic.twitter.com/L9BT4wK2Vy — Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) September 4, 2018

9:42 AM: One agitator shouts that this should be “impeachment.” The left-wing base will demand nothing less if Democrats take back the House in the fall. The agitators could also convince Americans to side with Trump when he talks about how much Americans will have to fear if Democrats take back Congress.

WHAT's happening: One by one protesters, some clearly connected to each other, some not as much, are yelling and interrupting. One said this: "an illegitimate president cannot make an appointment to Supreme Court" "this should be an impeachment proceeding " — Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) September 4, 2018

9:37 AM: Right out of the gate, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) interrupts Grassley and raises concerns about Kavanaugh’s documents. He says she is out of line. Other Senators like Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) interrupt. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) moves to adjourn the hearings, and left-wing agitators cheer. What a circus. Blumenthal asks for a roll call vote and asks the Committee to adjourn.

Telling that Feinstein-led Democrats on the Judiciary Committee chose Harris to interrupt Grassley first, ensuring the potential 2020 presidential contender will get the lion’s share of the national headlines.

https://twitter.com/MonicaHesse/status/1036971978232606721

Kamala Harris starts in right away before the introduction is even done. Democrats are interrupting and asking for the meeting to be adjourned. Niceties are out the door for Kavanaugh hearing. — Zuri Berry (@zuriberry) September 4, 2018

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) now asking for a vote to adjourn and speechifying.

Grassley says Democrats and agitators are “taking advantage of my decency and integrity.”

9:35: Kavanaugh walks in and takes his seat.

Smiling broadly, SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh escorted into the hearing room by Senate Judiciary Chairman @ChuckGrassley. pic.twitter.com/37ha0fQ7pD — Mark Knoller (@markknoller) September 4, 2018

9:31: Rosenstein at hearing:

Deputy AG Rosenstein is here for the Kavanaugh confirmation hearing —> pic.twitter.com/YeM9dcI2B2 — Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) September 4, 2018

9:30: Getting ready:

A swarm of photographers gathers around the chair that Brett Kavanaugh will take before the Senate Judiciary Committee in just 10 minutes #KavanaughConfirmation pic.twitter.com/PhoFb652M6 — Laura Litvan (@LauraLitvan) September 4, 2018

9:20 AM: NARAL/NAACP protesting as well:

Advocates are lining the Arium in protest of today’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings. pic.twitter.com/fMKWlrbW9L — Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) September 4, 2018

If confirmed, Brett Kavanaugh would work to end #RoevWade and criminalize abortion. NARAL members, handmaids & activists are here on Capitol Hill & outside Kavanaugh’s hearing today because we REFUSE to go back. We must #StopKavanaugh. pic.twitter.com/ABxHwua9eN — NARAL (@NARAL) September 4, 2018

9:00 AM: Loony left:

Women dressed in Handmaid’s Tale costumes outside day 1 of the Kavanaugh confirmation hearing —> pic.twitter.com/jwaLXmcU3S — Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) September 4, 2018

The Hand Maids have arrived. Posted on both sides of the Judiciary Committee hearing room entrance pic.twitter.com/n2ZUHOXfXI — Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) September 4, 2018

8:55 AM: Sen. Feinstein (D-CA) says Democrats will stage a “silent protest” but attend the hearings and question Kavanaugh. What does this mean? Is this like playing a baseball game under protest?

"The Democratic caucus has gathered here today to essentially state a silent protest. We will attend the meetings. We will question assiduously. But we want to express our concerns." – @SenFeinstein, on the steps of the Supreme Court this morning. #KavanaughConfirmation — National Law Journal (@TheNLJ) September 4, 2018

Senate Dems on Judiciary rallying the troops ahead of Kavanaugh hearings. Feinstein says they’re staging a “silent protest” but will still attend meetings & hearings. pic.twitter.com/2KxN4bvJz9 — Andrew Desiderio (@desiderioDC) September 4, 2018

Lots of people in line outside on Capitol Hill for the Kavanaugh confirmation hearing pic.twitter.com/uOm0TehqmF — Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) September 4, 2018

Good way to describe it:

WATCH: @CQRollCall's @jasonjdick says the first day of Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing is "maybe the political equivalent of the opening ceremonies of the Olympic games" Watch hearing here at 9:15am: https://t.co/zf1mHBnAT5 pic.twitter.com/bKCupw0hwy — Washington Journal (@cspanwj) September 4, 2018

If the “Never Trump” losers had their way, Kavanaugh would never have been nominated:

TODAY, Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing begins. @realDonaldTrump has nominated an impeccably qualified and mainstream judge to serve on our nation’s highest court. Democrats have no legitimate reason to not work with Republicans to swiftly confirm Judge Kavanaugh. — GOP (@GOP) September 4, 2018

Judiciary Committee Chair Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA):

.@ChuckGrassley: “We’ve got more documents on this person than anybody else in the history of the Supreme Court nominees.” https://t.co/gTYuOWJARY @foxandfriends pic.twitter.com/KQTqOUUyEz — Fox News (@FoxNews) September 4, 2018

Senate Democrats last night:

Monday night document Massacre! That means you bury your inquiring senators in 42,000 more Kavanaugh documents the night BEFORE the hearing starts. I work late and read fast but not even I could read them before we start. #MoreCoffee. #postpone — Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) September 4, 2018

Republicans know this has been the least transparent SCOTUS process in history and the hearings should be delayed until we can fully review Judge Kavanaugh’s records. — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) September 4, 2018