Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerVideo of Lindsey Graham arguing against nominating a Supreme Court justice in an election year goes viral Graham signals support for confirming a Supreme Court nominee this year Pelosi orders Capitol flags at half-staff to honor Ginsburg MORE (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday slammed a proposal floated by GOP senators to review former national security adviser John Bolton John BoltonDiplomacy with China is good for America The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Pence lauds Harris as 'experienced debater'; Trump, Biden diverge over debate prep DOJ launches probe into Bolton book for possible classified information disclosures MORE’s unpublished book manuscript in a classified setting, calling the idea “absurd.”

Sen. James Lankford James Paul LankfordMcConnell works to lock down GOP votes for coronavirus bill Charities scramble to plug revenue holes during pandemic Warren calls for Postal Service board members to fire DeJoy or resign MORE (R-Okla.) on Monday night said the White House should give senators access to Bolton’s draft book, which claims President Trump Donald John TrumpUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Trump supporters chant 'Fill that seat' at North Carolina rally MORE linked security assistance for Ukraine with an investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenMomentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day Trump expects to nominate woman to replace Ginsburg next week Video of Lindsey Graham arguing against nominating a Supreme Court justice in an election year goes viral MORE. Lankford said the manuscript could be viewed in the Senate’s sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF).

The highly secure room located in the basement level of the Capitol Visitor Center is usually used for classified briefings or to review sensitive intelligence and national security documents.

ADVERTISEMENT

“What an absurd proposal. It’s a book! There’s no need for it be read in the SCIF unless you want to hide something,” Schumer said at a press conference.

“To what extent are some of our Republican colleagues going to twist themselves [into an] entire pretzel to avoid the truth?” he added. “Our view is simple, we want for witnesses, four [sets of] documents.”

Lankford said in a Facebook video Monday evening that it’s important senators have access to the information in Bolton’s book, even if he’s not called as a witness.

“I think getting that information firsthand would be really important for us,” he said.

Lankford is suggesting senators have a chance to review the work in the SCIF because officials on the National Security Council are currently examining the manuscript to ensure it doesn’t include any classified information.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We should get access, I believe, even though it is going through the classification [process]. Every member of Congress has classified clearance. We should be able to get access to that document to be able to read that manuscript for ourselves rather than getting it thirdhand from The New York Times,” he said.