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The documents being compiled by Archives are only the initial request from Republicans. It covers Kavanaugh’s time in the White House counsel’s office and his nomination to be a judge. But the files won’t contain the broader cache being sought by Democrats from Kavanaugh’s time as Bush’s staff secretary, where an additional 1 million pages passed his desk.

A spokesman for Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa said the Judiciary Committee will still be able to undertake its review along the same timeline set previously, which puts Kavanaugh on track for confirmation in early October. The chairman “intends to hold a hearing sometime in September,” Taylor Foy said.

While Republicans could hold confirmation hearings before receiving all the documents, a final vote on Kavanaugh may have to wait. With Republicans holding a slim 51-49 majority in the Senate, co-operation from almost all Republicans would be needed to push ahead.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the letter Thursday from the Archives to Grassley “confirmed our worst fear” — that even the documents requested by Republicans may be limited because they will be screened by Bush’s lawyer under the Presidential Review Act.

The New York Democrat said because the lawyer has also represented top Trump administration officials in the Russia probe, including former strategist Steve Bannon and former chief of staff Reince Priebus, the process appeared designed to withhold “the information they need” to evaluate the nominee.