Americans United for Separation of Church and State today strongly objected to a plan by U. S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) to hold hearings on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh even though vital material from Kavanaugh’s years in the White House has yet to be released or reviewed.

Grassley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced today that hearings will begin Sept. 4.

“Given all that hangs in the balance, we must not rush this process,” said Americans United President and CEO Rachel Laser. “The Senate, and the American people, deserve to see all relevant material relating to Kavanaugh.”

Americans United in July joined forces with more than 100 coalition allies asking for a full release of emails and other materials generated by Kavanaugh during his time in the White House of President George W. Bush. Such requests are routine, and officials at the National Archives have indicated that they need more time to gather the material.

Laser said that Grassley’s attempts to put the nomination on a fast track only heightens suspicions that there is something in this material that the GOP leadership doesn’t want the American public to see.

“The American people are entitled to a Supreme Court nomination process that is transparent and fully open,” Laser said. “It raises the question: What are they hiding?”

Americans United is particularly interested in any records that may pertain to Kavanaugh’s involvement in church-state issues while at the White House, such as Bush’s Faith-Based Initiative, which allowed taxpayer-funded discrimination.

Kavanaugh’s record as a federal appellate judge and an attorney already indicates that he is hostile toward church-state separation, particularly when it comes to permitting employers to use religious beliefs as justification for harming others; supporting school-sponsored prayer; and allowing for taxpayer funding of religious activities.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom