Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearing LIVE - Trump’s Supreme Court nominee refuses to say whether a president can self-pardon or be subpoenaed
Democrats will press Donald Trump's nominee on abortion, gun rights and his views on Russia investigation
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Donald Trump’s latest Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, will face a marathon of hostile questioning by Democrats as his confirmation hearing begins its second day.
Democrats plan to press Mr Kavanaugh on abortion, gun rights and his ability to be independent of the US president, among other issues.
The first day of the debate was marked by heated exchanges as Democrats voiced their fears Mr Kavanaugh could act as Mr Trump’s advocate in the high court. Mr Trump jumped into the fray late in the day, saying on Twitter that Democrats were “looking to inflict pain and embarrassment” on Mr Kavanaugh.
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A long day of questioning awaits the 53-year-old appellate judge, whom Mr Trump nominated in July to fill the seat of retired Justice Anthony Kennedy.
The committee has adjourned for 30 minutes for lunch, after light exchanges between Mr Kavanaugh and members of the Senate Judiciary.
When asked how he would like to be remembered, for instance, Mr Kavanaugh paused before saying hew would like to be remembered as a good father.
After a pause, Senator Dianne Feinstein suggested he would want to be remembered as a "good father", eliciting laughs from the committee and teasing from Senator Lindsey Graham that Ms Feinstein had "really helped" Mr Kavanaugh once he goes home tonight to his wife.
Senator Dick Durbin, harping back to Democrats' strategy on Tuesday, slammed the confirmation process and the lack of access to documents on Mr Kavanaugh's record.
He said that Mr kavanaugh could have asked for the public release of documents in the spirit of transparency.
"It's up to you...to say I don't want a cloud or shadow" over the hearing,Mr Durbin said.
Asked about the case of a pregnant 17-year old girl seeking an abortion while being held in a Texas facility for immigrant children, Mr Kavanaugh argued, “I'm a judge, I'm not making the policy decision.”
The teen ultimately had the abortion as the government prepared to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Mr Kavanaugh, in his dissent in the case, accepted that Roe v Wade precedent applied to the teenager in the case. He did, however, side with the Trump administration who said as a minor, the girl should have consulted with an adult first before the procedure.
“I'm deciding if policy is consistent with Supreme Court precedent,” he added. He said in his ruling he did the “best I could.”
Outside of the hearing, the Senate's leading Democrat, Chuck Schumer, has forced the chamber to adjourn for the day over what he called the unfair withholding of Brett Kavanaugh records by the White House.
While the session continues, we are closing our coverage for now.
Here is our report on events so far today:
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