[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 120 (Tuesday, July 17, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S4977]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     NOMINATION OF BRETT KAVANAUGH

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, turning to SCOTUS, I will conclude this 
morning by adding that at this very delicate time, Senators from both 
parties should carefully scrutinize President Trump's Supreme Court 
nominee, Brett Kavanaugh. Not only has President Trump promised to 
select judges who would overturn Roe v. Wade and undo the healthcare 
law, Judge Kavanaugh has some troubling views on Executive power and 
accountability.
  We have all just witnessed the behavior of a reckless President who 
has shown he is willing to test the bounds of Executive authority at 
home, just as he is willing to depart from all wisdom and sense on 
foreign soil.
  Judge Kavanaugh has demonstrated in several writings that he believes 
the President should be above civil and criminal indictment while in 
office and that the President should be granted broad deference to 
enforce or not enforce laws he ``deems'' unconstitutional.
  Consider for a moment what it would mean for the Supreme Court to 
rule that this President is immune from indictment or that he should be 
allowed to exercise his authority so wantonly as to decide which laws 
to enforce or not. That is all the more reason, given what Judge 
Kavanaugh has written, that he get careful and rigorous scrutiny before 
we move on any vote.
  I yield the floor.

                          ____________________