#SCOTUS update on @Ballotpedia : #Kavanaugh completes committee questionnaire

Almost a month ago, I posted this update newsletter to drafts by email but didn't get around to editing and publishing. Usually an update will be too stale to use by then. This one is not, especially for those who haven't read the preliminary documents before the media wars tsunami hit. Democrats are divided -- resist or go along to minimize effect on midterms elections. Republicans tentatively predict confirmation around October 1st.

There's time to catch up and make your own decision instead of succumbing to political PR and Kabuki theater. After you've caught up with the basics, then check out more recent stories and discussions.

A special update from Ballotpedia On July 9, President Donald Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh to succeed Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy on the U.S. Supreme Court. Here are [that week's] updates. Questionnaire Complete Brett Kavanaugh returned a completed questionnaire to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday. The Committee sent Kavanaugh the questionnaire earlier in the week, requesting information about his published writings and public statements, court opinions, recusals, and legal experience. Read Kavanaugh's responses and an appendices with additional records→ The Timeline On Friday, Politico reported that Mitch McConnell told senior Republicans he was prepared to delay the vote to confirm Kavanaugh until just before the November 2018 elections if Democratic senators continue to push for the release of records from Kavanaugh's time working in the Bush White House. CNN reported on Thursday that Democratic senators were delaying meeting with Kavanaugh until they are reassured they would receive official records from that time. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) said Democrats want the documents so they can properly vet Kavanaugh, while Sen. David Perdue (R) called the request "historic obstructionism." Review the timeline dating back to Anthony Kennedy's resignation→ Satellite spending Americans for Prosperity announced it would spend six figures on digital ads and mailers supporting Kavanaugh's confirmation. The group is targeting ten states, nine of which have Democratic senators up for election in 2018. Heritage Action said it would spend a majority of its 2018 $11.5 million budget on supporting Kavanaugh's confirmation. Satellite groups engaged in preventing the confirmation include Demand Justice, which pledged $5 million to oppose him, and NARAL Pro-Choice America, which launched an ad campaign against Kavanaugh the day he was nominated. Learn more→ Polling A Gallup poll was released on July 17 that reported 41 percent of Americans wanted the U.S. Senate to vote for the confirmation of Kavanaugh, 37 percent wanted it to vote against the confirmation, and 22 percent had no opinion. Another poll by Huffington Post/YouGov found that 33 percent of voters would like to see their senators voting in favor of Kavanaugh's confirmation, 31 percent wanted their senators to vote against Kavanaugh's confirmation, and 36 percent were not sure. Read about the methodology and questions asked→ Ballotpedia depends on the support of our readers. The Lucy Burns Institute, publisher of Ballotpedia, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law. Donations to the Lucy Burns Institute or Ballotpedia do not support any candidates or campaigns. Please click here to support our work→ Copyright © 2018, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Ballotpedia 8383 Greenway Blvd., Suite 600 Middleton, WI 53562