Four Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee left the hearing room Friday morning in protest when Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, set a time for a vote on a recommendation that Brett Kavanaugh be confirmed as the next U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, Kamala Harris, D-California, Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, walked out of the room after two motions were offered and quickly voted on without discussion.
>>Related: Livestream: Senate to vote on Kavanaugh Supreme Court nomination
The first, was a motion to subpoena Mark Judge, a high school friend of Kavanaugh’s who Christine Ford testified on Thursday was at a party in which she claimed Kavanaugh assaulted her.
The second, was to set a “time certain” vote, meaning discussion will be cut off at a certain time and a vote will be taken.
Grassley has set the time for the vote at 1:30 p.m. EDT.
“I strongly object. This is just totally ridiculous. What a railroad job. My answer is no, no, no!” Hirono said as she was asked to vote on the motion.
Sen. Corey Booker, D-New Jersey, and Harris sat silent, refusing to cast a vote.
The four senators let the room and went into the hall where they complained to reporters that Kavanaugh’s nomination was being “railroaded.”
After the four left the hearing room, several women began standing silently in the back of the room as Grassley on several occasions tried to regain order in the room.
Credit: Pablo Martinez Monsivais
Credit: Pablo Martinez Monsivais
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