Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) questioned Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh Wednesday night, asking whether he ever had a conversation about Special Counsel Robert Mueller or his current investigation with anyone at President Trump's personal lawyer's firm, Kasowitz, Benson, and Torres.
“Be sure about your answer, sir,” Harris asked Kavanaugh. Trump’s high court pick appeared nonplussed, responding that “I’m not sure I know everyone who works at that law firm,” but the California Democrat – a veteran prosecutor known for her tenacious questioning and high on her party’s 2020 presidential short lists — would not let up.
“How can you not remember whether you’ve had a conversation about Robert Mueller or his investigation with anyone at that law firm?” Harris asked, suggesting that Kavanaugh was “thinking of someone and you don’t want to tell us.”
Kavanaugh continued to avoid answering.
Watch:
The full eight-minute exchange is here.
Utah’s Orrin Hatch asked Kavanaugh on Thursday to clarify his conversations with anyone at Kasowitz concerning Mueller. Kavanaugh replied that he didn’t recall “any conversations of that kind with anyone at that law firm” and denied having “any inappropriate conversations” about the special counsel.
CNN:
The law firm also issued a statement to CNN, saying there have been no discussions between anyone there and Kavanaugh about special counsel Robert Mueller.
"There have been no discussions regarding Robert Mueller's investigation between Judge Kavanaugh and anyone at our firm," the law firm said.
(...)
Harris told reporters on Thursday that she had received information about this question "that's pretty reliable."
"I have a good reason to believe there was a conversation," Harris said. "I asked him a clear question and he couldn't give a clear answer."
Harris declined to say who provided her the information and didn't confirm to reporters whether she planned to bring it up again.
She later pushed back against the law firm's statement denying any conversations were had with Kavanaugh.
"They're not under oath," she told CNN.
Asked if she didn't believe them, Harris said again, "They're not under oath. The question was asked under oath."
Harris opened her line of questioning Thursday with the matter once again, asking for a yes or no answer to the following:
"Were you party to a conversation that occurred regarding Special Counsel Mueller's investigation?"
This time, Kavanaugh hedged a little and then said, "No."
Harris asked Kavanaugh if he would recuse himself on matters regarding the civil or criminal liability of the president who nominated him, and Kavanaugh would not make that commitment.
Kavanaugh also told Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) earlier in the day he wouldn't commit to recusing himself from matters concerning the Mueller investigation. He told Booker if he committed to recusal, even in order to remove a cloud of doubt hanging over his nomination, he would be demonstrating a lack of judicial independence.
More detail from Politico's congressional reporter:
Kavanaugh, Kasowitz law firm deny conversations on Mueller probe (CNN)
Kavanaugh stumbles when grilled on whether he discussed Mueller probe (Politico)