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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Live Updates
14:03
Hello and welcome to live updates from second day of Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation hearing.
Donald Trump's nominee can expect to spar with Democrats over abortion, gun rights, executive power and other high-profile issues.
14:26
Good morning from Capitol Hill, where the city's infamous swam-like weather has returned again. Utterly foul humidity outside and freezing A/C in the senate buildings where Mr Kavanaugh will be questioned today.
14:27
So what should we be looking out for when things get underway in ten minutes or so? As the New York Times points out, Senators Charles Grassley and Dianne Feinstein, as the top members of the committee, will be the first to ask questions, followed by the rest of the panel.
14:27
And if you think some of yesterday's interventions from the senators was ponderous, get this: each senator has 30 minutes to question Judge Kavanaugh.
14:31
Democrats will want to press the judge on his views, which Ms Feinstein yesterday described as "anti-choice and pro-gun". Mr Grassley, the chairman, has already advised the judge to invoke the so-called Ginsburg Rule and follow the example of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who refused to answer questions that would hint or foreshadow future decisions, when she was nominated by Bill Clinton in 1993.
14:39
So the senators and Mr Kavanaugh have taken their seats, as has a young political operative, Zina Bash, who for a couple of hours was the talk of Twitter. She was accused of everything from smirking to making white power signs.
Her husband John Bash came to her defence, saying her hands were just resting on her knee. “She was born in Mexico. Her grandparents were Holocaust survivors. We of course have nothing to do with hate groups, which aim to terrorise and demean other people"
14:40
Ok. There has already been some shouting and yelling and the sounds of one protestor being escorted out.
14:40
Mr Grassley, the chairman, is going to be the first to start the questions.
14:43
His first 'question' is to say that no Republican could nominate a better person to the court than Mr Kavanaugh.
14:44
What makes good judge, asks Mr Grassley. "Independence," says Kavanugh. "You need some backbone."
14:46
Next, he says, is paying heed to the rules of 'precedent'. "Beyond that, it means paying attention to the words that are written [in the constitution]....There are also human qualities. I am joining a team of nine and that means something. I am not making decisions by myself.
14:50
Let's discuss judicial independence from the executive branch, says Grassley. Do you have any trouble in ruling against the president who appointed you?
14:51
"No one is above the law in our constitution," says Kavanaugh. The executive is subject to the law."
15:06
Mr Kavanaugh has said that his personal opinion is not relevant to the way he rules as a judge, when asked if he would let his personal opinion get in the way of judicial precedent.
The Supreme Court nominee noted that he is not new to a judicial bench, and that he has always relied on precedent in his rulings as judge.
"For 12 years I have been applying precedent of the Supreme Court and of my court. Everyday for 12 years I haven't been getting up and saying 'ok how can I rewrite the law,'" Mr Kavanaugh said.
"Precedent is the foundation of our system. It's a part of our stability. It's ensuring predictability," he continued.
15:09
Mr Kavanaugh indicated that, beyond precedent on the bench, he has a responsibility to ensure judicial independence.
Citing past Supreme Court nominations, he said that he cannot speak specifically about particular issues or precedents during his confirmation.
"First of all they can't discuss cases or issues that might come before them. ... That also means at least with respect to the vast body of Supreme Court precedent going back, you can't give a thumbs up or thumbs down" on a case, he said.
Mr Kavanaugh said that he cannot do that — past nominees have also declined to comment on specifics — because he would feel morally bound to uphold that position on the Supreme Court, and that it would keep him from being open minded as a justice.
15:12
In discussing "nominee independence" and "judicial independence", Mr Kavanaugh is setting the stage for how he is going to react when asked about specific issues.
He is making it clear to the senators that he will not comment specifically on his feelings toward important precedents that he might uphold — or not — on the Supreme Court.
Soon after making those statements, we could see why: California Senator Dianne Feinstein immediately asked how he thought about assault weapons bans, and indicated she plans on bringing up America's abortion precedent, Roe v Wade.
He is making it clear to the senators that he will not comment specifically on his feelings toward important precedents that he might uphold — or not — on the Supreme Court.
Soon after making those statements, we could see why: California Senator Dianne Feinstein immediately asked how he thought about assault weapons bans, and indicated she plans on bringing up America's abortion precedent, Roe v Wade.
15:21
Senator Dianne Feinstein is asking Mr Kavanaugh about "common use" of firearms, to try and understand the nominees opinion towards the constitutionality of gun control.
Mr Kavanaugh noted that he understands that the US has a gun problem, and referenced efforts to "harden" his daughter's school when asked about gun violence at schools.
He continued to note that he reads Constitutional precedent as allowing for machine gun bans. He also noted the case District of Columbia v Heller, which essentially struck down a handgun ban in Washington — Mr Kavanaugh drew parallels between handguns and rifles because, he said, many handguns are semi-automatic weapons.
He continued to note that he reads Constitutional precedent as allowing for machine gun bans. He also noted the case District of Columbia v Heller, which essentially struck down a handgun ban in Washington — Mr Kavanaugh drew parallels between handguns and rifles because, he said, many handguns are semi-automatic weapons.
15:24
Mr Kavanaugh has been asked if he believes that Roe v Wade is settled law, and if he believes that the case could be overturned.
"One of the important things about Roe v Wade is that it has been reaffirmed many times over the past 45 years," Mr Kavanaugh said.
Mr Kavanaugh was responding to a question in which Senator Dianne Feinstein noted that areas where abortions are banned see higher levels of death from people attempting to get illegal abortions.
15:28
When asked for his personal opinion on a women's right to choose to have an abortion, Mr Kavanaugh reiterated his position that precedent is important. He therefore recognised the importance of Roe v Wade, and other decisions.
"As a judge, it is an important precedent of the Supreme Court. ... It has been reaffirmed many times," Mr Trump said of Roe and another case, Planned Parenthood v Casey.
15:35
With the backdrop of what appears to be an increasingly robust investigation into President Trump's 2016 campaign and its potential collaboration with Russia, Mr Kavanaugh has been asked if the case United States v Nixon — which forced President Richard Nixon to hand over White House recordings, leading to his resignation — was a mistake.
Mr Kavanaugh said that the decision was one of the greatest moments in Supreme Court history, citing the courts standing up for judicial independence.
When asked if a sitting president can be required to respond to a subpoena, Mr Kavanaugh said it is different from US v Nixon and said he cannot give an answer because it is a hypothetical
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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.
