House Judiciary requests Kavanaugh records withheld during Senate confirmation

Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) has sent a letter to the National Archives and Records Administration requesting that it turn over documents stemming from its review of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's time in the Bush White House from 2001 to 2006.

The big picture: Prior to voting on his nomination, former Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) requested documents from the National Archives related to Kavanaugh's time in the White House Counsel's Office. Grassley later withdrew his request after receiving some of the records from a private attorney, though tens of thousands of documents were withheld.

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Nadler writes that the records are relevant to the committee's review of legislation to create a Supreme Court code of ethics.

“In the coming year, the Supreme Court will again address important matters regarding civil rights, criminal justice, and immigration. The Court may also review certain high-profile cases related to reproductive rights, the separation of powers, and the limits of executive authority — all topics within the jurisdiction of the House Judiciary Committee."

Read the letter: