Democratic senator Kamala Harris, who was recently announced as Joe Biden’s running mate for the 2020 presidential election campaign, had a memorable exchange with Brett Kavanaugh at a Senate hearing in 2018.
Ms Harris was one of several senators who questioned Mr Kavanaugh at his Supreme Court nomination hearing in September 2018, after president Donald Trump nominated him for the role.
The senator asked: “Have you ever discussed [Robert] Mueller or his investigation with anyone at Kasowitz Benson and Torres — the law firm founded by Mark Kasowitz, [who is] president Trump’s personal lawyer?”
The connection between Mr Kavanaugh and Mr Kasowitz would have helped the Mueller investigation establish a link between the nominee and Mr Trump’s administration, which could have rendered a conflict of interest within the Russia probe.
The associate justice of the Supreme Court attempted to avoid answering the question multiple times and a tense exchange between the pair took place over the next two minutes.
After Ms Harris rephrased the question a couple of times, she said: “My question is: Have you had a conversation with anyone at that firm about that investigation? It’s a really specific question.”
Mr Kavanaugh avoided the direct question again and asked the senator: “I would like to know the person you’re thinking of.”
Ms Harris responded: “I think you’re thinking of someone and you don’t want to tell us.”
