Republicans: Dems threatening move to end Kavanaugh hearing early

The final day of questioning of President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee may be cut short Thursday.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said Democrats had invoked a Senate rule to end Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing. 

{mosads}”I’ve been told that the Senate minority leader or someone on the Democratic Party has invoked the two-hour rule. So, if the two-hour rule is invoked nobody on this committee is going to have an opportunity to do what they want to do today,” Grassley said. 

“It’s the last day he’s going to be here and so I hope you don’t invoke the two-hour rule.”

Under the Senate rules, committees can’t hold hearings for more than two hours while the Senate is in session without unanimous consent. 

The Senate comes into session at noon. If Democrats invoke the two-hour rule, the committee would have to break up its hearing by about 2 p.m.   

Grassley said the minority would likely object to Republican’s request for unanimous consent for the committee to continue its work.

A spokesperson for Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) told The Hill, “Stay tuned.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) could adjourn the Senate sessions to get around the rule and allow the hearing to continue.

Democrats forced Republicans to adjourn Wednesday to protest Republicans’ withholding of documents relating to Kavanaugh’s time in the White House under George W. Bush.

Jordain Carney contributed.