Senate Democrats Criticize Trump Admin For Withholding Kavanaugh Records

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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami) - Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will begin Tuesday.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are preparing for a fight, especially after the White House decided to withhold 100-thousand pages of Kavanaugh's records.

Senate Democrats have criticized the Trump administration's decision not to release records from Kavanaugh's time as a lawyer in President George W. Bush's administration.

"The assertion of executive privilege by the White House to take 100,000 documents and say the American people will not get a chance to see them as they reflect on Kavanaugh's background is the first time in history. This denial of access to documents violates a role that we thought was a tradition of the Senate," said Senator Dick Durban, D-IL.

The chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, released a statement supporting the decision to hold some records and provided numbers of how many Kavanaugh-related documents have been turned over. More than 400-thousand, the most of recent Supreme Court nominees.

"Democrats have more than enough information to understand that this is a highly qualified jurist that should be the next Supreme Court justice," said Senator Ron Johnson, R-WI.

Republicans say Kavanaugh is one of the most qualified nominees in a generation.

"If he does well at the hearing, I believe he'll get 55 or higher," said Senator Lindsey Graham, R-SC. "I think there are a handful of Democrats who will vote for Kavanaugh, maybe more."

Among the topics Democrats are expected to press Kavanaugh on are abortion, interrogation and special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.