WASHINGTON – Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who has already decided to vote against the Supreme Court nominee, had his first chance Wednesday to cross swords with Judge Brett Kavanaugh on a series of issues that included abortion rights and presidential powers.
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Posted inJustice
Blumenthal: Dems have FOIA’d Kavanaugh White House documents
WASHINGTON – Democrats have opened an new front in their battle to obtain a mountain of documents from Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh tenure in the White House by filing Freedom of Information Act requests for that information, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal on Wednesday.
Posted inJustice
Murphy, gun control groups ramp up fight against Kavanaugh
WASHINGTON – Gun control groups, who are among the most active in the “stop Kavanaugh” movement, were helped by Sen. Chris Murphy on Thursday as they ratcheted up their opposition to President Donald Trump’s choice to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court.
Posted inJustice
‘Warrior of religious liberty’ Kavanaugh could shift church-state balance
WASHINGTON — There’s concern Judge Brett Kavanaugh, will speed the Supreme Court’s steady shift from a strict separation between government and religion and that his approach to religious liberty cases would determine the intensity of that trend for decades. Considered a “warrior of religious liberty” by some of his conservative admirers, Kavanaugh has defended the use of taxpayer money for religious schools and backed student-led prayers at high school football games.
Posted inPolitics
Blumenthal, other Dems, say Kavanaugh threatens Mueller probe
WASHINGTON – Sen. Richard Blumenthal on Monday joined other Democrats in assailing Supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaugh for suggesting, years ago, that justices were wrong in deciding former President Richard Nixon had to obey a subpoena to turn over the Watergate tapes.
Posted inJustice
There’s a reason CT Dems among the first to say they’ll vote ‘no’ on Kavanaugh
WASHINGTON – When President Donald Trump nominated federal judge Neil Gorsuch to fill an open seat on the Supreme Court last year, Connecticut’s Democratic senators waited two months to decide to vote against the candidate. Not this time with Trump’s second Supreme Court nominee, They were among the first out of the gate to say they will vote “no” on Brett Kavanaugh.
Posted inPolitics
Haspel confirmed as CIA director; Blumenthal, Murphy vote ‘no’
WASHINGTON — The Senate voted Thursday to confirm Gina Haspel as the first women to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, a move that was opposed by both Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Sen. Chris Murphy. The Connecticut senators said they were concerned about Haspel’s involvement in CIA torture sites.
Posted inPolitics
Murphy to oppose Pompeo confirmation to lead State Department
WASHINGTON — Sen. Chris Murphy on Monday said he would oppose the confirmation of CIA Director Mike Pompeo to head the State Department. Murphy cited the candidate’s “narrow” foreign policy views and stands on a number of issues, including the use of torture and the rights of Muslims and LGBT Americans, “that place him outside mainstream American values.”
Posted inHealth, Politics
Blumenthal, Murphy sour on Trump HHS pick
WASHINGTON — Like his predecessor, the new head of the Department of Health and Human Services, has sparked controversy and sharp criticism from Democrats, including Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy.
Posted inJustice, Politics
Blumenthal backs Wray, foresees ‘a firestorm’ for FBI
Wray, 50, told senators on the Judiciary panel that he would quit if Trump asked him to do anything illegal. He also said he did not consider special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into whether there were Russian ties to the Trump campaign “a witch hunt.”
Posted inJustice
‘Joementum’ slows as Dems criticize Lieberman as possible FBI choice
WASHINGTON – Momentum slowed Friday on the expected nomination of former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman to head the FBI as the White House decided to postpone an announcement of President Donald Trump’s pick for the job held by James Comey before his firing.
Posted inJustice
Trump says Lieberman front-runner to head FBI
Updated at 7:30 p.m.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday said former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman is his top pick to replace ousted FBI chief James Comey. There has been no official White House announcement of the nomination, but one is expected soon.
Posted inNews
Blumenthal votes against Justice nominee over Russia probe
WASHINGTON —Sen. Richard Blumenthal on Tuesday was in a small minority of senators to vote against the confirmation of Rod Rosenstein to the No. 2 job at the Justice Department. He said Rosenstein’s failure to commit to appointing a special prosecutor to investigate ties between the Trump administration and Russia forced him to vote against the nomination.
Posted inPolitics
Blumenthal, Murphy face new Senate landscape after ‘nuclear’ deployment
WASHINGTON — While angered that the GOP “went nuclear,” changing Senate rules to win confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, Sen. Chris Murphy said he will still try to work with Republicans on common interests, while Sen. Richard Blumenthal warned of “repercussions.”
Posted inPolitics
Murphy says he opposes Gorsuch
WASHINGTON — “I am deeply concerned about the politicization of the court, and its recent capture by corporate and special interests,” Murphy said.