Washington, September 5 (RHC)-- Confirmation hearings began on Tuesday for U.S. President Donald Trump’s pick to fill Justice Anthony Kennedy’s seat as the Supreme Court’s swing vote.  Observers say that if Judge Brett Kavanaugh is confirmed, it would create a bloc of five right-wing justices, likely making it the most conservative court since the 1930s. 

Critics warn his confirmation could lead to major rollbacks of civil rights, environmental regulations, gun control measures, voting rights and reproductive rights, including possibly overturning Roe v. Wade.  Just hours before the hearings got underway, a lawyer for former President George W. Bush released more than 40,000 pages of documents from Kavanaugh’s time in the White House Counsel’s Office from 2001 to 2003.  He was also staff secretary from 2003 to 2006 before Bush appointed him to the U.S. Court of Appeals of Washington, DC.

However, the Trump administration is withholding more than 100,000 pages of Kavanaugh’s records on the basis of presidential privilege -- sparking strong protests from opposition Senators who are ready to grill him before the confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill.