Dem filibuster of Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing delays opening statements by 77 minutes

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Democrats interrupt start of Kavanaugh confirmation hearing

Democrat senators call on Judiciary Committee Chair Sen. Grassley to delay the Supreme Court nomination hearing to give them more time to review documents on the nominee's service.

Democratic objections delayed the launch of opening statements in Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation hearing by a full 77 minutes on Tuesday.

The hearing descended into chaos within seconds as Democrats lined up to object to what they call a failure in the production of documents related to Kavanaugh’s service in the Bush White House.

Two of the most vocal Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee were Sens. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Cory Booker, D-N.J. -- both potential 2020 Democratic presidential candidates.

“We cannot possibly move forward," Harris said.

“I appeal to your sense of fairness and decency, your commitments that you’ve made to transparency, this violates what you have even said and called for, sir,” Booker told Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

The repeated interruptions coincided with regular protests by left-wing group Code Pink and other protesters, who cheered the objections by Democrats and were dragged out of the hearing in the dozens.

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BRETT KAVANAUGH HEARING REPEATEDLY INTERRUPTED BY DEM OBJECTIONS, PROTESTS 

Motions by Harris and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., to adjourn and postpone were repeatedly brought up by Democrats, even as Grassley swatted down the requests as out of order.

“Mr. Chairman if we cannot be recognized, I move to adjourn, Mr. Chairman I move to adjourn. Mr. Chairman I move to adjourn,” Blumenthal said to wild applause from protesters.

Grassley said at the outset that he wanted to let those speak who had something to say. But as the objections dragged on, he expressed frustration at the repeated requests for time by Democrats.

“Can I ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle how long you want to go on with this because I’m not going to entertain any of the motions you’re making, we’re not in executive session and I think we ought to level with the American people -- do you want this to go on all day?” he asked.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, also expressed frustration, accusing Democrats of turning the hearing into “mob rule.”

Eventually, Grassley delivered his opening statement, followed by others -- but the protests from the public gallery continued by the minute.

Fox News’ Alex Pappas, Judson Berger and Chad Pergram contributed to this report.