Kavanaugh views Trump as an ‘oligarch,’ Feinstein says

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Feinstein: There is frustration over this nomination process

Delivering her opening statement at the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation hearing, Sen. Dianne Feinstein calls for more time for lawmakers to prepare questions.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., on Sunday put pressure on two female Republican senators to vote against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, saying the nominee views the president as an “oligarch” who cannot be charged or investigated for crimes.

“The president believes he is above the law. And this nominee believes this president cannot be investigated, cannot be tried,” Feinstein said at the Year of the Woman luncheon at a Santa Barbara hotel held by the Democratic Women of Santa Barbara County, the Los Angeles Times reported.

"The president believes he is above the law. And this nominee believes this president cannot be investigated, cannot be tried."

— Sen. Dianne Feinstein

The senator stressed that the confirmation of Kavanaugh depends on two Republican votes – Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska – both of whom are women, Feinstein emphasized.

She also criticized “hyper-partisanship” and the president’s “erraticism” and “lying.” She described the Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into the alleged Russian collusion with the Trump campaign as the most significant government probe of her time in politics, the newspaper reported.

The event was among the latest campaign events she attended to ensure stress-free victory this upcoming November. While previous polls indicated Feinstein’s strong lead against her opponent, state Sen. Kevin de Leon, the latest poll suggests the race may be a lot tighter than previously expected.

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Feinstein’s remarks at the event came after Kavanaugh was grilled for four days on issues such as abortion and gun rights. The senator was criticized by her election opponent for deciding to follow the procedures to question Kavanaugh during the hearings rather than join the rowdy protesters who frequently interrupted.

“We should be praising the protesters and standing outside with them, not apologizing for their actions. We need a senator from California who will stand up and #RESIST not #ASSIST,” tweeted de Leon after Feinstein apologized to the high court nominee for interruptions.

By contrast, California Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., earned near-universal praise from progressives for taking an aggressive approach when questioning Kavanaugh.

Despite the criticism, Feinstein was embraced by the event’s attendees, giving her a round of applause for her job questioning Kavanaugh.

The senator’s comments are sure to put pressure on Collins and Murkowski, who are often considered as swing votes in the senate as they at times broke from the rest of the Republican senators, and vote against the confirmation of Kavanaugh.