Politics

Watch: Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh answers questions during second day of hearings

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President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will take questions from lawmakers on Wednesday, the second day of his confirmation hearings.

The testimony comes a day after Democrats staged a raucous, choreographed effort to force Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, to postpone consideration of Kavanaugh's nomination, as dozens of demonstrators were arrested by the Capitol police.

Kavanaugh is expected to take questions on a number of hot-button issues, including his views on abortion rights and executive power. Democrats have accused Kavanaugh, a career Republican, of making judicial determinations based on partisan loyalty and have said that he will solidify Trump's agenda.

For his part, Kavanaugh sought to portray himself as a neutral arbiter in his opening statement Tuesday, following seven hours of heated speeches.

"I don't decide cases based on personal or policy preferences," Kavanaugh said. "I am not a pro-plaintiff or pro-defendant judge. I am not a pro-prosecution or pro-defense judge. I am a pro-law judge."

Barring an unforeseen event, Kavanaugh's confirmation appears likely. Republicans control the Judiciary Committee as well as the Senate, and a rule change last year means that Kavanaugh will only need a simple majority in his favor to secure his seat on the court. Three current Democratic senators voted to confirm Justice Neil Gorsuch, Trump's last nominee, following his hearings last year.