As US Senate finishes Brett Kavanaugh hearings, Supreme Court confirmation seems likely

After two marathon days questioning Brett Kavanaugh, US senators concluded his Supreme Court confirmation hearing on Friday by hearing from friends, foes and legal experts making their cases for and against the judge who is likely to push the high court further to the right.

Abortion was a main focus throughout the week-long hearing, and on Friday, New York University law professor Melissa Murray told lawmakers that Kavanaugh would provide the “necessary fifth vote that would utterly eviscerate” the Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that established a constitutional demand for access to abortion.

John Dean, President Richard Nixon’s White House counsel who cooperated with prosecutors during the Watergate investigation, said the high court with Kavanaugh on it would be “the most presidential powers-friendly court in the modern era”.

On the Republican side, witnesses testifying in support of Kavanaugh, included long-time friends and former law clerks. They talked about his intelligence and open-mindedness, calling him “thoughtful”, ‘’humble”, ‘’wonderfully warm” and a “fair-minded and independent jurist”. A number praised his concerted efforts to hire both minorities and women as law clerks.

Senate Democrats had worked into the night on Thursday on Kavanaugh’s final day of questioning in a last, ferocious attempt to paint him as a foe of abortion rights and a likely defender of US President Donald Trump.

But Kavanaugh, a 53-year-old appellate judge, stuck to a well-rehearsed script throughout his testimony, providing only glimpses of his judicial stances while avoiding any serious mistakes that might jeopardise his confirmation.

With his questioning over, he seemed on his way to becoming the court’s 114th justice. Republicans hope to confirm him in time for the first day of the new Supreme Court term, October 1.