I'm Elizabeth Slattery and welcome to SCOTUS 101, where we break down what's happening at the Supreme Court, what the justices are up to, and other things related to our favorite branch of government.

This is a special summer session edition of SCOTUS 101, and in this episode we're going to talk about what to expect during Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation

hearing, which will take place next week. Today, I'm joined by my colleague Tom Jipping.

Until a few months ago, Tom served as Senator Orrin Hatch's chief counsel on the Senate Judiciary

Committee, where he worked on several Supreme Court nominations. Tom, welcome back to SCOTUS 101.

Well, thanks for having me. Yeah, so you were on

the podcast. I think it was about a year ago. It was last summer. So thanks for coming back.

Before we dig into the details of next week's hearing, I have to ask, what's it like being on the

outside after having worked on confirmations for 15 years? Well, someone asked me whether I missed the Senate now that I'm here at Heritage.

And I said I really don't, not because there's anything wrong with the Senate, but I really

enjoy and working with you and our other colleagues here.

I will miss it a little bit, though, during the hearing because especially working for a senior committee member like Senator Hatch, it's really an exciting place to be and to be able to contribute directly.

But I got to say, being on the outside, as you say, it's a lot more freedom to write about and advocate certain ideas and a lot more freedom

to do programs like this and in other ways to participate in the debate over a nomination like

this. Okay. Turning to next week, the hearing will last four days, so let's walk through each day.

Day one, the senators will bloviate.

I mean, they'll make their opening statements. So tell me about what sort of themes you think

are going to emerge in the statements. Yeah, Tuesday the 4th, I believe the committee will

start at 9.30 in the morning, and there are 20 committee members. Each will probably have about

10 minutes to make an opening statement. You know, as you know, one of the most dangerous places in Washington to be is between a senator and a TV camera. So they'll all be there. There's a tremendous media attention. And you'll hear, I think in general, you'll hear Democrats and Republicans

speak to very different views of what the judiciary is about and the kind of justice

that America needs on the bench. And then you'll also get a preview of more specific

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