--- title: Brett Kavanaugh Can't Answer Kamala Harris on Mueller Probe description: Sen. Kamala Harris and Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh had an awkward exchange about the Mueller probe at his confirmation hearing canonical: https://time.com/5388614/kamala-harris-brett-kavanaugh-mueller-probe-senate-hearing/ author: Mahita Gajanan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-09-06T14:57:08.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-13T07:53:23.159Z article:section: Politics og:title: Sen. Kamala Harris Questioned Brett Kavanaugh on a Conversation About the Russia Probe og:description: "I think you're thinking of someone and you don't want to tell us." og:url: https://time.com/5388614/kamala-harris-brett-kavanaugh-mueller-probe-senate-hearing/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta73359a175cbec72/69893995ab6d7760636b39a5/kamala-harris-brett-kavanaugh.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: Senate Holds Confirmation Hearing For Brett Kavanaugh To Be Supreme Court Justice og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Sen. Kamala Harris Questioned Brett Kavanaugh on a Conversation About the Russia Probe twitter:description: "I think you're thinking of someone and you don't want to tell us." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta73359a175cbec72/69893995ab6d7760636b39a5/kamala-harris-brett-kavanaugh.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Sen. Kamala Harris Questioned Brett Kavanaugh on a Conversation About the Russia Probe > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. 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It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=cb063d30-9c9b-41c9-bb45-855164bc7321&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Kamala Harris Corners Brett Kavanaugh on a Question About the Mueller Investigation [Watch (HLS stream): Kamala Harris Corners Brett Kavanaugh on a Question About the Mueller Investigation](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/JavwEqDP.m3u8) (1:47)  _Published 2018-09-06. California senator Kamala Harris questioned Brett Kavanaugh on the second day of his Senate confirmation hearings._ by [Mahita Gajanan](https://time.com/author/mahita-gajanan/) and [Alana Abramson](https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/) Sep 6, 2018 2:57 PM UTC California senator Kamala Harris questioned Brett Kavanaugh on the second day of his Senate confirmation hearings. by [Mahita Gajanan](https://time.com/author/mahita-gajanan/) and [Alana Abramson](https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/) Sep 6, 2018 2:57 PM UTC Sen. Kamala Harris pressed Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh about whether he’d talked with anyone working with President Donald Trump’s lawyer about the Russia investigation. In a tense exchange Wednesday, the California Democrat asked Kavanaugh if he had ever spoken with anyone at the law firm Kasowitz, Benson & Torres about Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Marc Kasowitz, one of the firm’s partners, has long worked with Trump. “Have you had any conversation about Robert Mueller or his investigation with anyone at that firm?” she asked. Kavanaugh appeared confused by the question. He asked Harris: “Is there a person you’re talking about?” > [](https://twitter.com/SenKamalaHarris/status/1037520011861090305) The exchange between the two went on for a few minutes, as Harris, a former prosecutor, repeated her line of questioning and Kavanaugh said while he didn’t remember, he did not know everyone employed at the law firm. He never answered the question. “I think you’re thinking of someone and you don’t want to tell us,” Harris said. When asked about the exchange between Harris and Kavanaugh, a Democratic aide told TIME, “We have reason to believe that a conversation happened and are continuing to pursue it.” Democrats have questioned Kavanaugh on how he would rule in matters related to Mueller’s probe. Asked this week if a sitting president would be [required to respond to a subpoena](http://time.com/5387414/kavanaugh-president-subpoena/), Kavanaugh declined to answer. He also did not answer a question about whether [Trump has the right to pardon himself](http://time.com/5387414/kavanaugh-president-subpoena/). ## Transcript Kasowitz. Benson and Torres. Yeah. Which is the lawfirm founded by Marc Kasowitz. Yeah. Who is President Trump's personal lawyer. Have you had any conversation about Robert Mueller or his investigation with anyone at that firm? Yes or no? Is there a person you're talking about? I'm asking you a very direct question. Yes or no? I need to know, I'm not sure I know everyone who works at that law firm. I don't think you need to. I think you need to know who you talked with. Who'd you talk to? I don't think, I'm not remembering but I'm happy to Be refreshed, or if you want to tell me who you're thinking about. So are you saying that with all that you remember? You have an impeccable memory. You've been speaking for almost eight hours, I think, more with this committee about all sorts of things you remember. Yeah. How can you not remember whether or not you had a conversation? About Robert Mueller, or his investigation, with anyone at that law firm? This investigation has only been going on for so long, sir, so please answer the question. Right. I'm not sure. I'm just trying to think. Do I know anyone who works at that firm? I might know- That's not my question. My question is have you had a conversation with anyone at that firm about that investigation? It's a really specific question. And I would like to know the person you're thinking of because what if there's- I think you're thinking of someone and you don't want to tell us. If there are names, if there is a list of names he can be given of the lawyers to whom she's referring I think that's fine. But I think it's unfair to suggest Then an entire law firm should be imputed into the witness' memory when he doesn't know who works at the law firm. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5388614/kamala-harris-brett-kavanaugh-mueller-probe-senate-hearing/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5388614/kamala-harris-brett-kavanaugh-mueller-probe-senate-hearing/"},"headline":"Sen. 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