Rosenstein Asks Federal Prosecutors to Help With Kavanaugh Confirmation

The New York Times reported Wednesday that deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein has asked federal prosecutors to review the government documents of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. 

Rosenstein reportedly sent an email to the nation's 93 United States attorneys asking each office to provide up to three federal prosecutors "who can make this important project a priority for the next several weeks." A list of names were to be submitted to the deputy attorney general's office by Wednesday evening. 

Rosenstein said he needed the equivalent of 100 full-time lawyers to work on Judge Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing

His request was unprecedented because federal prosecutors do not normally work on Supreme Court nominations. 

Former law enforcement officials are concerned by Rosenstein's actions.

"It's flat-out wrong to have career federal prosecutors engaged in a political process like the vetting of a Supreme Court nominee," Christopher Hunter, a former F.B.I. agent and federal prosecutor told The New York Times. "It takes them away from the mission they're supposed to be fulfilling, which is effective criminal justice enforcement."

The request for government papers could slow the confirmation process.

President Donald Trump nominated Judge Kavanaugh on Monday to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Senate Democrats have vowed to do everything that can to oppose Trump's nomination.