Good morning and welcome to the live blog. Things will get going here in a moment.
A few senators have already arrived. I saw at least Sen. Flake (R-Ariz.), Sen. Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sen. Hatch (R-Utah).
She may be a Democrat in particular to watch during questioning.
Several women in Handmaid's Tale robes are protesting silently outside the hearing room.
Sen. Booker (D-N.J.) is here. He is one the Dems discussed as a possible presidential nominee who may take advantage of the hearing as a public moment.
People have made similar observations about Sen. Harris (D-Calif.), who is here, as well as Klobuchar.
We're gearing up. Almost about to start.
Pretty quiet now as everyone waits for the nominee.
Judge Brett Kavanaugh is now standing with Sen. Grassley before the cameras.
Huge flurry of camera clicks.
We're hearing the gavel now. Time to go!
Sen. Grassley speaking -- Harris is asking to be recognized for a question.
She is saying that the committee yesterday received 40,000 documents.
Grassley says she is speaking out of order. He is speaking loudly to extend a warm welcome.
Sen. Klobuchar now saying that the hearing should be postponed.
Sen. Blumenthal just moved to adjourn.
Four people who spoke up to object to the hearing have all been removed.
Sen. Blumenthal moves again to adjourn.
Sen. Booker now asks to be recognized.
Booker is saying that even the documents that Grassley requested have not all been available out front. What's the rush?
Grassley is banging the gavel. Booker: we are rushing the process.
Booker: I appeal to your sense of fairness ... and sense of transparency.
Booker: We have not received the documents that you have even called for.
He calls for a vote and again a lot of people in the crowd cheer.
Hirono now speaks, but Grassley says he wants to respond to Booker.
Booker notes committee has not received even the documents that Grassley himself has asked for.
Another woman stands up to demand that the senators vote now. A second woman joins her. They are being brought out by police.
Now Sen. Whitehouse is speaking about the documents.
Sen. Leahy now speaks up. There is no integrity.
The Democrats have been speaking up one after the other. We've heard from everyone except Durbin and Feinstein (on the Democratic side).
Leahy: Why are we rushing?
Grassley: I can answer every question raised, but if I do, that will just fit in with the effort of the minority to obstruct.
Grassley: My colleagues accuse the administration of using executive privilege to hide documents. I want to explain why they are wrong.
Grassley disputes minority's assertion that administration is improperly asserting executive privilege to withhold documents.
Another protester was just removed from the room.
We have had over 10 people now removed from the hearing for standing and telling the committee to vote no, largely with statements about reproductive rights and access to health care more generally.
Grassley: We did not make Kagan's internal communications when working for Sen. Biden be turned over, or Ginsburg's at the ACLU, or Sotomayor's in private practice. Are the Senate and ACLU entitled to more protection than the president?
Grassley says committee did not request certain confidential documents during Kagan's, Ginsburg's and Sotomayor's hearings.
Grassley: The additional documents received last night were received before the hearing, as requested. Majority staff has already completed their review.
The Democrats have now let Grassley speak uninterrupted for a few minutes now to explain himself.
More pages for Kavanaugh have been released for past five nominees combined, Grassley says.
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