This was Trump's nominee, he specifically chose Kavanaugh after McConnell suggested he choose anyone but him.

There's almost certainly some kind of agreement between the White House and Kavanaugh regarding protecting the President, especially in the upcoming Gamble v. United States case that may allow Trump to pardon state crimes. That's what was meant by the White House not having a "Plan B" when the Kavanaugh hearing blew up in their faces. Their Plan A was most likely to have Kavanaugh vote to expand his pardon powers, so he can protect everyone implicated in the Russian business.

This suggests to me that there's some serious aspect of the Russian connection that Republicans know about, and which Mueller has not yet revealed. I would guess that Graham's hysterics, those red state Senators traveling to Moscow in July, and Nunes's "invite-only, no cameras" meeting has something to do with it.

It must be pretty bad if the GOP are willing to go full-corrupt so blatantly.