KAVANAUGH VOTE ON HOLD
Trump orders FBI to investigate sex claims
After a dramatic flurry of last-minute negotiations, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh cleared a major hurdle Friday, but his confirmation prospects were still uncertain as he now faces a new FBI investigation into sexual assault allegations.
Under pressure from moderate members, Republican leaders in the Senate said they would allow the new probe for up to one week, slowing their rush to confirm Kavanaugh.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, which vets candidates, voted along party lines Friday to progress Kavanaugh’s nomination by 11 votes to 10. However Jeff Flake, a Republican senator on the committee and a Trump critic, unexpectedly said he was only voting to support Kavanaugh on the provision that sexual assault allegations brought against the candidate are investigated by the FBI.
He called for a delay in a floor vote of all 100 senators — the final step in the confirmation process — for up to a week while the FBI investigates.
“This country is being ripped apart here, and we’ve got to make sure that we do due diligence... I do think we can have a short pause and make sure that the FBI can investigate,” Flake said.
His shock decision came just hours after he had announced he would be voting for Kavanaugh without conditions. The key moment in his change of heart appeared to be when he was confronted in an elevator by two victims of sexual assault. “Don’t look away from me. Look at me and tell me that it doesn’t matter what happened to me!” said one woman, speaking through tears as she kept the door open. The scene lasted around four minutes and was televised live.
Following Flake’s announcement, Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin III indicated that they support a delay, leaving Republican leaders little choice given their slim 51-49 margin in the chamber.
Two other senators considered swing votes — Republican Susan Collins of Maine and Democrat Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota — remained silent about their intentions Friday.
President Donald Trump agreed Friday to order the FBI probe but said it “must be limited in scope and completed in less than one week.”
‘THIS COUNTRY IS BEING RIPPED APART HERE, AND WE’VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO DUE DILIGENCE ... I DO THINK WE CAN HAVE A SHORT PAUSE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE FBI CAN INVESTIGATE.’ — REPUBLICAN SEN. JEFF FLAKE
Kavanaugh said he would “continue to cooperate.”
The developments unfolded a day after Kavanaugh and an accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, testified in an emotional, hourslong televised hearing that was watched by 20 million Americans. Kavanaugh angrily denied the allegation that he assaulted Ford while they were both in high school, but she said she was “100 per cent” certain he was her attacker.
Two other women — Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick — have also gone public to claim Kavanaugh committed sexual misconduct during his student days. Neither woman has given public testimony. Kavanaugh has denied their claims.
During Thursday’s hearing, Democrats repeatedly peppered Kavanaugh with questions about whether he would support an FBI investigation. He demurred, saying he would back whatever the committee decided to do.
The FBI conducts background checks for federal nominees, but the agency does not make judgments on the credibility or significance of allegations. It compiles information about the nominee’s past and provides its findings to the White House, which passes them along to the committee.
Democrats have been particularly focused on getting more information from Mark Judge, a high school friend of Kavanaugh who Ford said was also in the room during her alleged assault. In her gripping testimony, Ford said Kavanaugh and Judge’s laughter during the incident has stuck with her nearly four decades later.
Judge has said he does not recall any such incident. In a new letter to the Senate panel, he said he would cooperate with any law enforcement agency assigned to investigate “confidentially.”
Flake, a 55-year-old Arizonan, has made himself a central character in the drama. As a retiring Republican, with no public plans to face GOP voters soon, Flake has emerged this year as a vocal and biting Trump critic and an advocate for bipartisan co-operation in Washington, even has he largely votes with his party.
Flake’s post on the committee has given him another platform. In recent weeks, he’s acted as a committee liaison to the Democrats and moderate Republicans urging a slower process. Last weekend, he pushed the committee to give Ford more time to decide whether to testify. Democrats have been eyeing him as a possible “no” vote, leaving many surprised to see him announce Friday morning that he backed the judge. He made clear hours later his vote wasn’t yet secure.