Flake stokes presidential speculation as court debate rolls on
BOSTON — The Republican senator who has found himself at the center of the Supreme Court debate vowed Monday to ensure the FBI does “a real investigation” into President Donald Trump’s nominee as he trekked across New England exploring a possible run for president.
“It does us no good to have an investigation that just gives us more cover,” Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake told hundreds of young people at the Forbes Under 30 Summit.
Flake’s comments come as the White House insisted it’s not “micromanaging” the new one-week review of decades-old allegations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Some Democratic lawmakers claimed the White House was keeping investigators from interviewing certain witnesses.
Flake delivered the message at a Boston conference hours before he faced New Hampshire voters for the second time this year. The 55-year- old Republican, who is retiring from the Senate at the end of the year, has already declared his interest in a possible 2020 presidential bid.
Three days ago, Flake single-handedly delayed Kavanaugh’s confirmation proceedings by insisting on an FBI investigation as a condition for his support.
He told CBS’ “60 Minutes” on Sunday that the conservative judge’s nomi- nation would be “over” if federal investigators determine he lied to the committee.
Organizers of the Boston event said they moved the location to City Hall after security concerns emerged about the original location.
Hundreds of liberal protesters, victims of sexual assault among t hem, pleaded with Flake to block Kavanaugh’s nomination outside the venue.
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said the true test for Flake would come once the full Senate votes on the Kavanaugh nomination in the coming days.
“He has an opportunity to do something very special at some point next week,” the mayor said.
In March, Flake told New Hampshire Republicans that someone needs to stop Trump in 2020. Flake said he may run — either as a Republican or an independent — if no one else does.
“It has not been in my plans to run for president, but I have not ruled it out,” Flake said at the time. Sen. Jeff Flake speaks Monday at the Forbes Under 30 Summit in Boston.