Durbin: Let FBI investigate nominee without interference

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said Monday he hopes his colleagues — on both sides of the political aisle — will stay out of the FBI investigation into the allegations made against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

“Let them do their work,” said Durbin, one of several Democrats who had called for the FBI to reopen Kavanaugh’s background check.

Durbin was at the City Club of Chicago Monday morning, just days after he heard Christine Blasey Ford testify she was “100 percent” sure Kavanaugh tried to sexually assault her in high school — and then listened to Kavanaugh deny the allegation just as forcefully.

President Donald Trump said Monday he wants the investigation to be “comprehensive,” but he also wants it to go quickly “because it’s unfair” to the nominee “at this point.”

But with Democrats and Republicans quarreling over the scope of the FBI investigation, Durbin told reporters he’d have more faith in a probe that puts no limits on potential evidence or number of witnesses.

“Then we’ll have evidence and information we can use to draw our conclusion,” Durbin said. “But if this is going to be an FBI under a bridle and this is going to be reduced in scope, then the credibility of the outcome will be in question.”

Asked whether he thought the FBI is likely to uncover anything new, he said: “I don’t know. That’s what an investigation is about. If we’re not open to that possibility, shame on us. A real investigation follows the facts, and that’s why I hope political leaders in both political parties — and the White House — will not influence the FBI.”

Durbin said he doesn’t know whether a vote is likely to be taken Friday, following the FBI’s planned weeklong review.

“I know Sen. [Majority Leader Mitch] McConnell is in a hurry, in a big hurry. He wants to get this done right away. As soon as he’s got the majority of Republican votes together, he wants this to be called,” Durbin said. “We ought to wait until the [FBI] information is produced.”