FBI went by book – as Dems demanded
2 sens. may tip scales toward Kav after report
legations arise after the file is complete. When this happens, the FBI may be asked to conduct an additional, supplemental investigation, narrowly targeted to those matters. That’s what the Senate requested and that’s what it got with respect to recent allegations against Kavanaugh.
This supplemental investigation adds to an already thick file. The FBI has now conducted six thorough investigations of Judge Kavanaugh, both in connection with his nomination to the Supreme Court and in prior government service. All of those investigations demonstrated the judge’s character and fitness.
The Judiciary Committee also has held a hearing to hear directly from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford at which both Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh testified under oath. The committee took statements, under penalty of felony, from several individuals thought to have knowledge of recent investigations. Senators have access to an enormous trove of data and sworn testimony.
Democrats now portray the FBI supplementary investigation, which followed standard procedures they deemed essential just days ago, as a mere smokescreen. Feinstein exclaimed: “The most notable part of the report is what is not in it.” In particular, she objected that the FBI did not interview Ford, despite the fact that Ford had already testified before the committee and expressly testified that she had nothing further to add. Schumer said, “We had many fears that this was a limited process . . . Those fears have been realized.”
This spin can be explained in only one of two ways: Either Sen- ate Democrats piously demanding an FBI investigation had no understanding of what such an investigation entails or, much more likely, they have been cynically playing for delays all along.
Timing is everything. This supplemental FBI investigation of new claims against Kavanaugh would’ve happened two months ago had Senate Democrats followed standard procedures and shared the letter they received from Ford, detailing her allegations against Kavanaugh with their Republican colleagues and the FBI. (Something similar happened with respect to Anita Hill’s claims against Clarence Thomas.) Instead, they sat on the information and it was leaked at the 11th hour.
Nor can one ignore that Senate Judiciary Committee members — Republicans and Democrats alike — have access to significant investigatory capabilities on their own staff. The majority staff on the committee interviewed — under penalty of felony — individuals likely to have knowledge of claims against Kavanaugh.
Senate Democrats, meanwhile, boycotted many of these interviews. Feinstein reportedly did not even attend the portion of Kavanaugh’s hearing dedicated to what the committee considers character issues.
Now that the FBI has conducted this additional investigation, some senators have greater confidence in the record before them and will be prepared to vote to confirm him. Others, who once demanded this investigation, continue to oppose the confirmation and demean the FBI’s process. In so doing, they’ll reveal they were only after delay all along.
single copy of which senators began reviewing Thursday morning — exonerated Kavanaugh of any misconduct.
“What is the most notable part of this report is what’s not in it. The FBI did not interview Brett Kavanaugh, nor did the FBI interview Dr. Blasey Ford,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said.
“We have heard from numerous people over the last few days seeking to provide information to the FBI, we have seen even more press reports of witnesses who wanted to speak with the FBI but were not interviewed,” she said at the Capitol with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
Schumer also slammed the report, which Senate Judiciary Committee chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) had earlier said provided no new damaging information about Kavanaugh.
“We had many fears that this was a very limited process that would constrain the FBI from getting all the facts. Having received a thorough briefing on the documents, those fears have been realized,” Schumer said.
“I disagree with Senator Grassley’s statement that there was no hint of misconduct.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) took to the Senate floor moments after Schumer spoke to lavish praise on Kavanaugh and lash out at his critics.
“For goodness sake, this is the United States of America. Nobody is supposed to be guilty until proven innocent in this country. Nobody is supposed to be proven innocent in the United States of America,” McConnell said.
“They let the politics of personal destruction run away ahead of the facts,” McConnell said about Democrats.
McConnell said the Senate would vote to close debate on the nomination on Friday, and that the full Senate would vote over the weekend.
Other Republicans also defended the report and said Democrats would never be satisfied no matter how long an investigation lasted.
“Why don’t we dunk him in the water and see if he floats?” cracked South Carolina Sen Lindsey Graham.
President Trump also weighed in, tweeting: “This is now the 7th. time the FBI has investigated Judge Kavanaugh. If we made it 100, it would still not be good enough for the Obstructionist Democrats.”
The FBI did not interview Kavanaugh or Ford, but it did question Ramirez and eight others, while a 10th person did not cooperate.
We’ve seen no additional corroborating information. Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake (left), after reviewing FBI report on Brett Kavanaugh (right)