The vote on Kavanaugh
Republicans promise resolution on court nomination this week.
WASHINGTON – The FBI completed its investigation of sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Wednesday.
Senate Judiciary Committee staff took pains to keep it from being leaked to the public.
Whatever the FBI report shows, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., insisted that the Senate will vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination this week. A final up-or-down vote on President Donald Trump’s nominee could happen as early as Saturday.
Here’s a look at the process:
1. The FBI completes its investigation
The FBI reopened its background investigation of Kavanaugh last Friday at the request of the president. Trump ordered the action after Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., said he would not vote to advance Kavanaugh through the Judiciary Committee unless the FBI conducted a weeklong look into sexual assault allegations against the judge.
The FBI sent the completed report to the White House.
2. The White House sends the report to the Senate Judiciary Committee
The committee will keep the report secure and will not release it to the public, according to George Hartmann, a spokesman for Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. All 100 senators and nine Senate staff members will be able to review it in a secure location.
3. Motion to end debate on Kavanaugh’s nomination
McConnell filed this motion shortly before 10 p.m. Wednesday.
The motion, known in Senate-speak as a “cloture motion,” is the first step in holding a final vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation.
4. Senators vote on motion
The procedural cloture vote will take place Friday, McConnell said. If it passes, it would effectively block any filibuster attempt by Democrats to delay a vote on Kavanaugh.
It would take only a simple majority of 51 votes to pass the motion. The Senate could then proceed to the final step: an up-or-down vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination.
5. An up-or-down vote on Kavanaugh
Senators would have up to 30 hours – divided equally between Republicans and Democrats – to debate the merits of Kavanaugh’s nomination. The debate could take less than the 30-hour maximum if either party decides not to use all of its allotted time.
After the time is up, the Senate would take a final vote on whether to confirm Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. A vote could happen as early as Saturday afternoon if McConnell ordered the Senate to work over the weekend.
It would take only a simple majority of 51 votes to approve Kavanaugh. Republicans hold 51 seats, while Democrats and two independents aligned with them hold the remaining 49.