Early Senate vote on Kavanaugh looms
FBI poised to deliver fateful abuse report
WASHINGTON: The Senate is braced for a crucial initial vote tomorrow on Brett Kavanaugh’s tottering Supreme Court nomination after Majority Leader Mitch McConnell set his polarised chamber on a schedule to decide an election-season battle that has consumed the nation. A showdown roll call over confirmation seemed likely over the weekend.
McConnell, R-Ky, cemented the process late on Wednesday and announced that the FBI would soon deliver to an anxious Senate the potentially fateful report on claims that Mr Kavanaugh sexually abused women. With Republicans clinging to a razor-thin 51-49 majority and five senators — including three Republicans — still vacillating, the conservative jurist’s prospects of Senate confirmation remained murky and dependent, in part, on the file’s contents, which are supposed to be kept secret.
“There will be plenty of time for members to review and be briefed on the supplemental material’’ before the vote, Mr McConnell said.
Lawmakers were planning to begin reading the FBI report this morning, with senators and a small number of top aides permitted to view it in a secure room in the Capitol complex. Senators are not supposed to divulge the contents of the agency’s background reports.
The report was arriving at a Capitol palpably tense over the political stakes of the nomination fight and from aggressive anti-Kavanaugh protesters who have rattled and reportedly harassed senators. Feeding the anxiety was an unusually beefy presence of the US Capitol Police,
who were keeping demonstrators and frequently reporters at arm’s length by forming wedges around lawmakers walking through corridors.
Amid complaints that some lawmakers were being confronted outside their homes, Mr McConnell claimed on the Senate floor that the protesters were “part of the organized effort’’ to derail Mr Kavanaugh’s nomination.
“There is no chance in the world that they’re going to scare us out of doing our duty,’’ he said.
Adding to the uncertainty, the three undecided GOP senators who could decide Mr Kavanaugh’s fate rebuked President Donald Trump for mocking one accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, by mimicking her responses to questions at last week’s dramatic Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
“I would tell him, knock it off. You’re not helping,’’ Trump ally Sen Lindsey Graham said of Mr Trump’s Tuesday night tirade.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Mr Trump’s insults marked a “new low.’’
Barring leaks, it was unclear how much of the FBI report, if any, would be made public. While senators from both sides have expressed support for revealing at least parts of the findings, FBI background checks on nominees are supposed to remain confidential.
Underscoring rising tensions, Democrats suggested that previous FBI background checks of Mr Kavanaugh may have unearthed misconduct by the nominee.
Democrats wrote to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, challenging a Tuesday tweet by GOP aides saying prior investigations never found “a whiff of ANY issue related in any way to inappropriate sexual behaviour or alcohol abuse.’’ Democrats wrote that the GOP tweet contained information that is “not accurate.’’
Committee Republicans tweeted in response that their prior tweet was “completely truthful’’ and accused Democrats of “false smears.’’ Sen Susan Collins told reporters that Mr Trump’s lampooning of Ms Ford at a Mississippi campaign rally was “just plain wrong.’’
Sen Lisa Murkowski, called it “wholly inappropriate and in my view unacceptable,’’ and Sen Jeff Flake the remarks were “kind of appalling.’’
Those senators, along with Democrats Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, have yet to declare how they will vote.
“All of us need to keep in mind there’s a few people that are on the fence right now. And right now, that’s sort of where our focus needs to be,’’ said Sen Bob Corker of Tennessee, who has traded barbs with Mr Trump and will retire at year’s end.
Mr Trump drew laughs with his rendition of how Ms Ford answered questions at last week’s hearing. “I had one beer — that’s the only thing I remember,’’ he stated inaccurately.
As he flew aboard Air Force One to the Mississippi rally, Mr Trump was enraged by New York Times articles about Mr Kavanaugh’s high school and college years and alleging tax avoidance efforts by the president and his family, according to a source.