Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., on Wednesday condemned President Trump for casting doubt on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s accuser and her allegations of sexual assault at a rally with supporters.
“There’s no time and no place for remarks like that,” Flake told NBC. “But to discuss something this sensitive at a political rally is just not right. It’s just not right. I wish he hadn’t have done it. I’ll just say, it’s kind of appalling.”
[New: Bipartisan backlash to Trump mocking Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford]
“There’s no time and no place for remarks like that. But to discuss something this sensitive at a political rally is just not right…It’s kind of appalling.” @JeffFlake on President Trump’s comments about Dr. Ford at a rally last night pic.twitter.com/6SaTLZK899
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) October 3, 2018
Trump held a campaign rally Tuesday night in Mississippi, where he talked about the sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh and imitated Kavanaugh’s accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, who testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
“‘I don’t know. I don’t know. Upstairs? Downstairs? Where was it? I don’t know. But I had one beer. That’s the only thing I remember,’” Trump said as he impersonated Ford.
Ford admitted that details of the evening are unclear, but said she is 100 percent certain that Kavanaugh assaulted her at a high school get together 36 years ago.
Kavanaugh denied all allegations of sexual assault and misconduct, and he also testified before the panel last week.
All eyes are on Flake and a handful of swing votes as the Senate tries to hold a final vote on the nominee this week. On Friday, Flake, a member of the Judiciary Committee, voted to bring Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Senate floor for a confirmation vote. But he said he agreed with Democrats that there should be a one week FBI investigation into the allegations before the confirmation process proceeds.
Trump approved a limited in time and scope FBI investigation in Ford’s allegations against the Supreme Court nominee.
According to a Tuesday report, GOP aides on Capitol Hill believe the investigation will wrap up before the Friday deadline.
