Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., acknowledges Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s combative approach to some questions posed to him by Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee was not ideal.
“I think his interaction with some of the members was a little too sharp,” Flake said in a “60 Minutes” interview to air Sunday night on CBS, before adding Kavanaugh did apologize to Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., over their tense exchange during last week’s hearing.
But Flake said if he were to put himself in Kavanaugh’s position, most of the federal appeals court judge’s “pretty raw” opening remarks were “in keeping with someone who had been unjustly accused.”
“The part that he talks about, the mention of the Clintons and whatnot, I didn’t like either. It seemed partisan. But boy, I had to put myself in that spot,” Flake continued. “I think you give a little leeway there.”
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After voting in favor of passing Kavanaugh through the Senate Judiciary Committee, Flake’s insistence on a weeklong delay in the confirmation process led to President Trump approving a supplemental FBI investigation into sexual misconduct allegations leveled at him by Christine Blasey Ford and two other women.
Kavanaugh turned Klobuchar’s line of inquiry regarding his drinking habits back on her during the high-stakes committee hearing. He apologized to the Minnesota Democrat after the panel reconvened following a short break.
