Brett Kavanaugh appears to be heading for the Supreme Court, as wavering GOP senators Jeff Flake and Susan Collins signalled they could be prepared to back him after reading the FBI report into sexual assault allegations.
Flake, whose about face on Kavanaugh triggered the supplemental FBI report, said there was “no additional corroborating information” in the report, while Collins said: “It appears to be a very thorough investigation.”
Neither senator said explicitly they would vote for Kavanaugh, and both said they wanted to take more time to read the FBI report. But their statements signaled they have no immediate problem with the nominee following the FBI’s supplemental work.
The White House had earlier sent the FBI report to the Senate, stating it was “fully confident” he will be confirmed to the Supreme Court this week with a full Senate vote due on Saturday.
Officials are convinced that that nothing in the supplemental report, ordered last Friday, substantiates the allegation by Christine Blasey Ford. She claims he was sexually assaulted by Judge Kavanaugh at a teenage party in the Maryland suburbs in the summer of 1982. They also believe that allegations by Deborah Ramirez about an incident at a Yale dormitory party in 1983 or 1984 remain unproven.
“With this additional information, the White House is fully confident the Senate will vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court,” spokesman Raj Shah tweeted. Shah said the White House has received the report and it was being sent to the Senate.
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.@WhiteHouse statement on @FBI supplemental background investigation into Judge Brett Kavanaugh:
“The White House has received the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s supplemental background investigation into Judge Kavanaugh, and it is being transmitted to the Senate. (1/3)
— Raj Shah (@RajShah45) October 4, 2018
committee interviews, over 1,200 questions for the record and over a half million pages of documents. With this additional information, the White House is fully confident the Senate will vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.” – White House Spokesman Raj Shah (3/3)
— Raj Shah (@RajShah45) October 4, 2018
The report was ordered by the White House at the request of Sens. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. The trio said they would not agree to support Kavanaugh on the Senate floor without having the FBI spend another week looking into allegations against Kavanaugh.
Those senators will now have to decide whether the report is enough. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has set up a procedural “cloture” vote on Kavanaugh that formally ends debate on Friday. If, as he expects, he can get 50 votes then the stage will be set for a final vote on Saturday.
Shah indicated the White House is convinced that nothing in the report should prevent the remaining undecided Republicans from voting “yes.”
“With Leader McConnell’s cloture filing, Senators have been given ample time to review this seventh background investigation,” he tweeted. “This is the last addition to the most comprehensive review of a Supreme Court nominee in history, which includes extensive hearings, multiple committee interviews, over 1,200 questions for the record and over a half million pages of documents.”
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, tweeted soon after Shah that his committee has received the report. He said he and Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the panel, have agreed to “equal access” to the report.
Grassley gets a first look at the report at 8 am, and at 9 am, Feinstein will get access.
Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee will have access to the report between 10 am and noon, after which all remaining senators can take a look.
Grassley said access to the report was being handled according to a 2009 agreement between many of the same Democrats on the Judiciary Committee today, and the Obama administration. However, some Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have said the FBI report should ultimately be released to the public, so people can see the information senators have as they decide on Kavanaugh.
Supplemental FBI background file for Judge Kavanaugh has been received by @senjudiciary Ranking Member Feinstein & I have agreed to alternating EQUAL access for senators to study content from additional background info gathered by non-partisan FBI agents 1/3
— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) October 4, 2018
FBI supplement requested Friday sept 28 by bipartisan group of senators w specific scope of current/credible allegations. Dr Ford & Judge Kavanaugh had opportunity to testify under oath b4 public/cmte to tell senators what they know 2/3
— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) October 4, 2018
This FBI material will b handled per 2009 memorandum of understanding/MOU signed btwn Obama WHCounsel & then-SJC Chairman Leahy. Thats latest memorialization of this “loan agreement” of ExecBranch material. Feinstein, Durbin, Schumer, & others were on SJC in 09 & didnt object 3/3
— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) October 4, 2018
