If Senate Democrats sweep into power in November, they will likely probe the sexual misconduct allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, according to a Democrat in the chamber.
“I am confident of that, and I think we’ll also be investigating why the FBI stood down its background investigation when this came up in this particular background,” said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Thursday during a interview with CNN. He also acknowledged that such an effort would happen even if Kavanaugh has already been appointed to the court.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse says he is “confident” that Democrats will investigate the sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh if they win back the House or Senate: “We’ll also be investigating why the FBI stood down its background investigation” https://t.co/iC4QTAtx7U pic.twitter.com/gBIuB2gIuX
— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) September 20, 2018
[Woodward: Trump sees Kavanaugh allegations as bad for Republicans in midterm elections]
Whitehouse supported Christine Blasey Ford, Kavanaugh’s accuser, and her legal team pushing back on Senate Republican plans to hold a hearing Monday to probe her claim that the federal appeals court judge drunkenly forced himself on her during the 1980s at a high school party in Maryland. Ford has called for an FBI inquiry before she gives testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The FBI traditionally conducts background checks into Supreme Court nominees at the request of the White House. The bureau could re-open its investigation into Kavanaugh if asked by the Trump administration, but the White House and GOP lawmakers in the Senate believe the Senate Judiciary Committee can adequately examine Ford’s accusation.
The FBI has also said it cannot look at the incident because no federal crime appears to have been committed. Whitehouse on Thursday emphasized how there is a difference between a federal criminal inquiry and a background check.
“This is such bad practice that even if they were to ram this guy through, as soon as Democrats get gavels we’re going to want to get to the bottom of this,” Sen. Whitehouse said of Senate Republicans.
“You can’t ignore a crime victim’s claim that something happen, refuse to investigate, throw her up into the stand without the least bit of support for her, without the least bit of effort to corroborate what she says, and then walk away from that as if you’ve behaved at all properly,” he added. “There isn’t a prosecutor or a victim advocate in the country who would tolerate that.”
