Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., on Monday called on the Senate Judiciary Committee to postpone its hearing this week on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, and said an FBI investigation should be launched to examine Kavanaugh’s high school and college behavior in response to a new report of sexual assault.
“These new allegations are deeply concerning and reinforce the need for the FBI to investigate claims against Judge Kavanaugh,” said Coons, a member of the committee.
The top Democrat on the committee, Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., has also called for a halt to the confirmation process following a New Yorker story that revealed a new but unconfirmed claim that Kavanaugh flashed his groin at a Yale classmate during freshman year.
“Everyone — the accusers, Judge Kavanaugh, and the American people — would benefit from a professional, impartial, federal investigation,” said Coons. “I agree with ranking member Feinstein’s call for an immediate postponement of this week’s hearing and investigations into these claims.”
[More: Brett Kavanaugh: Second sexual misconduct allegation ‘a smear, plain and simple’]
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, tweeted the FBI should relaunch a now concluded background probe.
“Given the serious and credible assault allegations against him, the FBI MUST reopen Kavanaugh’s background investigation. Republicans’ plan to rush his nomination for a LIFETIME seat before a simple investigation has been conducted is a farce,” Wyden tweeted.
