The Senate Judiciary Committee has voted yes on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
However, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) has said he wants to delay the floor vote for a week. It sounds like he will only vote yes on the floor if the FBI investigates the sexual assault allegations for a week.
Kavanaugh’s friend Mike Judge has agreed to cooperate with the FBI. From Fox News:
In a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Friday, Mark Judge, denied the latest round of accusations brought against him and Kavanaugh by Julie Swetnick—the client of Stormy Daniels’ attorney Michael Avenatti.Swetnick accused Kavanaugh and Judge of making unwanted sexual advances at women while at parties in high school in the early 1980s, drugging the “punch” at parties, and participating in “gang rapes” and “train rapes.” Swetnick claims she is a victim of gang rape, and said that both Judge and Kavanaugh were there to watch the incident.“In response to the Committee’s request for information, I, MARK JUDGE, declare: The allegations in the Swetnick affidavit are so bizarre that, even while suffering from my addiction, I would remember actions so outlandish. I categorically deny them,” Judge, a recovering alcoholic, said in the letter.“I do not know Julie Swetnick,” he continued. “I do not recall attending parties during 1981-1983 when I fondled or grabbed women in an aggressive or unwanted manner.”Judge went on to say that he has “never spiked punch to get anyone drunk or disoriented.”“Nor have I witnessed Brett Kavanaugh spike punch,” Judge wrote. “I have never engaged in any gang rape of any woman, including Ms. Swetnick.”Judge said he would “cooperate with any law enforcement agency that is assigned to confidentially investigate these allegations,” and signed the statement “under penalty of felony.”
From The Washington Examiner:
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, did not say when the Senate would hold a confirmation vote on Kavanaugh, but said he was optimistic a vote would happen. He also said the Senate would start the process by holding the first procedural vote on Kavanaugh Saturday at noon.The investigation into Kavanaugh would end after “no later than one week,” Cornyn told reporters after a closed-door meeting with GOP lawmakers.The Senate can’t force the FBI to open an investigation. But the Senate Judiciary Committee announced Friday afternoon it would ask the Trump administration to “instruct the FBI to conduct a supplemental FBI background investigation” into Kavanaugh, and the White House is expected to allow it in order to get the nominee through the Senate.The investigation, a statement said, “would be limited to current credible allegations against the nominee and must be completed no later than one week from today.”
Fox News blew away everyone.
Looks like Lindsey Graham will talk to Trump about this.
The vote went 11-10 along party lines.
The procedural vote is supposed to take place on Saturday and the final confirmation vote is scheduled on Tuesday.
We do not know if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will agree to these terms, but it wouldn’t shock me if he did, especially if Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski join Flake.
I need to stress that this is NOT an amendment. This is all informal and Flake just wanted to make his stance. He said he will ask the White House to ask the FBI to open an investigation.
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