After reviewing FBI docs, GOP senators vow weekend vote
A half-day after their Senate colleagues began reading over a confidential FBI report about Brett Kavanaugh, Republican leaders vowed Thursday afternoon to hold a confirmation vote this weekend.
“What we know for sure is this report did not corroborate any of the allegations against Judge Kavanaugh,” Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader, told reporters. “And the second thing we know is anything we did would not satisfy Democrats.”
The document, reportedly 1,000 pages in length, was delivered from the White House to the Senate early Thursday morning with an agreement that senators from both parties would get an opportunity to view the document or be briefed by their staff about its contents.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Judiciary Committee and the first person to review the document, stated there is “no hint of misconduct” by Kavanaugh in the report, The Associated Press reported.
Republican Sen. John Kennedy, who has publicly supported Kavanuagh, told the media after reviewing the documents that he was more angry over Kavanaugh’s treatment after reviewing the FBI interviews.
“Anybody who thinks politics isn’t involved in this ought to put down the bong,” he said.
Kennedy also told the media that he wants the report to be made public.
Hours after senators began trickling into a room to review the report, two key GOP senators — Jeff Flake and Susan Collins — emerged separately from the secure senate room and told media that the FBI had conducted a “very thorough” investigation.
Political observers see those comments as a hint both will likely vote for Kavanaugh.
At the press conference, Grassley told the media that Kavanaugh’s nomination process has stretched more than 80 days, three weeks past recent nominations, a knock at Senate Democrats who have claimed the Republican-led Senate is hurrying the nomination through the Senate.
Grassley recalled that Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer had stated hours after Kavanaugh’s name was announced that Democrats vowed to defeat him. The Iowa Republican described it as a “demolition derby” since that first day that attempted to stop a qualified, reputable candidate.
“So hopefully we’re 48 hours from having Judge Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court,” Grassley told reporters.
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