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The Senate Judiciary Committee has officially confirmed Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Along party lines, the Committee voted 11-10 to confirm Kavanaugh.
There was high stakes drama as Republican Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona almost mucked up the entire process. Flake voted “yes” to move him out of Committee, but said he stood with Democrats in delaying the full Senate vote next week so the FBI could launch an investigation.
It’s unclear what Flake’s unprecedented theatrics mean. Flake appears to be saying that he supports delaying the full Senate hearing next week, and wants to allow the FBI to launch a one-week probe.
Watch Flake’s bizarre move below:
.@JeffFlake: “I think it would be proper to delay the floor vote for up to but not more than one week, in order to let the FBI do an investigation, limited in time and scope to the current allegations that are there.” fxn.ws/2R8ioGW
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was planning to hold the full Senate vote with all 100 Senators next week. It’s unclear if he will adhere to Flake’s demand to delay the vote. And no one knows what Flake will do if McConnell denies the request to delay the hearing.
The GOP has a 51-49 majority in the Senate, but Kavanaugh’s fate comes down to only a handful of Senators.
Prior to today, Republican Sens. Jeff Flake of Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowsi of Alaska and Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia were all reportedly planning to vote “yes” together.
Kavanaugh’s likely confirmation comes after Democrats did just about everything possible to stall the hearing until after November’s midterm election.
Kavanaugh has been accused by five people of inappropriate behavior. Christine Blasey Ford alleges he pinned her down and attempted to grope her during a party roughly 36 years ago. The second accuser, Miranda Ramirez, alleges Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at a party in 1983.
Julie Swetnick, who came forward this week, claims Kavanaugh may have been “present” at parties in which gang rapes were taking place. She has only accused Kavanaugh of possibly being present at some the parties in the early 1980s, but does not say Kavanaugh did anything wrong at all, other than allege he was present at the gathering.
Two others made anonymous allegations and refused to provide any information or evidence.
Kavanaugh strongly denies all of the allegations, and several of the witnesses both Ford and Ramirez cited have claimed they never witnessed what the two women alleged happened.
None of the three woman have produced a shred of evidence or witnessesto support their allegations.
Despite all of this, Kavanaugh vowed that he “will not be intimated” by Democrat lawmakers and liberals who have been politicizing the allegations against him to thwart his nomination to the nation’s highest court.
In a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Kavanaugh addressed the “smears” that have been levied against him in recent weeks.
“I will not be intimidated into withdrawing from this process. The coordinated effort to destroy my good name will not drive me out. The vile threats of violence against my family will not drive me out. The last-minute character assassination will not succeed.”
It’s now unclear what happens next. It seemed like a slam dunk prior to Flake betraying the GOP and working with Democrats.
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