A source familiar with the lobbying efforts to confirm Kavanaugh told Fox News that the White House believes it has the votes to confirm Kavanaugh.
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Responding to criticism from the other side of the aisle, Trump tweeted on Thursday that “this is now the seventh time the FBI has investigated Judge Kavanaugh”.
Today’s vote is not necessarily an indicator of the outcome of tomorrow’s final ballot and the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Republican leaders were still not sure they had the votes needed to confirm Mr Kavanaugh, Mr Trump’s second nominee to the court since he took office in January past year. Joe Manchin, voted to move forward. Sen. But Alaska GOP Sen. Susan Collins, a crucial unknown vote: “It appears to be a very thorough investigation”.
Senators will vote mid-morning on a procedural motion that, if successful, would pave the way for a final vote as early as Saturday. Three of the four would need to vote no to block the confirmation.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has pushed to get Kavanaugh confirmed this week, said he was “feeling good” ahead of the vote.
The FBI was directed to look into “credible” allegations of sexual misconduct made by Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez against Kavanaugh.
The Senate today took the penultimate step towards confirming Brett Kavanaugh as a Supreme Court Justice by ending debate on a near-party-line 51/49 vote, setting the table for a final vote, which may be held as soon as Saturday.
Yet support for her remains strong, particularly among anti-Trump activists who viewed the judge’s confirmation as their chance to deal a major defeat to the president.
Kavanaugh, 53, became emotional when refuting allegations of sexual misconduct three women publicly levelled against him. Stevens said he had praised Kavanaugh in previous years and thought he was qualified for the court, the newspaper said.
The California Democrat said that the judge’s behavior showed “a man filled with anger and aggression”. He said he would return to cast the decisive vote if needed. Say it clear. Kavanaugh’s not welcome here.
Meanwhile, Democrats are lashing out at the White House, accusing the president of ordering an investigation that was too narrow and void of witnesses who wanted to talk. While some Democrats have described the probe as being insufficient to calm concerns about Kavanaugh’s past, a few key Republicans have suggested they approve of the probe’s thoroughness.
But Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein said the FBI report was “the product of an incomplete investigation”, saying key corroborating witnesses had been snubbed.
“The conduct of left-wing dark money groups and allies in this body have shamed us all”, he said. He says what they did to sully Kavanaugh’s reputation was “nothing short of monstrous”.
For Democratic senators, there was little they liked about the judge and the process.
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Republicans emerged from studying the Federal Bureau of Investigation report to declare they were even more confident now that no corroboration of the allegations was found.
One Republican Senator, John Cornyn, raised eyebrows by telling his party this was “our Atticus Finch moment”, a reference to the lawyer in classic novel To Kill A Mockingbird who refutes a false rape allegation.
The letter was sent to the Senate Majority leader Set.
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The tension inside the Senate chamber was extraordinary, as most Senators stood to announce their votes.
