The Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday voted along party lines to advance the vote on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh to the floor of the Senate, as a crucial Republican senator said his final decision would be contingent on the FBI conducting an investigation.
“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 to do an investigation, limited in time and scope to the current allegations that are there,” Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., said after tense meetings between Flake and a number of Democrats. “I think that we ought to do what we can to make sure that we do all due diligence with a nomination this important,” Flake said.
Flake’s remarks immediately sparked confusion among the lawmakers. As the committee’s Republican Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, called for a vote in the seconds following Flake’s announcement, the top Democrat on the panel, Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, asked what exactly the committee was voting on.
“We are voting on the motion to report the nomination to the floor,” Grassley said.
The floor vote is expected to take place next week. All eyes will be on four key senators, two Republicans and two Democrats, who have not yet said how they will vote.
Flake’s gambit followed the urging of a personal friend and Senate colleague, Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., who pushed the committee earlier in the day to hold off on voting for a week.
“One week only,” Coons said. “Not to spread this out past the next election, not to pursue some partisan goal, but to allow a professional FBI interview with everyone who may have relevant information.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who has vocally supported Kavanaugh’s nomination, said after the vote Friday that “I think I know what happened.” Graham sowed doubt on the tactic, however, suggesting that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., might not honor the request to delay voting in order for the FBI to conduct an investigation.
“It doesn’t matter what we say here,” Graham said. “I love this committee but we are not the majority leader.”
Following the meeting, Graham suggested to reporters that it still wasn’t clear what would happen.
“Someone’s got to explain this to Trump, and I guess that’s my job,” the South Carolina Republican said.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The vote took place a day after Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, who accused him of sexually assaulting her more than three decades ago, gave extraordinary, emotionally charged testimony before the panel.
Ford said she is “100 percent” certain that Kavanaugh attacked her. The judge vehemently denies the allegation.
This story is developing. Please check back for updates.
