Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell earlier filed for cloture to end debate on the nomination, setting up a key procedural vote for Friday -- and a possible confirmation vote as early as Saturday. McConnell also revealed that the Senate would receive the FBI's supplemental background investigation into Kavanaugh Wednesday night.
"An FBI supplemental background investigation that did not include an interview of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford-- nor the witnesses who corroborate her testimony -- cannot be called an investigation," the statement read. "We are profoundly disappointed that after the tremendous sacrifice she made in coming forward, those directing the FBI investigation were not interested in seeking the truth."
Developing now, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018
- The White House announced early Thursday it has received the FBI’s investigation into Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, and is ‘fully confident’ he will be confirmed to the nation’s highest court
- Lawyers for Dr. Christine Blasey Ford slam the FBI investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell signals a vote later this week
- Capitol police probe additional doxxing incidents targeting senators, including Rand Paul
- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell designs a gambit to handle other issues in the Senate, while advancing the nomination of Supreme Court pick Brett Kavanaugh
- Former top FBI lawyer James Baker offers 'explosive' testimony on 'abnormal' handling of Russia probe into Trump campaign: lawmakers
THE LEAD STORY – ‘FULLY CONFIDENT’: The White House on Thursday announced it has received the FBI's supplemental background investigation into President Trump's pick for the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, and is "fully confident" that he will eventually be confirmed to the Supreme Court … The FBI was tasked by Trump last week to look into allegations of sexual misconduct leveled against Kavanaugh by three women. The investigation commenced after Dr. Christine Blasey Ford -- the first woman to come forward -- testified before the Senate Judiciary last week about her claims against the federal judge.
Raj Shah, the principal deputy press secretary for the White House, said the FBI report is currently "being transmitted to the Senate."
MCCONNELL’S MOMENT: There’s a lot which could go wrong for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as he tries to usher the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court to confirmation … And so McConnell’s been trying to avoid those pitfalls since the end of last week. It started with little fanfare Friday night when McConnell managed to formally start Senate debate on Kavanaugh’s nomination. And then, before dimming the lights for the weekend, McConnell “recessed” the Senate until Monday.
The Senate did not “adjourn.”
There is a key procedural difference between adjourning and recessing the Senate, even though it looks the same to the untrained eye. On Monday, McConnell again “recessed” the Senate until Tuesday. But the Kentucky Republican did not “adjourn” the Senate. Same thing Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesday, the Senate “recessed” until Wednesday. It did not “adjourn.”
Why the difference?
McConnell is trying to streamline the process on Kavanaugh as much as he can. If the Senate hasn’t “adjourned” for the day, it’s still the “old day.” In other words, in the Senate’s space-time continuum, it’s essentially last week. It didn’t roll over to this week. The Senate has only “recessed” multiple times since Friday. The Senate has yet to move on.
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