Senate Sets Kavanaugh Vote for the Weekend

The FBI investigation into Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s alleged sexual misdeeds, limited in both scope and time, appears to be concluded. Though the Bureau had a full week, it seems they only needed a few days. Senators will view the raw report Thursday, then hold a procedural vote on Friday. If successful, the final vote could occur as early as Saturday night.

For those who haven’t been keeping up, Christine Blasey Ford accused Trump’s second SCOTUS pick of sexually assaulting her back in the 80s. According to Ford, a teenage Kavanaugh cornered her in a room alone with a buddy of his at a party in 1982, or maybe it was 1983 – she doesn’t seem really clear on that. He groped her and tried to take off her clothes, she claims. To make a long story short, she believed he intended to rape her and feared he might kill her by accident. He didn’t, however. Apparently, he was too drunk to keep her subdued, and she escaped. At least that’s what she told the Senate Judiciary Committee when she delivered her testimony.

Judge Kavanaugh has, of course, denied all of her allegations – as well as those of a few other women who have come forward, some with even more outrageous claims. And he’s not alone. None of Ford’s witnesses seem to recall any such attack – one didn’t even know Brett Kavanaugh!

The Committee still voted to advance the judge to the full Senate, but some senators requested – and president Trump authorized – a quick FBI investigation, limited in scope to Ford’s accusations and in time to one week. That ought to be sufficient, as the man already endured several FBI background checks before ever going before the Senate.

The FBI, apparently, didn’t interview Kavanaugh or Ford for this investigation. Democrats cry foul, asking how the Bureau could possibly be taking this seriously if they didn’t even interview the two key characters in the story. But Republicans, for the most part, seem to feel that the previous background checks and interviews, as well as the testimony provided to the Senate Judiciary Committee, should suffice.

Wednesday night, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) moved to schedule the next key vote for Friday. Senator John Thune (R-SD) said to expect a weekend vote. With the next key vote set for Friday, Kavanaugh could well be the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court before the weekend is out – assuming he can pull the votes.