Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court Appointment tops Key Senate Vote: NPR

The Senate is expected to vote Friday morning on the first stage of Judge Brett Kavanaugh's appointment to the Supreme Court after the release of an FBI report on Kavanaugh's allegations of sexual misconduct.

Senators had a day to review a confidential additional background check regarding Kavanaugh's behavior from the early to mid-1980s, while he was in high school and at university. Republican leaders celebrate this tightly monitored collection of interviews as concrete evidence that Kavanaugh neither harassed nor abused women. Democrats say that the talks they originally asked for are incomplete and inconclusive.

The FBI report did little to mitigate a bitter partisan struggle over Kavanaugh's appointment. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Said the Senate would proceed anyway during a Friday procedural vote that could pave the way for a final confirmation vote on Saturday.

"What we know for sure, is that the FBI report has corroborated none of the charges against Judge Kavanaugh," McConnell said at a press conference. "The second thing we are sure of is that there is no way to satisfy the Democrats."

Kavanaugh took an unusual step to boost his appointment Thursday night by writing an editorial in the the Wall Street newspaper expressing regret for the shameful tone of his testimony before the Judiciary Committee of the Senate last week, including comments denouncing democratic attacks deemed too partisan by some hesitant senators.

"I was very emotional last Thursday, more than ever, I might have been too emotional at times.I know my tone was sharp and I said a few things that I did not know. should not have said, "wrote Kavanaugh.

McConnell needs 51 votes to lift the procedural hurdle on Friday. Republicans have enough votes to fight alone, but only if they get support from Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., And Susan Collins, R-Maine, who refused to exercise their judgment the FBI has completed its work.

All three spent hours in a secure room in the basement of Thursday Capitol to review the approximately 45 pages of FBI interviews. Collins and Flake both said the investigation was thorough, but neither of them would say they are now ready to vote to confirm Kavanaugh.

Flake forced the Republicans to launch the additional investigation last week after a tense negotiation with Democrats of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Flake spent much of the afternoon reviewing the work of the FBI and said he saw no new evidence corroborating the claims against Kavanaugh, which Flake had previously indicated he wanted to vote to confirm.

The Democrats have seen something very different in the report. Several have criticized the Republicans for limiting the FBI's investigation to just nine interviews. They said the process had ignored many potential witnesses, including Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who had initially accused Kavanaugh of having sexually assaulted her at an evening in a high school in the United States. 1980s.

The FBI also did not interview Kavanaugh.

Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said the issues raised serious doubts about Kavanaugh and his qualifications.

"Judge Kavanaugh stated at the hearing that the people involved in the incident involving Dr. Ford had refuted his version of the events," said Schumer. "According to their own public statements, we knew it was wrong and nothing in this report changes that."

Senator Heidi Heitkamp, ​​D-N.D., announced Thursday that she would oppose Kavanaugh. Heitkamp is one of the most vulnerable Democrats on the ballot in November and has seen his number of polls dwindle in recent weeks. She is running for re-election in a state that President Trump won in 2016 of more than 35 points.

Heitkamp said she was troubled by Kavanaugh's aggressive appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee and the message that his confirmation would send to women and girls across the country.

"When we are considering a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court, we must weigh all the circumstances and record in front of us," Heitkamp said in a statement. "In addition to concerns about his past behavior, last Thursday's hearing questioned Justice Kavanaugh's current temper, honesty, and impartiality."

His opposition leaves Senator Joe Manchin, D -W.Va., the only undecided Democrat. He is also in a difficult re-election campaign and has kept silent about Kavanaugh in the days leading up to the vote.

The nomination now depends on the decisions of Collins, Murkowski, Flake and Manchin.