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WASHINGTON – The week-long clock on Justice Brett's new substantive investigation Mr. Kavanaugh on F.B. began on Saturday as Washington prepared for new days of political struggle over whether to sit on the Supreme Court.
Law enforcement officials began contacting potential witnesses while they were investigating allegations of sexual misconduct by Judge Kavanaugh.
Addressing reporters on Saturday before heading to a rally in West Virginia, President Trump said the F.B.I. an investigation could be a "blessing in disguise".
"I guess it will go very well," said Trump, adding that he thought Judge Kavanaugh was going to be "fine".
Mr. Trump said the F.B.I. they had "free will – they can do whatever they have to do". But the Senate Judiciary Committee, asking the White House to investigate, said it should be limited to "current credible allegations". one week.
Last week, Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology researcher from California, described what she called an attempted rape perpetrated by the judge in the early 1980s when she was testifying before the Judiciary Committee. Senate.
A lawyer for another accuser, Deborah Ramirez, a Yale classmate of Judge Kavanaugh, saying the judge had exposed her genitals at a dorm party, said Saturday that the F.B.I. I had contacted him about talking with Mrs. Ramirez.
"We can confirm the F.B.I. "She spoke with Ms. Ramirez and she agreed to cooperate with their investigation," said John Clune, her lawyer, in a statement, refusing to make further comments.
Judge Kavanaugh angrily denied the accusations of Dr. Blasey and Ms. Ramirez in her own testimony before the Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
At least one of the potential witnesses who may be interviewed by the F.B.I. – Leland Keyser, who said that Dr. Blasey was at the high school rally where the assault was allegedly taking place – informed the Judiciary Committee on Saturday morning of his cooperation with the investigation of F.B.I.
Dr. Keyser, a long-time friend of Dr. Blasey, said she did not remember the meeting in question. But his lawyer, Howard J. Walsh III, said in a letter to the committee that the fact that his client did not remember the meeting did not mean that she did not believe Dr. Blasey.
"Notably, Ms. Keyser does not rebut Dr. Ford's story and she has already told the press that she was convinced of the story of Dr. Ford," wrote her lawyer. Dr. Blasey sometimes uses his wife name, Ford.
In her testimony on Thursday, Justice Kavanaugh stated that Ms. Keyser's earlier statements had "rebutted" Dr. Blasey's accusations.
Republican Senators Jeff Flake of Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska on Friday forced the Senate's late vote on Judge Kavanaugh's confirmation to reflect the new review. Without their vote to confirm the judge, President Trump and the Republican leaders of the Senate had no choice but to request an F.B.I. investigation – a move the Democrats had been asking for days.
"The Supreme Court is the only institution where most Americans still have faith. And then, the US Senate as an institution – we are all too much apart, "said Flake, recalling what he said when he announced his retirement." There is no There is no market to cross the alley, it makes things so difficult.
Mr. Flake acknowledged that opponents of Justice Kavanaugh's confirmation might try to take advantage of this delay to get himself dirty. But the senator said that unless the F.B.I. the investigation revealed new concerns; it was likely to support the judge's confirmation.
"I am a conservative. He is conservative. I plan to support it unless they reveal something – and they could do it, "said Flake, who said he would like to receive the F.B.I. to speak to Mark Judge, a friend of Judge Kavanaugh whom Dr. Blasey identified as a key witness to his allegation and who disputed his story.
Nevertheless, this decision has left both parties nervous and uncertain as to what could happen in the battle against the Supreme Court, which is taking place a few weeks before voters go to the polls to determine congressional control until the next day. the end of Mr. Trump's term. in the office.
The nationally televised testimony of Mr. Blasey and Judge Kavanaugh may have aggravated the divisions of an already polarized electorate. If Judge Kavanaugh is confirmed, it could increase the number of women and Liberals who come to vote. If it is rejected, rabid conservatives could go to the polls.
The new investigation by F.B.I. is a Judge Kavanaugh's limited background check, not a full criminal investigation. The office is only looking for what it has been ordered to examine in the White House.
It was not clear either whether the F.B.I. would investigate a series of allegations made by a third woman, Julie Swetnick, who reported witnessing ill-treatment of women at high school parties by the drunken judge Kavanaugh. girls.
"We have not heard the FBI yet. When and if we do, we will promptly disclose to them all information and witnesses in our possession, "said Michael Avenatti, Ms. Swetnick's lawyer. said on Twitter on Saturday. "We continue to ask for this opportunity as we have been doing for days."
Judge Kavanaugh also strongly denied Ms. Swetnick's allegations, calling them completely false and ridiculous.
Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent Vermont, on Saturday called for an even broader investigation, writing in a letter to the chairman of the judicial commission to inform him that the F.B.I. should consider whether Judge Kavanaugh lied to senators in his testimony.
"A fundamental question of F.B.I. can help answer is whether Judge Kavanaugh has been honest with the committee. This goes to the very heart of knowing it's to be upheld in court, "wrote Sanders in his letter to President, Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa. Some of Judge Kavanaugh's opponents have questioned the statements he made about his juvenile alcohol consumption and his high school yearbook.
It is unlikely that Mr. Sanders will get his wish. In a statement Friday announcing that he had requested the F.B.I. Inquiry, Mr. Trump said it had to be "limited in scope and completed in less than a week".
It is clear, however, that Mr. Blasey's charges will be part of the new background investigation, with the officers trying to determine who is telling the truth about what happened between her and Judge Kavanaugh.
During his testimony, Judge Kavanaugh repeatedly reiterated that Ms. Keyser and two others had challenged Dr. Blasey's allegations. Dr. Blasey had stated that two of them were in the house and that one of them, Mr. Judge, said Friday that he would cooperate with the FBI. investigation – was in the room at the time of the alleged assault.
"Dr. Ford's allegation is not simply unsubstantiated, it is also rebutted by the very people it says they were present, including by one of her longtime friends, "Justice Kavanaugh said Thursday.
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