The White House sent the FBI report on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. The FBI report was sent to the White House and Senate just hours after Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) took steps on Wednesday night to force a procedural vote on the nomination one hour after the Senate convenes on Friday.
McConnell filed a petition for a cloture vote, which, if successful, would limit debate on the nomination and start the clock ticking on a final 30-hour waiting period before a Senate confirmation vote. After filing a cloture petition, lawmakers must wait one legislative day before proceeding to a vote, according to Senate rules.
Senators have been studying the report to determine if the report satisfies their concerns about allegations against Kavanaugh regarding sexual misconduct in his high school and college years. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.
President Trump and the Senate Republican leadership are working to corral enough support for a majority vote for Kavanaugh, The Senate Judiciary Committee said lawmakers will review the report before a procedural vote advancing the nomination on Friday.
Senators Jeff Flack (R-AZ), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AR), could be key to whether Kavanaugh is confirmed given the narrow Republican majority in the chamber. The three Senators have criticized President Trump for mocking Christine Blasey Ford, at a political rally in Mississippi on Tuesday Ford has accused Kavanaugh of assaulting her in 1982.
Some Democrats said the FBI did not interview enough people, which reflects the partisan struggle that has developed around the report and over Kavanagh’s confirmation. Democrats are in near unanimity against Kavanugh’s nominate to the Supreme Court.
Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), who helped initiate the FBI probe, said he was concerned about the scope of the investigation, telling CNN that a number of important witnesses were not questioned. The White House rebuffed Democratic criticism over it handling of the FBI report, saying it had not micromanaged the agency or edited the report on allegations of sexual misconduct.
