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Democrats renew questions over Brett Kavanaugh's honesty and temperament Democrats renew questions over Brett Kavanaugh's honesty and temperament
(about 2 hours later)
Leading Democrats raised new questions on Tuesday about Brett Kavanaugh’s truthfulness and temperament, as the Senate awaits the completion of an FBI investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against the supreme court nominee. Senate Democrats raised new questions on Tuesday about Brett Kavanaugh’s truthfulness and temperament, as the Senate awaits the completion of an FBI investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against the supreme court nominee.
Kavanaugh’s furious performance before the Senate judiciary committee last Thursday has opened a new line of attack against the judge. Speaking on the senate floor on Tuesday morning, Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, said Kavanaugh’s testimony was riddled with misstatements and inaccuracies, and accused him of having “grossly mischaracterized his relationship with alcohol”. For Democrats firmly opposed to Kavanaugh, the judge’s furious performance before the Senate judiciary committee last Thursday has opened a new line of attack against his nomination. Kavanaugh gave testimony after his original accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, had done so.
Speaking on the senate floor on Tuesday morning, Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, said the judge’s testimony was riddled with misstatements and inaccuracies, and accused him of having “grossly mischaracterized his relationship with alcohol”.
“Even if you want to discount what happened when he was 15 in high school and 18 in college, you cannot discount what he is saying and professing at age 53 when it flies in the face of being truthful,” Schumer said.“Even if you want to discount what happened when he was 15 in high school and 18 in college, you cannot discount what he is saying and professing at age 53 when it flies in the face of being truthful,” Schumer said.
Moments earlier, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell accused Democrats of engaging in the “politics of personal destruction” against a “stunningly qualified nominee”.Moments earlier, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell accused Democrats of engaging in the “politics of personal destruction” against a “stunningly qualified nominee”.
“They will not be satisfied unless they have brought down judge Kavanaugh’s nomination,” McConnell said. But he said their attempts to delay and obstruct the judge’s nomination end this week. “Democrats may be trying to move the goalposts every five minutes – but their goal has not moved an inch,” he said. “They will not be satisfied unless they have brought down Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination.” But the Kentucky Republican said their attempts to delay and obstruct the judge’s nomination end this week.
“The Senate will vote on Judge Kavanaugh here on this floor this week,” he said. “The Senate will vote on Judge Kavanaugh here on this floor this week,” McConnell said.
Kavanaugh’s confirmation hinges on a small group of moderate senators who have not revealed how they plan to vote. Last week, a triumvirate of Republican senators – Jeff Flake of Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska – vowed to withhold support for the nominee unless the White House allowed a supplemental background check into claims of sexual assault against Kavanaugh from California university professor Christine Blasey Ford. Kavanaugh’s confirmation hinges on a small group of moderate senators who have not revealed how they plan to vote: Jeff Flake of Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
The judge has vehemently denied all of the allegations against him, from Ford and two other women who have accused him of sexual misconduct.The judge has vehemently denied all of the allegations against him, from Ford and two other women who have accused him of sexual misconduct.
Flake, who stressed that he remains undecided, said he was “very troubled by the tone” of Kavanaugh’s remarks, especially his exchanges with Democratic members of the committee during last week’s hearing.
“The interaction with the members was sharp and partisan, and that concerns me,” Flake said during an interview at The Atlantic Festival in Washington on Tuesday. “I tell myself: ‘You give a little leeway because of what he’s been through.’ But on the other hand, we can’t have this on the court. We simply can’t.”
Flake later told the Guardian that he and Democratic senator Chris Coons, who is also on the committee, are working with White House counsel Don McGahn to expand the remit of the FBI investigation.
“I had concern initially with just the named individuals and whether it would stop there or go on, as I believe was clearly the intent to,” Flake said. “Those individuals were interviewed, [then] to go ahead and interview anything that resulted from those interviews, and some of that is going on.”
Senator Lindsey Graham, one of Kavanaugh’s most forceful supporters, urged his Capitol Hill colleagues to “not quit” on the embattled nominee.
“It is incredibly important we do not legitimize these smears and attempts at character assassination for the good of the court, the future of the Senate, and the character of our nation,” he said in a statement. Graham has also said that if Kavanaugh’s nomination fails in a senate vote, Trump should renominate him.
The FBI has been given until Friday to investigate the claims and Republican senators say they expect the bureau to complete its probe by the deadline.The FBI has been given until Friday to investigate the claims and Republican senators say they expect the bureau to complete its probe by the deadline.
In a statement to the Maine newspaper the Portland Press Herald, a spokeswoman for Collins said she, Murkowski and Flake “advocated for the additional background investigation because she believed that it could help the senators evaluate the claims that have been brought to the Judiciary committee”. In a statement to the Maine newspaper the Portland Press Herald, a spokeswoman for Collins said she, Murkowski and Flake thought the additional background check would help the Senate’s evaluation.
“That would include the allegations that were brought by Julie Swetnick,” the statement said, referring to the third woman to come forward, after Ford and Deborah Ramirez. Last week, Swetnick accused Kavanaugh in an affidavit of sexual misconduct at drunken high school parties.“That would include the allegations that were brought by Julie Swetnick,” the statement said, referring to the third woman to come forward, after Ford and Deborah Ramirez. Last week, Swetnick accused Kavanaugh in an affidavit of sexual misconduct at drunken high school parties.
Meanwhile, former classmates and acquaintances of Kavanaugh say the image he presented to the committee of his younger days does not match the man they knew in high school and college.Meanwhile, former classmates and acquaintances of Kavanaugh say the image he presented to the committee of his younger days does not match the man they knew in high school and college.
On Monday, NBC reported that Kavanaugh had contacted former classmates and asked them to refute Ramirez’s claims before the New Yorker published her account.
A police report obtained by the New York Times shows Kavanaugh was questioned by police following an altercation at a bar when he was a student at Yale University in 1985. The incident was made public after Yale classmate Charles Ludington accused Kavanaugh of being untruthful in his testimony.A police report obtained by the New York Times shows Kavanaugh was questioned by police following an altercation at a bar when he was a student at Yale University in 1985. The incident was made public after Yale classmate Charles Ludington accused Kavanaugh of being untruthful in his testimony.
Ludington, who now teaches at North Carolina State University, has said he was present for the incident described in the police report. In a statement, Ludington said a group of friends had been staring at the man they said looked like Ali Campbell, the lead singer of UB40, the band they had just seen. The man responded by swearing at them. Ludington has said he was present for the incident described in the police report. In a statement, Ludington said a group of friends had been staring at the man they said looked like Ali Campbell, the lead singer of UB40, the band they had just seen. The man responded by swearing at them.
A brawl ensued, prompting a call to the police. Kavanaugh was among those questioned in relation to the incident but was not arrested. There was also no indication any charges were filed. A brawl ensued, prompting a call to the police. Kavanaugh was among those questioned in relation to the incident but was not arrested.
Schumer pointed to these reports as further evidence that Kavanaugh had not been truthful to the committee. In his remarks, McConnell dismissed them, and sarcastically referred to the incident at the bar from 30-years ago as a “bombshell” and pledged to press forward with a vote. Schumer pointed to these reports as further evidence that Kavanaugh had not been truthful to the committee.
Earlier on Tuesday, Iowa senator Joni Ernst, one of six Republican women in the chamber, said she plans to vote for Kavanaugh unless the investigation corroborates the allegations against him.
“What message that sends to women in America is that we are innocent until proven guilty in this country,” she said in an interview with CBS This Morning.
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