The number two Republican in the Senate. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) has confirmed that there will be an FBI investigation into the sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh.
The news:
LATEST: John Cornyn, the No. 2 GOP leader, says leaders have agreed to delay the Kavanaugh confirmation to allow for a one-week supplemental FBI probe.
— Laura Litvan (@LauraLitvan) September 28, 2018
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Video:
Here is Flake telling the Senate Judiciary Committee that he wants a delay and an FBI investigation:
Jeff Flake calls for a pause in Kavanaugh confirmation so that an FBI investigation can be done. Flake is telling McConnell that he doesn’t have his vote without an FBI investigation. pic.twitter.com/VD4TD4OOf1
— PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) September 28, 2018
Sen. Murkowski said, “I support an FBI investigation.”
If the Senate leadership has agreed to the one week delay and the FBI investigation, it means that the White House has agreed to the one week delay and the investigation. Reading between the lines what this means is that Mitch McConnell convinced Trump that without an investigation, Kavanaugh‘s nomination is going to go down in the Senate.
Trump‘s options were to ask for the FBI investigation or withdraw Kavanaugh‘s nomination. Since Trump believes that withdrawing Kavanaugh‘s nomination would make him look weak, he was always going to ask for the investigation if he was pushed by Republicans.
There will now be a delay and an FBI investigation. Brett Kavanaugh will not be seated before the fall Supreme Court term begins, and it is possible that he is never confirmed to be a Supreme Court justice.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association