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| Trump: FBI can question 'anybody' about Brett Kavanaugh | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| President Trump has said he wants the FBI to conduct a "very comprehensive investigation" into sexual assault allegations against his Supreme Court nominee - but not a "witch hunt". | President Trump has said he wants the FBI to conduct a "very comprehensive investigation" into sexual assault allegations against his Supreme Court nominee - but not a "witch hunt". |
| US media reports earlier suggested the White House wanted to restrict the inquiry into Judge Brett Kavanaugh. | US media reports earlier suggested the White House wanted to restrict the inquiry into Judge Brett Kavanaugh. |
| Mr Trump said he had requested that the FBI be given free rein, but added: "I'd like it to go quickly." | Mr Trump said he had requested that the FBI be given free rein, but added: "I'd like it to go quickly." |
| Judge Kavanaugh's friend Mark Judge has been interviewed by agents. | Judge Kavanaugh's friend Mark Judge has been interviewed by agents. |
| A lawyer for Mr Judge - a childhood friend of Mr Kavanaugh - said on Monday that his client's interview "has not been completed". | |
| Mr Judge's testimony is considered key to the investigation, as Professor Christine Blasey Ford says he was in the room when Brett Kavanaugh allegedly assaulted her at a house in 1982. | Mr Judge's testimony is considered key to the investigation, as Professor Christine Blasey Ford says he was in the room when Brett Kavanaugh allegedly assaulted her at a house in 1982. |
| Mr Judge has not appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee, but said in a statement: "I do not recall the party described in Dr Ford's letter." | |
| When will Senate vote on Kavanaugh? | |
| On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the upper chamber would vote this week on whether to confirm Judge Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. | |
| "The goal posts keep shifting," he said as he accused Democrats of attempting to derail the nomination. "But the goal hasn't moved an inch. | |
| "The time for endless delay and obstruction has come to a close." | "The time for endless delay and obstruction has come to a close." |
| Mr McConnell did not specify when exactly the vote would be held, but it is expected to be Friday - the deadline for the FBI to finish its inquiry - or the following day. | |
| Who is the FBI speaking to? | Who is the FBI speaking to? |
| The FBI is expected to interview Judge Kavanaugh and some of the women who have accused him of sexual misconduct - including Prof Ford, who testified last week to the Senate Judiciary Committee. | The FBI is expected to interview Judge Kavanaugh and some of the women who have accused him of sexual misconduct - including Prof Ford, who testified last week to the Senate Judiciary Committee. |
| Quoting an unnamed senior US official, NBC reported that the FBI's witness list does not include Julie Swetnick, the third accuser to come forward with a claim against Judge Kavanaugh. | |
| US reports also say former classmates of the judge who have claimed he drank heavily in college are not on the witness list. | |
| However, the New York Times earlier reported that a contemporary who accused the judge of lying under oath about his relationship with alcohol plans to speak to the FBI on Monday. | However, the New York Times earlier reported that a contemporary who accused the judge of lying under oath about his relationship with alcohol plans to speak to the FBI on Monday. |
| Because the agency isn't running a criminal investigation, but performing a background check at the request of the White House, it is the White House that defines the inquiry's parameters. | Because the agency isn't running a criminal investigation, but performing a background check at the request of the White House, it is the White House that defines the inquiry's parameters. |
| The president told reporters on Monday: "The FBI should interview anybody that they want within reason, but you have to say within reason." | The president told reporters on Monday: "The FBI should interview anybody that they want within reason, but you have to say within reason." |
| He went on: "They should also be guided, and I'm being guided, by what the senators are looking for." | He went on: "They should also be guided, and I'm being guided, by what the senators are looking for." |
| What are the drinking allegations? | What are the drinking allegations? |
| Professor Charles Ludington, who teaches at North Carolina State University, said he had seen Judge Kavanaugh slurring his words and staggering after excessive alcohol consumption while at Yale. | Professor Charles Ludington, who teaches at North Carolina State University, said he had seen Judge Kavanaugh slurring his words and staggering after excessive alcohol consumption while at Yale. |
| Outside his home on Monday, Prof Ludington told reporters "unequivocally" that Judge Kavanaugh "has not told the truth" in denying the possibility that he blacked out from drinking. | Outside his home on Monday, Prof Ludington told reporters "unequivocally" that Judge Kavanaugh "has not told the truth" in denying the possibility that he blacked out from drinking. |
| He added: "I never saw him passed out but I saw him quite drunk." | |
| The White House rebutted these claims with statements from two former Yale classmates of Judge Kavanaugh. | The White House rebutted these claims with statements from two former Yale classmates of Judge Kavanaugh. |
| Chris Dudley and Dan Murphy said they had never seen the nominee black out while drunk at Yale, or behave inappropriately with women. | |
| How have Democrats reacted? | How have Democrats reacted? |
| On Monday nine of the 10 Democrat Senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote to FBI Director Christopher Wray with a list of 24 people they believe should be interviewed. They called on the FBI to interview all three of the judge's accusers. | On Monday nine of the 10 Democrat Senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote to FBI Director Christopher Wray with a list of 24 people they believe should be interviewed. They called on the FBI to interview all three of the judge's accusers. |
| Democrats have requested copies of all the FBI's witness interviews, and the names of any who decline to co-operate. | Democrats have requested copies of all the FBI's witness interviews, and the names of any who decline to co-operate. |
| Judge Kavanaugh denies the claims of his accusers: | Judge Kavanaugh denies the claims of his accusers: |
| What's likely to happen at the vote? | What's likely to happen at the vote? |
| The Republican party's narrow 51-49 majority means if all Democratic senators vote against the nominee, Republicans can only afford one defection. | |
| In that instance, Vice-President Mike Pence has the casting vote, and would go in Judge Kavanaugh's favour. | |
| The FBI investigation was launched at the urging of Republican Senators Jeff Flake, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski. | The FBI investigation was launched at the urging of Republican Senators Jeff Flake, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski. |
| How teens are talking about sex in the #MeToo age | How teens are talking about sex in the #MeToo age |