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| Brett Kavanaugh: where things stand in the controversial confirmation battle | Brett Kavanaugh: where things stand in the controversial confirmation battle |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The US Senate is preparing to vote on the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the supreme court. Here’s where things stand in the controversial battle that has roiled American politics for weeks. | The US Senate is preparing to vote on the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the supreme court. Here’s where things stand in the controversial battle that has roiled American politics for weeks. |
| When will the Senate vote? | When will the Senate vote? |
| A vote to end debate on the Kavanaugh nomination is scheduled to be held Friday. If it passes – the Republicans can afford only one defection if all Democrats oppose the pick – then a final vote on the nomination would be held over the weekend, likely on Saturday. | A vote to end debate on the Kavanaugh nomination is scheduled to be held Friday. If it passes – the Republicans can afford only one defection if all Democrats oppose the pick – then a final vote on the nomination would be held over the weekend, likely on Saturday. |
| What happened in the last week? | What happened in the last week? |
| The FBI interviewed a reported nine people about at least two separate incidents of sexual assault allegedly perpetrated by Kavanaugh, allegations he denies. | The FBI interviewed a reported nine people about at least two separate incidents of sexual assault allegedly perpetrated by Kavanaugh, allegations he denies. |
| Democrats called the investigation a sham. Republicans said it was thorough. | Democrats called the investigation a sham. Republicans said it was thorough. |
| The investigation was opened after Dr Christine Blasey Ford, a California professor, testified last week that she had been sexually assaulted at a house party by Kavanaugh when she was 15 years old and he was 17. She said Kavanaugh’s friend Mark Judge was in the room cheering the future judge on. Kavanaugh vehemently denied the account. | The investigation was opened after Dr Christine Blasey Ford, a California professor, testified last week that she had been sexually assaulted at a house party by Kavanaugh when she was 15 years old and he was 17. She said Kavanaugh’s friend Mark Judge was in the room cheering the future judge on. Kavanaugh vehemently denied the account. |
| The FBI interviewed Judge. They also interviewed the second woman to accuse Kavanaugh of assault, Deborah Ramirez, a former classmate of Kavanaugh’s at Yale who said he exposed himself to her at a dorm party. Kavanaugh also denied that accusation. | The FBI interviewed Judge. They also interviewed the second woman to accuse Kavanaugh of assault, Deborah Ramirez, a former classmate of Kavanaugh’s at Yale who said he exposed himself to her at a dorm party. Kavanaugh also denied that accusation. |
| Senators spent Thursday reviewing a closely held FBI report on its findings. Judiciary committee chairman Chuck Grassley said the report contained “nothing that we didn’t already know”. The White House thought the report vindicated Kavanaugh, the Wall Street Journal reported. | Senators spent Thursday reviewing a closely held FBI report on its findings. Judiciary committee chairman Chuck Grassley said the report contained “nothing that we didn’t already know”. The White House thought the report vindicated Kavanaugh, the Wall Street Journal reported. |
| The limited FBI investigation was proposed by Republican senator Jeff Flake last week as a way to ensure the Senate handled Ford’s allegations – and protesters’ concerns – responsibly. Democrats called for a thorough investigation. | The limited FBI investigation was proposed by Republican senator Jeff Flake last week as a way to ensure the Senate handled Ford’s allegations – and protesters’ concerns – responsibly. Democrats called for a thorough investigation. |
| Was the investigation thorough? | Was the investigation thorough? |
| Democrats and some Republican figures – though no Republican senators – are saying that the investigation was not at all thorough. They say the FBI failed to speak with dozens of potential witnesses. Here’s a breakdown: | Democrats and some Republican figures – though no Republican senators – are saying that the investigation was not at all thorough. They say the FBI failed to speak with dozens of potential witnesses. Here’s a breakdown: |
| The Ford incident | The Ford incident |
| Ford herself was not interviewed. Nor was Kavanaugh. In a letter to the FBI, lawyers for Ford said: “We are profoundly disappointed that after the tremendous sacrifice she made in coming forward, those directing the FBI investigation were not interested in seeking the truth.” | Ford herself was not interviewed. Nor was Kavanaugh. In a letter to the FBI, lawyers for Ford said: “We are profoundly disappointed that after the tremendous sacrifice she made in coming forward, those directing the FBI investigation were not interested in seeking the truth.” |
| They submitted a list of at least 22 people willing to speak with the FBI who might have been able to provide relevant testimony. None were contacted. | They submitted a list of at least 22 people willing to speak with the FBI who might have been able to provide relevant testimony. None were contacted. |
| The Ramirez incident | The Ramirez incident |
| Lawyers for Ramirez sent the FBI a list of more than 20 people who might be able to corroborate her story. None appear to have been contacted. One former suitemate of Kavanaugh, Kenneth G Appold, told the New Yorker that he remembered hearing about the incident at the time. He was not interviewed. | Lawyers for Ramirez sent the FBI a list of more than 20 people who might be able to corroborate her story. None appear to have been contacted. One former suitemate of Kavanaugh, Kenneth G Appold, told the New Yorker that he remembered hearing about the incident at the time. He was not interviewed. |
| Possible false statements | Possible false statements |
| Multiple people have stepped forward in the past week to say that Kavanaugh misled the Senate about his youthful drinking and other details. In a piece for Slate, former Kavanaugh roommate James Roche said Kavanaugh “stood up under oath and lied about his drinking and about the meaning of words in his yearbook”, which Roche said referred to sexual activity despite Kavanaugh’s denials. | Multiple people have stepped forward in the past week to say that Kavanaugh misled the Senate about his youthful drinking and other details. In a piece for Slate, former Kavanaugh roommate James Roche said Kavanaugh “stood up under oath and lied about his drinking and about the meaning of words in his yearbook”, which Roche said referred to sexual activity despite Kavanaugh’s denials. |
| On Thursday, New Jersey senator Robert Menendez called the FBI inquiry “a bullshit investigation”. | On Thursday, New Jersey senator Robert Menendez called the FBI inquiry “a bullshit investigation”. |
| What else has happened? | What else has happened? |
| Donald Trump mocked Ford, who admitted to not remembering certain details of the alleged assault, at a campaign-style rally on Tuesday with a question-and-answer patter that brought cheers from a crowd in Southaven, Mississippi. | Donald Trump mocked Ford, who admitted to not remembering certain details of the alleged assault, at a campaign-style rally on Tuesday with a question-and-answer patter that brought cheers from a crowd in Southaven, Mississippi. |
| “How did you get home?” Trump said, echoing a question Ford was asked by the committee. “I don’t remember,” the president said. | “How did you get home?” Trump said, echoing a question Ford was asked by the committee. “I don’t remember,” the president said. |
| “How did you get there? ‘I don’t remember.’ Where is the place? ‘I don’t remember.’ How many years ago was it? ‘I don’t know.’ What neighborhood was it? ‘I don’t know.’ Where’s the house? ‘I don’t know.’” | “How did you get there? ‘I don’t remember.’ Where is the place? ‘I don’t remember.’ How many years ago was it? ‘I don’t know.’ What neighborhood was it? ‘I don’t know.’ Where’s the house? ‘I don’t know.’” |
| Trump concluded the riff by lamenting the personal cost to Kavanaugh of Ford’s allegations and by insinuating that Ford was part of a partisan conspiracy. “They destroy people; these are really evil people,” Trump said. | Trump concluded the riff by lamenting the personal cost to Kavanaugh of Ford’s allegations and by insinuating that Ford was part of a partisan conspiracy. “They destroy people; these are really evil people,” Trump said. |
| Last Saturday, meanwhile, Matt Damon sent up Kavanaugh on Saturday Night Live: | Last Saturday, meanwhile, Matt Damon sent up Kavanaugh on Saturday Night Live: |
| Late Thursday, Kavanaugh took the unusual move of publishing an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal titled “I am an independent, impartial judge.” The piece sought to address concerns about his demeanor after he repeatedly lashed out in Senate testimony and blamed the pressure on him over his alleged past violent conduct on the Clintons. | |
| “I was very emotional last Thursday, more so than I have ever been,” Kavanaugh wrote. “I might have been too emotional at times. I know that my tone was sharp, and I said a few things I should not have said.” | |
| Does it look like he’ll be confirmed? | Does it look like he’ll be confirmed? |
| It’s close. An unexpected senator may defect from either side, changing the confirmation calculus. But for now, Kavanaugh’s fate appears to rest with Republican senator Lisa Murkowski, who has said she is still reviewing the evidence, and with Republican senator Susan Collins. But the situation remains fluid and hard to predict. | It’s close. An unexpected senator may defect from either side, changing the confirmation calculus. But for now, Kavanaugh’s fate appears to rest with Republican senator Lisa Murkowski, who has said she is still reviewing the evidence, and with Republican senator Susan Collins. But the situation remains fluid and hard to predict. |
| In a potentially positive indication for Kavanaugh, Collins said Thursday that she found the FBI investigation be “very thorough” at a glance. Flake agreed with her, saying “we’ve seen no additional corroborating information” of the allegations against Kavanaugh. | In a potentially positive indication for Kavanaugh, Collins said Thursday that she found the FBI investigation be “very thorough” at a glance. Flake agreed with her, saying “we’ve seen no additional corroborating information” of the allegations against Kavanaugh. |
| Democratic senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia had not said as of late Thursday that he intended to vote against Kavanaugh. | Democratic senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia had not said as of late Thursday that he intended to vote against Kavanaugh. |
| Is Justice Kavanaugh a fait accompli? | Is Justice Kavanaugh a fait accompli? |
| The activists on Capitol Hill don’t think so. | The activists on Capitol Hill don’t think so. |
| It’s big and loud in Hart right now for anti-Kavanaugh rally. Police moving in. pic.twitter.com/5P07SQ3MXh | It’s big and loud in Hart right now for anti-Kavanaugh rally. Police moving in. pic.twitter.com/5P07SQ3MXh |
| Brett Kavanaugh | Brett Kavanaugh |
| US Senate | US Senate |
| US politics | US politics |
| US supreme court | US supreme court |
| explainers | explainers |
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