The week-long FBI probe of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, which Democrats and GOP Senator Jeff Flake demanded before they voted on the federal judge’s confirmation, went to the Senate with an unwelcome message for his angry opponents: Not a single FBI witness corroborated the claims of Christine Blasey Ford, the psychology professor who accused Kavanaugh of attempted rape but who can’t remember key details.
Senators will view the report in one-hour turns by party today.
The reported landed on Capitol Hill as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) scheduled a procedural vote for Friday to move the confirmation of the embattled federal judge forward.
The Report
The report found nothing, the White House said, to corroborate the foggy claims of Ford or Kavanaugh’s college accuser, Debbie Ramirez.
Ford claimed attempted rape, but her own witnesses “refuted” and “failed to corroborate” the claim, the prosecutor who questioned her last week said. Ramirez claims Kavanaugh exposed himself to her. She claimed she was drunk when it allegedly happened, and she received a lot of help remembering Kavanaugh.
On CNN’s New Day, White House spokesman Raj Shah, noting that Kavanaugh was the most investigated nominee of all time, said the FBI contacted 10 witnesses to corroborate the murky charges against Kavanaugh. Nine responded — with nothing.
Said Senate Judiciary Committee Chuck Grassley, “There’s nothing in [the report] that we didn’t already know…. Neither the Judiciary Committee nor the FBI could locate any third parties who can attest to any of the allegations. There’s also no contemporaneous evidence. This investigation found no hint of misconduct and the same is true of the six prior FBI background investigations conducted during Judge Kavanaugh’s 25 years of public service.”
Continued Grassley:
Judge Kavanaugh is one of the most qualified nominees to ever come before the Senate. He’s served with distinction for twelve years on the nation’s most important circuit court and dedicated himself to serving the American public. We know that he will be an excellent justice because he’s been an excellent judge.
Ford’s Lawyers Blow Smoke
Unsurprisingly, Ford’s leftist lawyers quickly suggested the FBI’s not contacting Ford means the report is a whitewash. “An FBI supplemental background investigation that did not include an interview of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford — nor the witnesses who corroborate testimony — cannot be called an investigation,” they wrote. “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.”
But talking to Ford was unnecessary. She testified under oath on Thursday, and might well have perjured herself multiple times. Ford’s lawyers did not identify the “corroborating witnesses” the FBI overlooked. The witnesses Ford has offered — those she claims were at the house party when Kavanaugh allegedly assaulted her — have already sworn they don’t know what she is talking about. Thus, the prosecutor who questioned Ford last week said they “refuted” and “failed to corroborate” her story.
Ford’s attorneys have also played games with Ford’s notes from therapy, which supposedly corroborate her hazy account. When Senator Grassley demanded the attorney deliver the notes to the committee, the attorneys said they would give them to the FBI after it scheduled an interview with Ford. Replied Grassley, “It’s disappointing that Dr. Ford’s attorneys were willing to share evidence with The Washington Post many weeks ago but to this day refuse to share the same evidence, which Dr. Ford relied on in her testimony, with the Senate.”
Porn lawyer Michael Avenatti offered an opinion as well: “The FBI investigation was no investigation at all. @realDonaldTrump, @senatemajldr and @ChuckGrassley ensured that numerous key witnesses, including six very damaging witnesses I am aware of, were never even interviewed. Their conduct is a disgrace — they never wanted the truth.”
Avenatti represents Julie Swetnick, whose lurid tale of Kavanaugh’s teenage career as a criminal mastermind and gang rapist have fallen apart.
The Vote
After senators view the report, then rush to microphones to denounce the week-long investigation they requested, they vote on cloture, i.e., a motion to limit debate to 30 hours.
McConnell petitioned for cloture on Wednesday, which triggered a one-day wait before the actual vote to limit debate. The Senate votes on cloture an hour after it convenes; 60 senators are required for the motion to pass. The Senate might vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation on Saturday.
Photo: AP Images
