Senate Democrats sending secret letter about Kavanaugh to FBI
By Jordain Carney - 09/13/18 01:06 PM EDT
Senate Democrats have referred a letter concerning Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh to the FBI for investigation.
“This matter has been referred to the FBI for investigation,†Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.), the No. 2 Senate Democrat and a member of the Judiciary Committee, told BuzzFeed News on Thursday about the letter.
A source familiar with the matter confirmed to The Hill that the letter had been referred to the FBI for investigation.
The letter has been the subject of days of intrigue on Capitol Hill but the contents of it have not been publicly disclosed by senators who have seen the document.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) was given the letter by Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), according to multiple reports.
But Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, has refused to answer multiple questions about the letter over the past two days.
She confirmed in a statement on Thursday that she had referred the matter to federal authorities.
"I have received information from an individual concerning the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. That individual strongly requested confidentiality, declined to come forward or press the matter further," Feinstein said.
"I have honored that decision. I have, however, referred the matter to federal investigative authorities," she continued.
Questions about the letter boiled over on Wednesday after The Intercept published a report saying Feinstein had refused to share the content of the letter with other members on the committee.
Sources told The Intercept that the letter was relayed by an individual affiliated with Stanford University. Some sources told the publication that it was about an incident involving Kavanaugh and a woman while they were in high school.
Attorney Debra Katz is believed to be representing the woman who is the subject of the letter, though she did not confirm that to The Intercept. She also declined to confirm to BuzzFeed News that she is representing the woman, and did not comment further.
Avery Anapol contributed.
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/406527-senate-democrats-sending-secret-letter-about-kavanaugh-to-fbi-report