https://www.wsj.com/articles/with-uncertainty-in-gop-ranks-mcconnell-plans-votes-on-kavanaugh-1538486533Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pressed Tuesday to hold a vote as soon as possible on Judge Brett Kavanaugh, with the FBI expected to wrap up its probe into allegations of sexual assault and misconduct by the Supreme Court nominee as soon as Wednesday.
Mr. McConnell was vague on the timing of his next steps. While he made clear the FBI’s findings wouldn’t derail plans for a vote, he retained flexibility to address the concerns of three undecided GOP senators—Jeff Flake of Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Given the GOP’s thin Senate majority, Mr. McConnell would need support of two of those three lawmakers if all Democrats vote against the judge.
“What I can tell you with certainty—we’ll have an FBI report this week, and we’ll have a vote this week,†Mr. McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, told reporters. He sidestepped questions on how long senators would have to review the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s findings and when he would hold a required procedural vote to set up the final confirmation.
It also remained unclear whether the public would have access to the FBI’s findings. Mr. McConnell said only senators would be able to see them, but his No. 2, Sen. John Cornyn (R., Texas), said “there does need to be some sort of public statement, if not the reports themselves.â€