Two Key Republicans (Flake, Collins) Signal Satisfaction With F.B.I.’s Kavanaugh Inquiry

[SirLinksALot]

SOURCE: NEW YORK TIMES

URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/04/us/politics/brett-kavanaugh-supreme-court.html

by Nicholas Fandos and Sheryl Gay Stolberg


WASHINGTON — Two key undecided senators signaled Thursday that they are satisfied with the F.B.I.’s investigation into allegations of sexual assault against Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, and Senate Republican leaders were increasingly confident that he would be confirmed to the Supreme Court.

Senators Jeff Flake of Arizona and Susan Collins of Maine did not say that they will vote for Judge Kavanaugh, President Trump’s second Supreme Court nominee. But after a closed-door briefing in which Republicans were told that no witnesses corroborated the accounts of Judge Kavanaugh’s main accusers, both made positive remarks. A yes vote from both would secure Judge Kavanaugh’s seat on the highest court in the land.

“It appears to be a very thorough investigation, but I am going back later today to personally read the interviews,” Ms. Collins said. “That’s really all I have to say right now.”

Mr. Flake told reporters, “We’ve seen no additional corroborating information.”

During the briefing, which lasted nearly an hour, Republican aides went through 46 pages of interview reports, nine of them devoted to a single witness: Mark Judge, a friend and high school drinking buddy of Judge Kavanaugh whom Dr. Blasey said was present when the future judge tried to rape her during a high school gathering when they were teenagers, most likely during in the summer of 1982.

Democrats tried to keep up the pressure, challenging the legitimacy of the investigation. They said the F.B.I., at the White House’s direction, had left key witnesses off the interview list and left leads unexplored.

“What I can say is the most notable part of this report is what’s not in it,” Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, told reporters at a brief appearance in the Capitol.

(Excerpt) Read more at above link....

[dfwgator]

We've got this!

[Jazzhead]

Democrats tried to keep up the pressure, challenging the legitimacy of the investigation. They said the F.B.I., at the White House’s direction, had left key witnesses off the interview list and left leads unexplored.

Noise.  Is there a single Dem that would change his or her mind based on a protracted investigation?  Of course not.   This is all about Flake, Collins and Murky.   

The case is very simple:   Blasey Ford alleges an event that took place at a party and named four individuals who were there besides Kav.  None could vouch for her, not even her long time friend Leland who (by all logic) would have known of Blasey Ford's distress since she alleges she walked out on her friend and the party and got home by unknown means.   

[austingirl]

Just heard that Flake is going back to read more of the report. Look at me! Look at me!

[thackney]

Noise.  Is there a single Dem that would change his or her mind based on a protracted investigation?...

Joe Manchin?

[dfwgator]

Just heard that Flake is going back to read more of the report. Look at me! Look at me!

Keep him away from any elevators.

[TomSea]

I earnestly hope, Kavanaugh will be a good justice and not be like Anthony Kennedy who he is replacing. I've read a few articles, not all are positive on this aspect.

If the Dems had any honesty (I know, I know, this is extinct in the party) or even intellect, there would have been a very legitimate  and PROVABLE way of NOT CONFIRMING Kavanaugh.

Kavanaugh’s stance on warrantless spying is extremely troubling – although there may be some signs his opinion has changed.

His original viewpoint on warrantless wiretapping claimed it was consistent with the Fourth Amendment.

In a concurrence in the 2015 Klayman vs. Obama decision before the DC Circuit, he wrote this (Excerpt):

.

... critical national security need outweighs the impact on privacy occasioned by this program. The Government’s program does not capture the content of communications, but rather the time and duration of calls, and the numbers called. In short, the Government’s program fits comfortably within the Supreme Court precedents applying the special needs doctrine.

This is obviously troublesome because you’re talking about secret courts which hardly give people the avenue to dispute why their data is being seized. It should also be pointed out we’re talking about a government which is considering a law forcing nonprofits to share information with police and regulators “regarding individuals, entities, organizations, and countries suspected of possible human trafficking or related money laundering activities.”

This bill would allow the government to get information on people without a warrant or probable cause. Financial entities or nonprofits who go along with this awful law are exempt from any possible civil action from those who somehow find out their information is exposed.

OK, let me end here. The Senate, if they were doing their job would be harping on this decision and making it an issue, which is a LEGITIMATE and VERY IMPORTANT ONE at that.

That this issue was not given any importance in favor of a juvenile attack that may not have happened 36 years ago just shows us the kind of people we are voting into our national legislature.

[andy58-in-nh]

Keep him away from any elevators.

Unless the door is left open for repairs on a high floor.... 

[Fishrrman]

dfwgator wrote:
"We've got this!"

Hold on, don't get overoptimisitic.

There's supposed to be a cloture vote coming up -- is it later today, or tomorrow?

This will not be "the final vote", but a vote to end debate (well, actually to limit it to 30 more hours), after which will come the actual vote to confirm.

Let's see how Flake (the snake), Collins and Murkowski vote on this.
Even if they all vote "aye", remember -- all this does is "move the process along".
They could still change their minds later on.

Things are looking slightly better after the comments Flake (the snake) and Collins have made.
But this is far from "over", yet.

[verga]

Joe Manchin?

Possibly Clair Mccaskill. She just took a beating in the polls when she said that she was agaisnt him.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

After all that grovelling to the left they will still be hated by them.

[corbe]

   If it's a done deal Schumer will allow McCaskill and Manchin to vote Yea to try and avoid the bloodbath of their re election, IMHO.