Senators vote on Kavanaugh's nomination

By Brian Ries, Meg Wagner, Jessie Yeung, Veronica Rocha and Paul P. Murphy, CNN

Updated 1:11 PM ET, Sun November 25, 2018
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5:30 p.m. ET, October 1, 2018

Grassley on FBI’s scope: “I’ll let the FBI decide what’s a credible investigation”

From CNN's Jeremy Herb

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley declined on Friday to elaborate on what the FBI's investigation can cover; he would only say the bureau was investigating credible allegations, and wouldn't say if that included third accuser Julie Swetnick or alleged misleading or untrue statements to the committee.

When asked about the scope of the investigation, Grassley only said it included "credible allegations as of last Friday...I guess I'll let the FBI decide what's a credible allegation."   

Another reporter asked if the FBI would look at allegations that Kavanaugh misled the committee, to which Grassley responded, "We will leave the FBI to follow the facts. And the FBI is doing that the way they would normally do it."

5:19 p.m. ET, October 1, 2018

Key GOP senators demand a 'real' investigation on Kavanaugh

From CNN's Dana Bash, Jim Acosta and Clare Foran

Key Republican senators have called the White House over the past 24 hours to make clear that they expect a thorough FBI investigation into the allegations against Kavanaugh, CNN learned on Friday.

According to a White House official, the White House has made it clear to the FBI that agents are not limited in their expanded background search.

On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell informed the White House that  Republican Sens. Jeff Flake, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins want the FBI to interview four witnesses: Mark Judge, Leland Keyser, Patrick J. Smyth and Deborah Ramirez. The first three are possible witnesses to Ford's allegations, while Ramirez has separately accused Kavanaugh in a New Yorker report.

These key senators wanted the White House to know they expect those interviews to be a start, not necessarily the full extent of the investigation.

On Monday, Flake said he wants the FBI to conduct a "real investigation" and not one that "just gives us more cover."

Read the full report here.

4:54 p.m. ET, October 1, 2018

Two more Yale classmates release statements on Kavanaugh

The White House has released statements from two of Kavanaugh's Yale classmates, who defend his character and say they never saw him black out from drinking.

Read them here:

Dan Murphy:

I was one of Brett’s roommates or suite mates for most of our time at Yale. Along with our other suite mates, I not only socialized with Brett, but I was there with him at the end of the night when we came home, and there in the morning when we got up. I never saw Brett black out or not be able to remember the prior evening’s events, nor did I ever see Brett act aggressive, hostile, or in a sexually aggressive manner to women. Brett was and is a good-natured, kind, and friendly person, to men and women. The behavior I’ve heard other people want to attribute to him, but from people who did not live with Brett and therefore not in the same position to observe, is simply wrong, and such behavior is incompatible with what I know to be true. 

Chris Dudley:

I have known Brett Kavanaugh for over 35 years as we met freshman year at Yale University. I was a kid coming all the way from California not knowing anyone but I was a driven athlete and student. I knew Yale would be a tough, especially juggling a sport and school, so I looked to find friends who had the similar goals. It wasn’t long before Brett became one of my best friends at Yale because he too expressed that he was driven, had goals, one of which was to be the top of his class. His desire to work very hard and make school his number one priority helped me stay focused. But like nearly every other college student we took breaks from school and went out for drinks and to see friends.  
I will say it again, we drank in college. I was with Brett frequently in college, whether it be in the gym, in class or socializing. I never ever saw Brett blackout. Not one time. And in all the years I have known him, I have never seen him to be disrespectful or inappropriate with women. I would also like to point out that going out never came before working hard and maintaining our focus on our goals.
The person sometimes being described in the press is not the Brett Kavanaugh that I have known as a good friend for 35 years. The person they are trying to describe would not be able to function day to day. But what is indisputable is Brett graduated with distinction from one of the top universities in our country, he went on to graduate from one of the top law schools and has served honorably in one of the highest courts in the land.

Dudley spoke to CNN last week, admitting that he did see Kavanaugh drinking, but that he never saw Kavanaugh get out of control. Dudley said there was drinking at Yale, but that it was “not crazy.”

4:35 p.m. ET, October 1, 2018

Sen. Schumer excoriates Kavanaugh, wants Senate briefed on FBI probe before vote

In a floor speech, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the FBI must do a “thorough” investigation and brief the Senate on its findings before a final vote.

"Whether you are for or against Judge Kavanaugh going to the Supreme Court, it will only benefit the country if the investigation is regarded as fair, clear, and not constrained particularly by partisan means," Schumer said. "For that reason, we hope the FBI will be available to brief the Senate on the results of the investigation before a final floor vote."

Schumer also criticized Kavanaugh's Friday testimony, saying, "When questioned, Judge Kavanaugh impugned the motive of sitting senators, rudely interrupting and dismissing questions in a way I've never seen tolerated from a witness."

Schumer further questioned Kavanaugh's credibility, emphasizing his "deep partisan resentments" and saying he would "mislead, even prevaricate senators about everything from the momentous to the mundane" to get confirmed.

6:50 p.m. ET, October 1, 2018

Mitch McConnell says Senate will vote on Kavanaugh this week

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the time for “delay and obstruction” during the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation process has come to a close.

On the Senate floor, he said, “we will be voting this week."

Earlier in his speech, he accused Democrats of "moving the goal posts" on the judge's nomination.

4:00 p.m. ET, October 1, 2018

Mitch McConnell: You can "hear the sounds of the Democrats moving the goal posts"

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, speaking from the floor of the Senate, blamed Senate Democrats for "moving the goal posts" and delaying Brett Kavanaugh's conformation process.

McConnell said that while Democrats have said an FBI investigation into Kavanaugh can be completed in a week, he suspects they'll be unhappy when its finished.

"I bet almost anything that after it runs its course in the next few days, we will then be treated to a lecture that anything short of a totally unbounded fishing expedition of indefinite duration is too limited or too arbitrary or somehow insufficient," he said.

McConnell added: "If you listen carefully... you can practically hear the sounds of the Democrats moving the goal posts."

An important note: While Senate Democrats on the Judiciary Committee have long called for an FBI investigation into the allegations against Kavanaugh, it was Republican Sen. Jeff Flake's request for one that ultimately propelled its launch.

Flake on Friday voted for Kavanaugh to move out of the committee. But he also made clear that he would not vote for Kavanaugh on the Senate floor without an FBI investigation of the sexual assault allegation against him.

Watch more from McConnell:

3:43 p.m. ET, October 1, 2018

Sen. Jeff Flake: I didn't like Kavanaugh's partisan tone

Sen. Jeff Flake — who on Friday said he would not vote for Brett Kavanaugh on the Senate floor without an FBI investigation — said he didn't like the judge's "partisan" tone during his testimony last week.

"I didn't like some of the more partisan references and the tone, particularly the interaction with some of my colleagues, with Amy Klobuchar, that he came back and apologized after a break," Flake said referencing comments Kavanaugh made to the Minnesota Democrat.

Flake continued: "I don't want to politicize the court. The Supreme Court is one of the last bastions of trust of an institution with which Americans have trust."

Flake also said he wants the FBI to conduct a "real investigation."

"It does no good to have an investigation that just gives us more cover, for example. We actually need to find out what we can find out," he said.

3:01 p.m. ET, October 1, 2018

Why the public may not see the FBI's report on Kavanaugh

From CNN's Phil Mattingly

The FBI got right to work after they received the official request from the White House for a supplementary background investigation on Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Agents have already reached out to key players related to the allegation from Christine Blasey Ford.

This will become important in the next few days: The White House ordered the FBI to do a supplemental background investigation. When the FBI completes its work, it sends what it has collected back to the White House. The White House then adds that information to the nominee's background file, which is then sent to the Senate.

Only then can senators see it, and only senators and a limited number of staff have access to it.

In other words, don't expect some big public report. There will likely be efforts to make the information public, especially by whichever side it helps. But it's not a clean process of public release.

2:41 p.m. ET, October 1, 2018

White House official says FBI not limited in investigation

From CNN's Jim Acosta and Ariane de Vogue

The White House has made it clear to the FBI that agents are not limited in their expanded background search on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, one White House official tells CNN.

The source involved pushed back on the idea that the White House would stop further investigation. Now, the FBI can go back to the White House, and if it says there are other witnesses, the White House can send them back out. 

This source says the White House is 100% open to further calls by the FBI.

The source said it is “false” to say that the investigation is almost wrapped up but stressed even extra calls shouldn’t take the FBI that long.