Senate Judiciary Committee agrees to ask White House for FBI investigation into Kavanaugh allegations
Republican leadership has agreed to a request made by Sen. Jeff Flake to delay a floor vote on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh up to one week so the FBI can review sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh.
President Trump — who would have to request such an FBI probe — said moments earlier than he would defer to the Senate and whatever Senate Judiciary Committee Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, wants to do.
Grassley announced that the committee will "request the administration to instruct the FBI to conduct a supplemental background investigation."
"The supplemental FBI background investigation would be limited to current credible allegations against the nominee and must be completed no later than one week from today," the statement from the committee reads.
Sens. Lisa Murkowsi, R-Alaska, and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, also voiced support for Flake's request. Flake — who had said Friday morning he would vote for Kavanaugh — threw a wrench into Republicans' plans Friday afternoon when he told the Senate Judiciary Committee he first wanted an FBI investigation.
The committee voted to advance Kavanaugh's nomination to the full committee, but without the assurance of votes from Flake, Murkowski and Manchin, Kavanaugh might lack the votes to be confirmed.
The White House has yet to say what Mr. Trump will do, although he was supportive of the Senate Thursday afternoon.
"I'm going to rely on all of the people, including Senator Grassley, who is doing a very good job," Mr. Trump said. "And that'll be a decision that they're going to make. And I suspect they'll be making some decision soon, whether to take a vote or to do whatever else they want to do."