Committee Approves Kavanaugh Despite Allegations
Senate Judiciary Committee members voted to bring Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to a full Senate vote on Sept 28.
Kavanaugh is President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee to fill the seat vacated by Justice Kennedy’s retirement. The committee voted along party lines, as Republicans voted to advance Kavanaugh to the Senate. Democrats voted no.
However, Jeff Flake (R-AZ) called for a one-week delay in the nomination process to allow for a limited FBI investigation into the sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh. President Trump ordered the investigation to conclude Friday.
In early September, the first allegations against Kavanaugh were released. Christine Blasey Ford came forward saying she was sexually assaulted by Kavanaugh and a friend during high school. When the accusation first surfaced, Kavanaugh denied it and the White House reasserted support of the nomination.
Since Ford’s statement, two other women accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct. Before launching the official investigation, Kavanagh underwent six FBI background checks.
Flake’s decision to push for an investigation was unexpected, as he announced he would support Kavanaugh Friday morning prior to the committee vote.
Flake had been confronted by sexual assault survivors in an elevator earlier that morning who demanded he look them in the eyes while asking how he could support an alleged abuser. Chris Coons (D-DE) also influenced Flake’s decision, after being moved by Ford’s testimony the previous day.
Since Trump ordered the official investigation, there have been questions about the degree of White House involvement in the probe. NBC reported the White House made a list of individuals who should not be interviewed by the FBI, and other sources said there was “tight control.” Trump denied this, saying the FBI has “free reign” and should reach out to any credible sources. Although the investigation will be limited by the Senate, it could potentially yield additional information.
Monday afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced the Senate “will be voting this week” on the Kavanaugh nomination, even though it is not certain whether the FBI report will provide any clarity.
Democrats hope the investigation will be fully completed before a vote, while Republicans are ready to get the vote to the Senate floor. Five Senators have not yet announced their positions, including three Republicans not running for reelection this year, and two Democrats that are.
Wednesday morning, NBC reported that many sources have not been contacted by the FBI, including Ford herself, Kavanaugh’s third accuser Julie Swetnick, and several acquaintances of Kavanaugh from his time at Yale, where the alleged assaults occurred. Multiple news outlets are reporting the investigation is expected to wrap up Wednesday.
Tuesday night, Trump mocked Ford’s testimony at a rally in Mississippi, drawing criticism from two key Republican senators, Flake and Collins, as well as Republican voters. This will complicate McConnell’s goal of voting on Kavanaugh this week.
Sexual assault continues to be a major issue at many colleges across the country, unfortunately including SLU. The number of girls who will be assaulted is high, especially at the beginning of the Fall semester, as more than 50 percent of college sexual assaults happen August through November. 23 percent of college women will additonally experience rape or sexual assault. And of these women, only 20 percent report the incidents to law enforcement.
Here at SLU, there are numerous resources for victims of sexual assault. Advocates educate students on how to support survivors and have a 24 hour hotline at (315) 244-5466.