Crucial Senate vote on Kavanaugh Supreme Court nomination (VIDEO)
The Senate has voted to end the debate over Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation process. A yes vote brings Kavanaugh one step closer to confirmation, and the months-long political soap opera to an end.
The cloture vote essentially wraps up debate and creates a 30-hour window in which to hold a final confirmation vote with opposing Senators unable to delay the nomination or hold the floor to block it.
The vote comes after senators from both sides of the aisle reviewed the FBI’s background investigation into Christine Blasey Ford’s sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh. Republicans and the White House trumpeted the fact that the investigation found no corroborating evidence to Ford’s claims, while Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) complained that the FBI’s probe was not extensive enough.
Even if successful, Friday’s vote does not mean Kavanaugh’s nomination is a done deal. Republicans hold a razor-thin 51-49 majority in the Senate, and can only afford to lose one vote if Democrats vote unanimously against Kavanaugh.
All eyes are on republican Senators Jeff Flake (Arizona), Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), who had been undecided on Kavanaugh. Symptomatic to Washington the statements are ambiguous.
Flake and Collins both said on Thursday that the report seemed “thorough,” promting speculation that they would vote to confirm the judge.
Across the aisle, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) had said that he will make his mind up based on the results of the FBI probe, but offered no further indication as to how he would vote on Thursday.
“I'm going through it. I have more that I've got to go tomorrow morning and they'll have it all ready," he said, after reviewing roughly half the report. "I tried to read as fast as I can.”
Kavanaugh’s road to the nation’s highest court has been marred by delays and protests since his candidacy was announced by President Trump in July. When the confirmation process began in September, Democrats grilled Kavanaugh on his judicial position on abortion rights and presidential powers.
After days of questioning, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) revealed Christine Blasey Ford’s sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh, dating back to his high school days. Kavanaugh denied the allegations vehemently, calling them "an orchestrated political hit,” but his confirmation vote was put on hold while the FBI investigated the claims.
The investigation found no corroborating evidence, and Republicans accused Democrats of attempting to stall the process with unverified claims and personal attacks. Ford was joined by two other women, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick in accusing Kavanaugh of sexual assault, but those women’s accusations were contradicted by witnesses and, in Swetnick’s case, by Swetnick herself.
As the saga concludes, hundreds of protesters were arrested in Federal buildings on Thursday, and marches, protests, and confrontations broke out nationwide.
Confirming Kavanaugh, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said on Thursday would send a message that the “politics of baseless personal destruction has no place" in the Senate. A vote against the judge, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) added “would be a vote for abusing the confirmation process and a good person.”
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