Brett Kavanaugh vote: Trump orders FBI background investigation into Supreme Court nominee after Jeff Flake calls for Senate vote delay
After the committee decision attention will turn to moderate Senate Republicans like Susan Collins and their possible voting intentions in a full chamber vote
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The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved Donald Trump's nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, in a vote 11-10 on party lines.
However, moderate Republican Senator Jeff Flake called for an FBI investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against the judge before a final Senate vote. Mr Trump later ordered the FBI to conduct that understanding.
Mr Flake's intervention means a final Senate vote on the nomination could be delayed for up to a week so that the FBI investigation can be completed. Mr Kavanuagh denies the allegations from three different women.
“I will vote to advance the nominee to the floor with that understanding,” Mr Flake said.
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Mr Cornyn also went on Fox News earlier today and spoke about his feelings about the hearings.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat says that he believes that Mr Kavanaugh will help create a "disaster" on Supreme Court if he is confirmed
Whatever happens with the committee vote, attention will soon turn moderate Republicans in the Senate, such as Susan Collins, and their voting intentions. There will be pressure from Democrats to make sure such moderates reject Mr Kavanaugh's nomination.
Mr Whitehouse says the "sand is running through Mr Kavanaugh's hour glass.
He says he will make it his mission that the "truth" comes out.
Protesters outside the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing are being taken into custody by Capitol Police after blocking the hallway by sitting down.
"We will not go back....We won't be silent...Arrest the rapists, not survivors...We believe Christine." they chanted.
CNN has posted a wrap of comments from the senators who walked out, about why they did it:
Sen. Mazie Hirono said it's "because it’s very clear that the Republicans will break every norm, every rule, to get this person on the Supreme Court." She said Brett Kavanaugh would arrive with "a cloud" and would "weaken the court" as a result. "This has got to stop. So I walked out. I’m not going to participate in this charade anymore," she said.
Sen. Kamala Harris said, "From top to bottom this has been about bullies. Listen to the people. All we have asked for is that there be an FBI investigation."
She said Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford "poured out her heart and "gave the process dignity and respect."
"The least we could do is give her the dignity and respect of a process that has credibility," she said. "We are talking about putting on the United States Supreme Court for a lifetime."
"For the sake of our democracy and the integrity of our democracy you would think that members of the United States Senate would say wait a minute, there’s enough here to push pause," she said. "Let’s reflect on what we’re about to do."
Sen. Richard Blumenthal added, "All of America is watching the United State’s Senate today... and they should be deeply embarrassed ... there are two who should be called as witnesses ... there needs to be an FBI investigation
"Where is the bravery in this room?" to match Dr Christine Blasey Ford, says Amy Klobucher a Democrat from Minnesota.
She calls for an FBI investigation, and says she hopes others in Senate will see what happened in the room yesterday, with Dr Ford's testimony, and take note.
Joe Donnelly, a Democrat from Indiana has said he will vote no on Mr Kavanaugh.
Mr Donnelly was one of five remaining senators who had yet to say how they would vote.
Two Republicans -- Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska -- and two Democrats in deeply Republican states -- Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, have yet to say how they will vote.
Ms Klobucher said that the in terms of the allegations it is not "he said, she said" but "he said, they said" - referring to the multiple allegations against Mr Kavanaugh.
Here is the full statement from Joe Donnelly about why he will vote against the Kavanaugh confirmation.
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