The FBI has completed its supplemental background investigation into Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Presumably, the White House is already aware of the contents as it would have been briefed at every step along the way.
Now it’s time for U.S. Senators to see the report so they can make a final informed decision on whether or not to elevate Judge Kavanaugh to the nation’s highest court.
Naturally, you would expect the FBI to explain its report to the Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley will not be allowing that, despite a request by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
You would also expect the report to be distributed to all Senators, so they and top members of their staff can review and digest its contents.
McConnell and Grassley will not be allowing that.
However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell just before 10 PM Thursday night filed cloture on the Kavanaugh vote. What that does is set up a time clock. The full Senate can vote to allow a vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination (yes, you read that right) on Friday. Assuming there are enough votes to proceed, as early as Saturday the full Senate will be able to vote for or against Brett Kavanaugh to become a US Supreme Court Justice.
There are varying reports as to how the report will be shared with Senators on the Judiciary Committee. The most recent from MSNBC says the Senate has the report now.
This is reportedly the schedule:
At 8 AM Thursday morning, Chairman Grassley will review the report for one hour.
At 9 AM Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein will review the report, for one hour.
At 10 AM, the remaining Republicans on the Committee will review the report for one hour.
At 11 AM, the remaining Democrats on the Committee will review the report for one hour.
There will be only one copy to read. Presumably, there will be up tp 10 Republicans and then, up to nine Democrats, trying to read from the same report. It is not known how many pages it is.
Neither you nor I will ever be allowed to read the report.
No Democrat in the Senate nor anyone in the general public will ever be told what orders President Trump and White House counsel Don McGahn gave to the FBI. We will not be told who the FBI was allowed to interview, and who they were not. We will never know what areas were opened up to be investigated, and what areas were blocked. We will know nothing.
This is a breaking news and developing story. Details may change. This story will be updated, and NCRM will likely publish follow-up stories on this news. Stay tuned and refresh for updates.