Key Republicans are having their support for Brett Kavanaugh tested after Donald Trump mocked his Supreme Court nominee’s sexual assault accuser at a campaign rally in Mississippi.
The president joked about Dr Ford's testimony to a laughing crowd on Wednesday, criticising her for failing to remember every detail from the night she alleges Mr Kavanaugh assaulted her during a high school party nearly 36 years ago.
Meanwhile, the FBI has reportedly neared the conclusion of its probe into the embattled nominee ahead of the Senate Judiciary Committee deadline of Friday — despite numerous potential witnesses indicating they have not yet spoken with investigators from the federal agency, including Dr Ford.
Arizona Republican Jeff Flake, who forced the majority to take a one-week delay and allow for an FBI investigation into the sexual assault claims against Mr Kavanaugh, denounced the president’s comments in an interview with NBC.
Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican and a key vote in Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation battle, said Wednesday on NBC’ “Today” that mocking “something this sensitive at a political rally is just not right.”
“I wish he hadn’t done it,” the senator said. “It’s kind of appalling.”
It remains unclear how Mr Flake will vote on the embattled nominee's confirmation. Last week, the senator called for a one week delay so the FBI could renew an investigation into the federal judge, while simultaneously voting to confirm his nomination in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
As the FBI attempts to conclude its investigation into Brett Kavanaugh ahead of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Friday deadline, numerous potential witnesses have called the federal agency to deliver information they believe could be useful for investigators conducting the probe.
Christine Blasey Ford, who could be considered one of the most crucial witnesses in her own allegations of sexual assault against the federal judge, was not contacted by the FBI by Tuesday, her lawyers said.
In a letter to FBI director Christopher Wray, Dr Ford’s lawyers wrote, “It is inconceivable that the FBI could conduct a thorough investigation of Dr. Ford’s allegations without interviewing her, Judge Kavanaugh, or the witnesses we have identified in our letters to you.”
Donald Trump has tweeted his defence for Brett Kavanaugh in all-caps, writing, “VOTERS ARE REALLY ANGRY AT THE VICIOUS AND DESPICABLE WAY DEMOCRATS ARE TREATING BRETT KAVANAUGH!”
“He and his wonderful family deserve much better,” the president continued.
Donald Trump Jr has defended Brett Kavanaugh in an interview with NewsMax TV, saying, "It's a scary precedent because it means that no one is safe. If this guy isn’t safe, no one is safe."
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley has called for more evidence from Christine Blasey Ford and her lawyers in a letter, raising “specific concerns about the reliability of her polygraph results”.
The letter arrived after a man claiming to be Dr Ford’s ex-boyfriend said she had in the past “explained in detail what to expect, how polygraphs worked, and helped [a friend] become familiar and less nervous about the exam.”
The full letter can be read below.
Here’s the letter from an alleged ex-boyfriend of Dr Christine Blasey Ford, who has remained anonymous and claimed she coached a friend through a polygraph exam.
The supposed ex-boyfriend also said Dr Ford had never brought up any assault, and was not fearful of flying on planes like she said she was during her testimony last week.
The New York Times has published a letter Brett Kavanaugh reportedly wrote in 1983 ahead of his high school “beach week” trip, in which the future judge appeared to be planning travel arrangements with his friends.
The letter was signed “Bart,” an apparent reference to the same name his high school friend Mark Judge used to describe a character in a book he wrote who was a sloppy drunk.
“Warn the neighbors that we’re loud, obnoxious drunks with prolific pukers among us. Advise them to go about 30 miles,” the letter reads.
Susan Collins, a Republican senator and key vote in Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation battle, has denounced Donald Trump’s mockery of Christine Blasey Ford.
“The president’s comments were just plain wrong,” the senator said. She has not confirmed whether she will vote for the embattled nominee on Friday.
Mitch McConnell has lambasted Democrats on the House floor, deriding the minority party for having the “temerity” to accuse Brett Kavanaugh of not having the appropriate temperament to sit on the Supreme Court “because he got a little testy” during his hearings.
The FBI reportedly has not contacted over 40 people who could potentially provide useful information surrounding Brett Kavanaugh and the federal agency’s ongoing probe into sexual assault accusations against the embattled Supreme Court nominee.
Monica Mclean, a retired FBI employee and longtime friend of Christine Blasey Ford, has spoken out against an anonymous letter sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee by her supposed ex-boyfriend, which alleges — among other things — that she helped prepare her friend for a polygraph test.
In a statement to ABC, Ms Mclean said, “I have NEVER had Christine Blasey Ford, or anybody else, prepare me, or provide any other type of assistance whatsoever in connection with any polygraph exam I have taken at anytime.”
Follow along with The Independent as the rest of Capitol Hill reacts to the latest developments.
