The US Senate is likely set to place Brett Kavanaugh's on the Supreme Court after swing vote Senators declare they will vote to confirm Donald Trump's second nominee to the highest court in the country.
Senators were provided up to 30 hours to debate ahead of a final vote on the embattled nominee, who has been accused of sexual assault and misconduct by numerous women, primarily Christine Blasey Ford. However, Republican Senators Susan Collins and Jeff Flake as well Democratic Senator Joe Manchin have already said they support the nomination.
The final tally in Mr Kavanaugh’s procedural vote was 51-49, setting the stage for lawmakers to likely cast their final votes on the nominee over the weekend. Mr Trump celebrated the move, writing on Twitter, "Very proud of the US Senate for voting ‘YES’ to advance the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh!"
Protests still continue on Capitol Hill as women are openly weeping over the likelihood of Mr Kavanaugh's lifetime appointment.
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Amy Schumer and Emily Ratajkowski arrested at protests against Brett Kavanaugh
The Independent‘A vote for Kavanaugh is a vote saying women don’t matter,’ says the comedianMultiple newspaper editorial boards have announced their opposition to Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination ahead of a historic confirmation vote set for Friday morning.
The Washington Post wrote an opinion piece criticising Mr Kavanaugh that read in part: “Too many questions remains about his history for senators to responsibly vote ‘yes.’ At the same time, enough has been learned about his partisan instincts that we believe senators must vote ‘no.’”
Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat and the sole holdout from his party in opposing Brett Kavanaugh, remains undecided in how to vote on the embattled Supreme Court nominee.
Mr Manchin, who presides over a state Donald Trump won by nearly 30 points in the 2016 presidential election, has said he is listening to protestors and sexual assault survivors while reviewing the FBI’s report on Mr Kavanaugh.
Republicans believe they will have the 50 votes required to push Brett Kavanaugh through today’s crucial vote, arriving at 10:30 a.m.
However, the fate of the Supreme Court nominee has not been determined just yet — several key lawmakers could still derail the nomination, including Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, Jeff Flake and Joe Manchin. The three Republicans and one Democrat remain undeclared as of 9:30 a.m.
Chuck Grassley is speaking on the House floor, slamming “left-wing” organisations for supposedly creating an “11th hour” smear campaign against Brett Kavanaugh.
“The fix has been in from the very beginning,” the Senate Judiciary chairman said Friday, ahead of the crucial vote on Mr Kavanaugh.
“We have thoroughly investigated Judge Kavanaugh’s background,” Chuck Grassley said, speaking on the Senate floor ahead of the Supreme Court nomination vote set for 10:30 a.m.
“This investigation found no hint of misconduct and the same is true of six prior FBI investigations conducted during Brett Kavanaugh’s 25 years of public service.”
“Never before have we had a nominee facing accusations of sexual assault,” said Dianne Feinstein, who spoke immediately after Chuck Grassley.
The ranking Democratic member on the Senate Judiciary Committee went on to criticise Brett Kavanaugh’s conservative track record as a federal circuit judge, raising concerns over his alleged partisanship as the potential justice in a crucial swing vote seat.
Dianne Feinstein said Brett Kavanaugh’s fiery testimony during last week’s hearings showed “the hostility and belligerence that is unbecoming” of someone vying to be seated on the nation’s highest court.
She also defended Christine Blasey Ford, saying she provided her testimony with “poise, grace and most importantly, bravery.”
After the senator speaks, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schemer is expected to speak, who will then be followed by Mitch McConnell. A procedural vote has been set for 10:30 a.m.
Susan Collins has decided to vote “yes” on a procedural vote for Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination, CNN reported. It remains unclear whether she will vote “yes” in Mr Kavanaugh’s final confirmation vote planned for later this weekend.
The American Bar Association has announced it will re-evaluate Brett Kavanaugh’s “well qualified” rating due to “new information of a material nature regarding temperament.”
The announcement arrived as lawmakers were speaking on the House floor ahead of a procedural vote on the embattled Supreme Court nominee.
Chuck Schumer has begun speaking on the House floor, criticising Republicans for claiming the Democratic Party has been “obstructing” Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination.
The Democratic minority leader recalled the Republican Party’s obstruction of Merrick Garland, Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee who was blocked from receiving a confirmation process during the former president’s final year in office.
Chuck Schumer said Mr Kavanaugh’s confirmation process will be remembered in history “as a sorry epilogue of the brazen theft of Justice Scalia’s seat.”
The Democratic senator said “his views on executive power and accountability” are among the most troubling aspects of the judge’s Supreme Court nomination.
Chuck Schumer has called on Republicans to vote no in an upcoming procedural vote on Brett Kavanaugh, saying, “Judge Kavanaugh presented to the Senate the bitterest partisan testimony I have every heard coming from a candidate seeking the Senate's approval."
Mitch McConnell has begun speaking on the House floor, urging lawmakers to vote for a “stunningly well qualified judge” in Brett Kavanaugh.
“I will announce my intentions on how to vote later today,” Susan Collins said after announcing she would vote “yes” on a procedural vote for Brett Kavanaugh.
The announcement arrived as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was speaking in support of the embattled Supreme Court nominee on the House floor ahead of the crucial vote.
Mitch McConnell’s Twitter handle has posted the following as the Senate majority leader continues to defend Brett Kavanaugh on the House floor.
“When we vote later this morning, we will not only be deciding whether to elevate a stunningly-qualified judge to our highest court. Not anymore. Not after all this. The United States Senate will also be making a statement. We will either state that facts and evidence can be brushed aside when politically inconvenient, and signal that media bullying and mob intimidation are valid tactics - or we will stand up and say that serious, thoughtful, fact-based deliberation must still define this body.”
