This morning Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) had a gut-wrenching experience, hearing directly from sexual assault survivors what his yes vote on Brett Kavanaugh would mean: "You're telling all women that they don't matter, that they should just stay quiet because if they tell you what happened to them you are going to ignore them."
Flake listened. Sort of.
After private conversations in the anteroom of the Judiciary Committee hearing room with Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Flake announced that he would ask for a delay in the floor vote on the nomination, but would vote yes in passing Kavanaugh out of committee. He has demanded a one week FBI investigation into Ford’s allegations. And the nominee was approved, 11-10. What happens now is a little unclear.
That's after Republican after Republican lied today on national television. Every one of them gave some form of the same statement: I believe something happened to Christine Blasey Ford, but I believe Brett Kavanaugh didn't do it.
A reminder from Thursday's testimony:
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL): "Dr. Ford, with what degree of certainty do you believe Brett Kavanaugh assaulted you?"
Christine Blasey Ford: "100 percent."
That means every Senate Republican is calling her a liar. Every one except Jeff Flake, the only Republican apparently capable of feeling shame.
Friday, Sep 28, 2018 · 5:58:38 PM +00:00
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Joan McCarter
To be clear, Flake has asked for a one-week FBI investigation, and moved for that. They haven’t taken that vote yet. What Flake has done is putting his likely “no” vote out there w/out an investigation, giving cover to Collins and Murkowski and Heitkamp and Manchin to say “no.”
Friday, Sep 28, 2018 · 6:02:31 PM +00:00
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Joan McCarter
Flake says he would be willing to ask the White House to reopen an FBI investigation. Grassley adjourns on the two-hour rule, causing confusion every where. “Is it done,” asks Feinstein. Feinstein and Leahy want a vote on a motion from Flake for the investigation.
Friday, Sep 28, 2018 · 6:04:45 PM +00:00
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Joan McCarter
Grassley’s abrupt end to the hearing without clarifying what has happened in committee is now a problem for McConnell. After Flake’s stand, it will be very, very difficult for McConnell to convince Flake, Collins, and Murkowski to ignore that and rush the floor vote.