Appearing alongside his Democratic colleague Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) was interviewed on CBS’ 60 Minutes tonight and said that he would not have been able to cross the aisle and work out a compromise to at least temporarily halt the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court pending an FBI investigation if he were still running for re-election this November. The Arizona Republican admitted that in today’s toxic political atmosphere, he could not have risked taking such a bold chance and put his neck on the chopping block if he were on the ballot this year.
Could Senator Jeff Flake have pushed for compromise in the Kavanaugh confirmation process if he were up for re-election? pic.twitter.com/rIFvnKlsqF
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) October 1, 2018
Sponsored Links
Most importantly, however, Senator Flake joined Senator Coons in committing to vote against the confirmation of Kavanaugh if the supplemental FBI background investigation probing the allegations of sexual assault against Trump’s nominee proves that he lied while testifying in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“Nomination’s over?” they were asked.
“I would think so,” Coons said at the end of their interview.
“Oh yes,” Flake agreed.
The FBI background investigation into the sexual assault allegations against Judge Kavanaugh is supposed to be complete by next Friday. A vote in the full Senate is likely to be scheduled soon after. pic.twitter.com/TDWq1lhpML
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) October 1, 2018
Without Senator Flake’s courageous move to force his Republican colleagues on the committee to agree to an FBI investigation, Kavanaugh’s confirmation would be taking place as soon as tomorrow rather than being postponed for a week so the bureau can complete its extended inquiry.
Sponsored Links
Flake said that the motivation for his move was the sense that the apparent railroading of the nominee through to confirmation without a full investigation of the credible and serious charges against him was tearing the country apart.
Unless the FBI investigation that he enabled is allowed to move forward without interference from the White House as has been alleged Senator Flake’s fear of a country torn apart may yet emerge as a reality. The outcome will be known by the end of the week and could put us back where we were just days ago.
Sponsored Links
