The FBI has completed its investigation into allegations of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, and Senate Republicans, who appear satisfied with the results, are angling to confirm the judge in the coming days.
However, Senate Democrats, including U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, are questioning the legitimacy of the probe, arguing its scope was limited by the White House.
The report, which senators began reviewing Thursday morning, comes after Christine Blasey Ford, a high school classmate of the nominee, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when the two were teenagers.
Two other women, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick, have come forward with other sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh.
The FBI opened a brief investigation into Kavanaugh last week, after Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, of Arizona, said he would not move to confirm Kavanaugh in a full Senate vote unless an additional probe took place.
But Leahy and other Democrats said Thursday that they were unsatisfied with the investigation, claiming it was hampered by the Trump administration.
“Senate Republican leadership and the Trump White House did everything in their power to ensure this investigation was not a search for truth, but rather a search for cover,” Leahy said on the Senate floor Thursday afternoon.
Leahy said that Trump limited the number of people who the FBI could speak with, avoiding key witnesses, like Ford’s husband and therapist. Both have stated Ford told them years ago that Kavanaugh assaulted her.
The FBI did not interview Ford, which her attorneys criticized, and said the investigation was a stain on the process, on the FBI and on our American ideal of justice.
He also noted that the FBI did not interview Swetnick, who says that in she was a victim of a “gang” or “train” rape in 1982, while Kavanaugh was present at a Washington, D.C., party.
“This investigation falls far short. It’s a disservice to Dr. Ford, or Ms. Ramirez or Ms. Swetnick,” Leahy said. “It’s a disservice to survivors anywhere in this country.”
On Thursday morning, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, the top Democrat on the judiciary committee, echoed Leahy’s criticism and noted that the FBI had not even interviewed Ford or Kavanaugh directly.
“What I can say is that the most noticeable part of this report is what’s not in it,” she said.
In a statement, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the chair of the committee, said the FBI was unable to locate anyone who could “attest to any of the allegations” against Kavanaugh.
“This investigation found no hint of misconduct and the same is true of the six prior FBI background investigations conducted during Judge Kavanaugh’s 25 years of public service,” he said.
Moderate Republicans Susan Collins R-Maine, and Flake, who have yet to announce how they will vote on the nomination, have said they believe the investigation was thorough, according to media reports.
In an interview with Vermont Public Radio Thursday, Leahy said he will continue to speak with senators about their votes on the Kavanaugh confirmation in the coming days.
“Ultimately every senator is going to make up his or her mind,” he said. “I would hope that people follow their conscience, not what they’re told to do by the White House.”
