President Trump Asks FBI For Updated Kavanaugh Probe

<p>The Senate Judiciary Committee says it will ask President Donald Trump to open a supplemental background investigation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.&nbsp;</p>

Friday, September 28th 2018, 4:26 pm

By: News 9


President Donald Trump is directing the FBI to launch a supplemental investigation into his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh at the request of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Trump says in a statement that the updated investigation, which comes in response to sexual misconduct allegations, "must be limited in scope" and "completed in less than one week."

The decision marks a reversal for the administration, which had argued that Kavanaugh had already been vetted.

Kavanaugh has adamantly denied the allegations.

Senate Republican leaders agreed Friday to delay a final vote on Kavanaugh to allow time for an investigation by the FBI at the request of Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake.

Kavanaugh says in a statement released by the White House that he "will continue to cooperate" after senators asked President Donald Trump to open a supplemental background investigation of the embattled Supreme Court nominee.

Kavanaugh says he's been interviewed by the FBI during his confirmation process and conducted "background" calls with the Senate. He says he answered questions under oath Thursday "about every topic the Senators and their counsel asked me."

Kavanaugh says, "I've done everything they have requested and will continue to cooperate."

Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska told reporters they support a deal reached among senators to delay a vote on Kavanaugh.

Collins says the deal "is an important development and I believe it will let us go forward."

Murkowski says she wants to make sure senators "do our due diligence."

Both Collins and Murkowski are undecided on whether to vote for Kavanaugh.

The Senate Judiciary Committee asked Trump to open a supplemental background investigation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

In a statement, the committee says it will ask that the FBI's probe be limited to "current credible allegations against the nominee." It also says that investigation should be completed no later than Oct. 5.

Democrats for days have been demanding an FBI investigation into the sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh, but Republicans had refused to seek one. That changed Friday when Republican Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona said a background investigation should be conducted before a final Senate vote on the nominee.

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Republican, says, "There's going to be a supplemental background investigation," which would delay a vote "no later than one week."

Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called earlier Friday for the FBI to investigate the sexual misconduct claims against Kavanaugh. He said the process should not take longer than a week.

After Flake made that call, the Judiciary Committee sent Kavanaugh's nomination to the full Senate in an 11-10 vote.

A high school friend of Kavanaugh says he will cooperate with any law enforcement agency that will "confidentially investigate" sexual misconduct allegations against him and Kavanaugh.

Mark Judge sent a signed letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday, saying he "categorically" denies sexual misconduct allegations made by Julie Swetnick.

In a sworn statement released Wednesday, Swetnick accused Kavanaugh and Judge of excessive drinking and inappropriate treatment of women in the early 1980s, among other accusations.

Judge says in his letter that he doesn't know Swetnick and does not recall any parties in the early 1980s where he "fondled or grabbed women in an aggressive or unwanted manner."

He says Swetnick's allegations are "so bizarre" and he "would remember actions so outlandish."

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