Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri broke with her Democratic colleagues Wednesday in announcing she will ignore the outstanding allegation of sexual assault against the Supreme Court nominee in allocating her confirmation vote.
Asked at a campaign event in Lebanon, Mo., about Christine Blasey Ford’s claim that Kavanaugh assaulted her when they were in high school, McCaskill told the Springfield News-Leader that the allegations will not factor in her decision, which she expects to be finalized "very shortly."
McCaskill, a red-state Democrat up for re-election in November, said she will instead focus on Kavanaugh’s judicial record and qualifications in making her final determination.
Ford told the Washington Post Sunday that she authored a previously-anonymous letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein of California accusing Kavanaugh of pinning her to a bed and attempting to remove her clothes at a house party in suburban Maryland 36 years ago.
NOW WATCH: ‘Former Kavanaugh Classmate Denies Sexual Assault Knowledge’
McCaskill’s decision to essentially ignore the allegation represents a sharp departure from her Democratic colleagues who have thus far demanded a delay in Kavanaugh’s confirmation pending an FBI investigation into the allegations.
Judiciary Committee chairman Chuck Grassley invited both Kavanaugh and his accuser to testify publicly before the panel Monday. Kavanaugh immediately accepted the invitation and prepared to testify, while Ford’s attorney has said she will not attend any hearing until an FBI probe has been conducted. Republicans have responded to the precondition by pointing out that the Senate alone is responsible for investigating nominees, save for an FBI background check that has already been completed.
Comments
Post a Comment