BREAKING: The Senate voted to advance Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination, setting up the final vote for Saturday.
Three previously undecided senators made the 51-49 vote to invoke cloture possible. Republicans Susan Collins, Jeff Flake and Democrat Joe Manchin all voted yes on cloture. However, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) voted “no.” Republicans can’t afford more than one defection if Democrats vote together. (Fox News)
The math for Republicans became somewhat trickier late Thursday when Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont. said he would be attending his daughter’s wedding in Montana on Saturday, He said he would return to cast the decisive vote if needed.
President Trump welcomed the vote in a tweet, saying he was “very proud” of the Senate.
Very proud of the U.S. Senate for voting “YES” to advance the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 5, 2018
Kavanaugh’s nomination was embroiled in a controversy that gripped the nation after multiple women made sexual assault allegations originating from his time in high school and college. The most prominent allegation was from California professor Christine Blasey Ford, who said that Kavanaugh assaulted her at a high school party. That allegation resulted in a high-stakes Senate Judiciary hearing last week where both Ford and Kavanaugh testified.
Democrats said the allegations were credible and deserved a full investigation, while Republicans accused Democrats of using uncorroborated allegations to scuttle or delay the nomination — leading to a stream of angry flashpoints between lawmakers. The accusations eventually led to President Trump ordering an FBI investigation. Republicans who had seen the FBI’s report said the FBI had produced no credible corroboration of the allegations.
Before the vote, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) implored the Senate to say “no to mob rule.” He also called the Democrats treatment of Kavanaugh “nothing short of monstrous.”
***Tell the Senate to Confirm Kavanaugh***
AAN Staff
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