Donald Trump orders Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into Kavanaugh sexual assault allegations

The committee, and the Senate, seemed to be careening toward bedlam. Kavanaugh forcefully denied the allegations and accused Democrats of trying to smear him.

Flake was one of four undecided senators, along with Sen. Chris Coons of DE, among others.

The White House had resisted calls for another investigation, as Kavanaugh denied allegations of sexual misconduct in fiery testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday. Democrats have been demanding that Kavanaugh’s confirmation process be delayed for multiple reasons in the hope their party regains control of the Senate in the November mid-term elections.

The announcement upended his party’s plans to move quickly to confirm Kavanaugh and made clear what many had suspected: that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not have the votes to proceed to Kavanaugh’s nomination over the weekend. Some Democrats have called on Kavanaugh to withdraw in light of the allegations and have said an FBI investigation is needed before any Senate confirmation vote.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) brought up Kavanaugh’s behavior during Friday’s vote.

The California psychology professor spoke carefully and deliberately during the hearing, using scientific terminology at one point to describe how a brain might remember details of events decades later.

As the committee set its vote, some Democrats left the room in protest. Trump’s first nominee, Judge Gorsuch, was confirmed by the Senate on April 7, 2017.

But she stressed that experience as an activist does not matter in situations like her confrontation with Flake. “We held open the elevator and I just started telling him why it was important and what had happened to me and why he should not let Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court”, Maria Gallagher, 23, told The Daily Beast in an interview.

The FBI conducts background checks for federal nominees, but the agency does not make judgments on the credibility or significance of allegations.

“I will move it out of committee”, Flake said, adding he would “only be comfortable moving on the floor” after a one-week FBI investigation has occurred. President Trump would reluctantly authorize one later in the day.

Without the support of Mr Flake and one other Republican senator -and assuming all Democrats vote against – the confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh cannot occur.

A U.S. official with knowledge of the matter said the FBI could complete an investigation within a week, but the timeline ultimately depends on what is involved, such as the number of interviews that need to be done and whether newly uncovered information needs to be followed up on.

The committee’s vote comes the day after both Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, who alleges Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in high school, testified before the committee.

The timing of the panel’s session gave committee members little time to digest Thursday’s remarkable testimony from Kavanaugh and Ford.

Kavanaugh’s indignant opening remarks came across as heartfelt and genuine.

Leahy released a statement on Friday morning, in which he reiterated his decision to vote against Kavanaugh’s nomination.

Flake said that his office had issued a statement and said, before the elevator closed, that he would have more to say at the committee hearing.

“We want a more fulsome process that the country can be proud of”, Flake told reporters later on Friday.

Archila said she believes the confrontation affected him.