The FBI hit an important milestone in its one-week investigation of Brett Kavanaugh's background by completing its interview with Kavanaugh's high school friend Mark Judge. Judge's lawyer Barbara Van Gelder confirmed the FBI interview had been completed, CNN reported. Agents also contacted Judge Monday but the interview carried over until Tuesday. Judge had furnished a letter to the Senate Judiciary rebutting Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford's allegations he was present during a sexual assault at a house party decades ago. Ford claims Judge was in an upstairs bedroom and jumped on top off the couple, toppling them and allowing her to escape the room after being groped and having her mouth covered by Kavanaugh to silence her. Kavanaugh strongly denied the charge in his own Senate testimony.
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The FBI had completed its interview with Mark Judge, pictured left while in high school with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, right
The completion of the Judge interview could signal the FBI is on pace to meet its Friday deadline. The White House directed the bureau to complete its work this week, under parameters set by a small group of GOP senators who demanded the investigation following Ford and Kavanaugh's testimony. The development came as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell attacked Democrats for pursuing the 'politics of personal destruction' in a fiery floor speech where he insisted the Senate would vote 'this week' on the embattled judge.
The FBI has interviewed Mark Judge
'I wish this fight could have remained in the realm of normalcy,' McConnell said, as FBI agents continued to probe sexual assault allegations against the Supreme Court nominee. McConnell slammed a third accuser, Julie Swetnick, whose allegations were brought forward by Stormy Daniels lawyer Michael Avenatti. 'A tabloid lawyer organized a red carpet rollout for someone who wanted to accuse Judge Kavanaugh of masterminding some kind of high school drug and serial sexual assault ring,' said McConnell. 'This is how desperate some became,' said McConnell. However key vote Sen. Susan Collins of Maine wants the FBI to investigate claims by Swetnick.
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During testimony Kavanaugh spoke about attending parties and games, having beers, and workout sessions with Judge, but strongly denied sexual assault allegations
Her spokeswoman, Annie Clark, said Collins, Sen. Jeff Flake, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski 'advocated for the additional background investigation because she believed that it could help the senators evaluate the claims that have been brought to the Judiciary Committee,' 'That would include the allegations that were brought by Julie Swetnick,' she told the Portland Press Herald. With the FBI moving ahead McConnell is setting up a plan to try to bring about a vote this week, assuming the FBI completes its work.
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Christine Blasey Ford testified that Mark Judge was present during a sexual assault she alleges Kavanaugh committed against her at a house party decades ago
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is trying to steer Kavanaugh's nomination through the Senate as the FBI interviews accusers and potential witnesses
President Donald Trump responds to questions about U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh during a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House Monday
On Tuesday McConnell attacked Democrats for pursuing the 'politics of personal destruction' in a fiery floor speech where he insisted the Senate would vote 'this week' on the embattled judge. 'I wish this fight could have remained in the realm of normalcy,' McConnell said, as FBI agents continued to probe sexual assault allegations against the Supreme Court nominee. 'Some chose a darker road. The politics of personal destruction were willfully unleashed,' McConnell said, aiming his fire at Democrats he accused of repeatedly 'moving the goalposts' to kill the nomination. 'The Democrats may be trying to move the goal posts every five minutes but their goal has not moved an inch. They will not be satisfied unless they have brought down Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination,' said McConnell. Judge was among the initial quartet of people the FBI was to interview. Judiciary Committee Democrats complained throughout last week's hearings that Judge, a potentially key witness, was not made available for interviews or sworn testimony and questioning. His absence allowed Democrats to persuade Sen. Jeff Flake that without him and other potentially witnesses being heard from, Kavanaugh had not been properly vetted. President Trump in public comments Monday urged the FBI to interview people it deemed appropriate, despite an earlier NBC report the White House counsel's office had provided a finite list of just four people to be questioned.
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Accuser: Julie Swetnick's dramatic testimony is a new blow to Brett Kavanaugh
'The F.B.I. should interview anybody that they want within reason, but you have to say within reason,' Trump said Monday in the White House Rose Garden. “But they should also be guided, and I’m being guided, by what the senators are looking for.” The president was pressed repeatedly on whether the White House was keeping the FBI on a leash to prevent it from conducting a full investigation. NBC had reported the FBI was authorized only to query only four people: witnesses to the alleged assault by Christine Blasey Ford, Ford herself, and fellow accuser Deborah Ramirez, under arrangements also made with the Senate Judiciary Committee. The others were Judge and and Kavanagh high school friend P.J. Smyth, as well as Ford friend Leland Keyser, who Ford says attended the party where Kavanaugh allegedly assaulted her. 'A tabloid lawyer organized a red carpet rollout for someone who wanted to accuse Judge Kavanaugh of masterminding some kind of high school drug and serial sexual assault ring,' said McConnell. 'This is how desperate some became,' said McConnell. But he vowed: 'One thing for sure: the Senate will vote on Judge Kavanaugh, here on this floor, this week. here on this floor, this week.' is planning procedural steps that could set up a vote on confirming Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court on Sunday – but an ongoing FBI investigation could throw off the timing. McConnell, who demanded speedy confirmation of the Supreme Court nominee after Christine Blasey Ford first brought forward her sexual assault allegations against the nominee, must attend to the wishes of three Senate Republican holdouts: Susan Collins, Jeff Flake, and Lisa Murkowski. His latest strategy is to move to end debate midweek, which would set up a vote to cut off debate on the Kavanaugh nomination on Friday. That in turn would set up a potential Sunday confirmation vote. 'But that timetable means the FBI investigation must be complete by Wednesday, and that's where the situation becomes dicey for McConnell,' Politico reported.
