The US Senate Judiciary Committee, responsible for weighing Kavanaugh's nomination to the nation's top court, further indicated in a Friday statement that the FBI investigation would be "limited to current credible allegations against the nominee."
While Republicans have agreed to an FBI investigation into numerous allegations of sexual misconduct made against Kavanaugh, they have indicated that Saturday's noon procedural vote will continue as scheduled. That vote will prepare the way for a final vote in the future on Kavanaugh's nomination to become an associate justice on the US Supreme Court, the nation's highest court. The committee on Friday voted to send the question of Kavanaugh's confirmation to the Senate floor. The final vote was 11 to 10 along party lines.
However, Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) said he would only vote in favor of Kavanaugh if the vote in the full US Senate were delayed by a week in order to have a FBI probe into allegations against the nominee.
Several Democrats walked out of the hearing, Sputnik reported.
The Washington Post reported Friday that Mark Judge, a high school friend of Kavanaugh's named in several of the sexual misconduct allegations, has agreed to be interviewed by any investigation "confidentially."
On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, a university professor who alleged that Kavanaugh tried to rape her while the two were at a high school house party in 1982. Kavanaugh was also examined by the committee about the details of the incident as well as his social life. The day's events and nationwide debates surrounding the case, as well as four other accusers — one of whom has recanted their story — provoked fiery exchanges on the Senate floor, including outbursts by Kavanaugh himself but also Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who called the hearing a "charade" and shouted down Democrats pushing forward with the investigation as "ruining this guy's life."