Page 1460 - Leverage News Today

The committee, i saw the food fight between the parties, the democrats saying theyre going to walk out, the republicans blaming everything on the democrats. flake believes this one-week investigation will actually help kavanaugh, that he plans on voting for kavanaughs nomination unless the investigation brings up something or unearths something that would prevent him from doing so, mike. mike: interesting dynamics here where a number of the moderate senators had a whole lot of leverage. >> repor...

Investigation. weve just heard more about what an investigation would entail. breaking in the last hour, mark judge, kavanaughs longtime friend who dr. blasey ford says was in the room during kavanaughs alleged attack says hell cooperate with any law enforcement agency that investigates confidentially. thats according to reporting from the ap. here to help us track the latest breaking developments, capitol hill correspondent kasie hunt. matt miller, former chief spokesman for the justice departm...

Affairs, i have no idea. you have inside information, but go ahead and tell us what you know. >> i think its what you reported, wolf. all eyes are on flake. when you have such a narrow majority that every member has enormous leverage to slow down the process. when we talk about how much this process is rushed is the commentary and think its important to note that sotomayor got confirmed from the day she was announced. gorsuch, 66 days. ruth bader ginsburg is 32 days. this has gone well past that...

But certainly he maintains his right to cast his vote as he sees fit and maintains significant leverage that way. but i appreciate his support for a full and fair hearing for dr. ford and judge kavanaugh, as well as his willingness to allow this to go forward subject to his request. >> mr. chairman. >> senator blume nthal. >> if i could ask a question of senator flake through the chair. does your amendment include continuing the investigation during this period of time? >> if i could respond, th...

Thats the leverage. >> the judiciary committee has voted along party lines is 11-10 to report the nomination to the senate. hes been reported up. lets listen in. >> with the understanding that jeff flake and chuck grassley and perhaps others will advocate for a one week extension in the floor vote to permit an fbi investigation and were satisfied that is meaningful because of the close status of the vote. we think its a good likelihood this might transpire. >> thank you. >> all right. this is no...

Department send a memo? >> my sense is the white house will have to work out with the fbi assuming this goes forward. the republicans who want it seem to have the leverage to make it happen. the white house will have to work out the scope of the investigation with the fbi. this would be the fbi reopening the back ground check on brett kavanaugh, and there is precedent for this. this is exactly what happened in the clarence thomas/anita hill matter in 1991. thefy tie did fbi did a three-d and cam...

Without an fbi investigation, then the president is left with no choice. then he has to open one in order to get that done, to get this nominee threw or pull the nominee and present a new one that he would hope would get confirmed quickly enough. without saying that we will not vote yes, the leverage only goes so far. >> lets get some clarity from kasie hunt. >> katie is right. they are not saying they will vote no on kavanaugh. excuse me, they have made up their minds and thats their decision. ...

A halt for a period of time. one senator when the margin is this close can determine the outcome. jeff flake is using some leverage that he has in order to talk about this with colleagues of both parties. that is notable. there are republicans who very mu much want to see brett kavanaugh on the supreme court but would like him to be on the court without the sort of aura that something unappropriainapproprid or hes not worthy of the court. they want him on the court in a way they are proud of. is...

So were going to have to let them define that. ive already put this question to the committee about what they consider to be credible. so far i havent had a response. >> and with that kind of leverage comes responsibility. what is the white house -- take me inside the white house yesterday in that i understand the period between fords testimony and the commencement of kavanaughs testimony was incredibly fraught. and that really everything was on the table. >> thats right. there was great concern...

Director? >> i would have given up a longtime ago if i was the photographer. it changes a bit with news that lisa murkowski is involved. >> they have leverage to delay a vote. you have to consider and i know ken just said this but i want to gently correct them. neither flake nor murkowski have said they will vote no if theres no fbi investigation. they are both calling for an fbi investigation. you have to be clear with the wording here. if senator flake or senator collins or senator sasse or an...