Senator Jeff Flake announced this morning that he would vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh as the next Justice of the Supreme Court. Flake (Rep., AZ) is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee who heard testimony yesterday from Kavanaugh and the woman who claims he sexually assaulted her.
Flake’s Reasons for Supporting Kavanaugh
Flake stated that he did not find Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony compelling. He said that Kavanaugh deserved the “presumption of innocence … absent corroborating evidence.”
Flake added, “While some may argue that a different standard should apply regarding the Senate’s advice and consent responsibilities, I believe that the Constitution’s provisions of fairness and due process apply here as well. I will vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh.”
Other Reactions to Yesterday’s Hearing
After Flake announced that he would support Kavanaugh, and the committee set their vote for this afternoon, some of the Democratic members walked out.
But even some organizations that had previously endorsed Kavanaugh are now withdrawing their support. The American Bar Association asked the committee to delay the vote until the FBI did a complete background check on Kavanaugh.
