There were questions about whether Donald Trump and Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) handcuffed the FBI as it reassessed then Supreme Court nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Investigators were given lists of people trying to give evidence and testimony against Kavanaugh and for Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. She told of how he sexually assaulted her when she was just 15-years-old, and people had high hopes for the extended background check.
Unfortunately, the FBI turned away all but ten people and did not even interview Ford or Kavanaugh. That appeared to be suspect, so FBI Director Christopher Wray’s testimony before the Senate Homeland Security Committee was much-anticipated.
Wray refused to respond to questions about Kavanaugh’s lies during his testimony. Then, after Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) asked how much the White House had been involved, Wray responded The San Diego Tribune reported:
‘My folks have assured me that the usual process was followed.’
This whole 4-minute clip is worth watching. Kamala Harris grills FBI Director Chris Wray on the Kavanaugh supplemental background investigation, Wray confirms that the investigation was “limited in scope” by the White House. (via CSPAN)pic.twitter.com/bBLrHlrmQH
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 10, 2018
Then, the California Democratic senator asked why Wray’s agency did not revisit Kavanaugh, Ford, and the other 40 possible witnesses. The director responded that the process was:
‘Very specific in scope, limited in scope, and that is the usual process.’
In Wray’s opening statement to the committee, he commented on issues more specific to Homeland Security, “homegrown violent extremists,” “cyber criminals,” and “hostile foreign intelligence services:”
‘Our nation continues to face a multitude of serious and evolving threats ranging from homegrown violent extremists to cyber criminals to hostile foreign intelligence services and operatives. Keeping pace with these threats is a significant challenge for the FBI.’
Wray’s testimony was a letdown, just as the FBI’s supplemental report on Kavanaugh had been. Three women, under oath accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault. Yet, the Senate Judicial Committee allowed only one of them, Dr. Ford, to testify.
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) said on the Senate floor that she looked carefully at the FBI report and did not find any evidence that convinced her Kavanaugh was guilty:
‘There was a lack of corroborating evidence no matter where you looked.’
Dr. Ford was the perfect sexual abuse witness. Not only was she calm and composed, she had studied what happens to people during trauma for her bachelor, masters, and PhD. degrees. She comprised both the victim and the expert witness in her testimony.
Indeed, the Senate voted Kavanaugh onto the Supreme Court by the narrowest margin in the nation’s recent history — 50-48. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) was the only Republican who dissented.
Republicans said that the 46-page FBI report was complete. In addition, they said there was no new corroborating evidence to support Dr. Ford’s allegations of sexual abuse. In other words, they believed Kavanaugh rather than Ford.
That was ironic given that Ford’s testimony was powerful, composed, and in-depth. At the same time, the judge was enraged, defensive, and insulting to the Democratic committee members. In fact, his actions replicated those of well-established abuser characteristics.
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen also testified before the committee.
https://youtu.be/QaKXnPT6zN0
Featured image is a screenshot via YouTube.
