DEMOCRATS DEMANDED ANOTHER FBI BACKGROUND CHECK, GOT WHAT THEY ASKED FOR, AND NOW SAY IT WASN'T ENOUGH
Democrats Once Begged For A Short FBI Investigation Into Allegations Against Judge Kavanaugh, An Investigation They Claimed Would Only Take A "Few Days"
Former Democratic Presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton Claimed That She Did Not Think The FBI Investigation Would Be A "Lengthy Investigation" And That The FBI Could Conduct The Investigation In An "Expeditious Manner." MSNBC'S RACHEL MADDOW: "Essentially the lawyer is saying the FBI needs to look into this, and the investigation needs to be conducted. The interviews need to be done by the FBI before she should testify. You have any reaction to that?" FORMER DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE HILLARY CLINTON: "I think that's a reasonable request. The White House could answer it very quickly by asking the FBI to reopen its background check and to take into account the accusation that has been made and to gather the evidence about what can be known. So far they haven't done that, and as someone who has watched this process unfold over many years, there does have to be some direction given to the FBI to pursue an investigation. I don't think it would be a lengthy investigation. I think it could be done in an expeditious manner." (MSNBC's "Rachel Maddow Show," 9/18/18)
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) Claimed He Had Not "Heard One Actual Reason Why There Shouldn't Be An FBI Investigation" Because "It Will Only Take A Few Days." SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): "So right here and now, I challenge any Member of the Republican Senate to come to the floor and give one good reason why we shouldn't allow the FBI to follow up on its background investigation--one good reason. I haven't heard one. With all the rhetoric, all the screaming, all the name-calling, all the disrespecting of women who have come forward--something this Nation knows all too well these days--we haven't heard one actual reason why there shouldn't be an FBI investigation. Will it slow it down? It will take only a few days." (Sen. Chuck Schumer, Congressional Record , 9/26/18, p. S6316)
- In Emphasizing The Need For An FBI Investigation Into Judge Kavanaugh, Schumer Stated That An Update To Justice Thomas's FBI Background Check Only Took 3 Days To Complete. SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): "And I have to give some credit: A handful of fair-minded Republican Senators have said that an FBI investigation is warranted because they know it would get to the facts. They know it would keep politics out of it. They know it wouldn't cause much of a delay. During Justice Thomas's confirmation process, an update to the FBI background check took 3 days--3 days." (Sen. Chuck Schumer, Congressional Record , 9/26/18, p. S6316)
Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) Claimed It Was "Possible For Us To Have The FBI Do A Prompt And Appropriate Professional Questioning Of Some Of The Core People Here." SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): "I do think it's possible for us to have the FBI do a prompt and appropriate professional questioning of some of the core people here." (MSNBC's "Rachel Maddow," 9/26/18)
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) Claimed The FBI Investigation "Should Only Take A Few Days." SEN. PATTY MURRAY (D-WA): "Well, the way the Senate Republicans have now set this up, that is what we`re going to have is, do you believe her, or do you believe him? That is exactly why we have been pressing for an FBI investigation that should only take a few days, so there are other facts out there, that there are other witnesses." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 9/23/18)
Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) Claimed She Had Spoken To Various Senators And Asked for A "Finite Period" For An FBI Investigation, Klobuchar Even Suggested It Take "Maybe A Week." SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN): "When we are not giving her the respect of having an investigation of the case that she made to us yesterday. It was awhile ago that this happened, and there's other claims other there as well, but it's been my experience as Senator Whitehouse just articulated, that if you don't go back and look at things and you don't look at corroborating evidence and you don't talk to the witnesses, you're never gonna know what happened. I have proposed and talked to some of my colleagues and I know others have as well, as a finite period for an FBI investigation, maybe a week." (Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Twitter Feed , 9/28/18, 1:07 - 1:55)
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) Claimed That He Was "Satisfied" With The FBI Investigation And That He Thought The FBI Would Be Able To Finish The Investigation By Friday "If They Really Put The Effort Into It." ABC's GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: "Thanks very much. Let's bring in Senator Sheldon Whitehouse from Rhode Island, Democrat member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senator, you're a former prosecutor, as well. Are you satisfied now with the scope of the FBI inquiry and can they finish by Friday?" SEN. SHELDON WHITEHOUSE (D-RI): "I think I'm satisfied. We don't know all the details yet, but clearly if they have been given free range to interview whomever they want then that's a very good sign. The last thing we want is a sham investigation. I also think that there's a fairly small universe of witnesses here and a very big FBI, so, yes, I think they probably should be able to get this done by Friday if they really put the effort into it." (ABC's "Good Morning America," 10/2/18)
Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) Claimed That The Investigation Would Not Be A "Month-Long Or Even Weeks-Long Investigation," Casey Stated The Investigation "Might Last A Few Days." SEN. BOB CASEY (D-PA): "This would not be a new endeavor for the FBI. They do this routinely for nominees from the Supreme Court all the way down. They, of course, did an investigation into the judge's background for the purposes of this confirmation. An investigation of these new allegations would simply be an update to the background check. It would be the completion of the background check. That is why this is not a month-long or even weeks-long investigation that could transpire. I would hope--and there is still time to do this either today or even while the Judiciary Committee is hearing testimony tomorrow--that there would, in fact, be an investigation that might last a few days." (Sen. Bob Casey, Congressional Record , 9/26/18, p. 6321)
The Week-Long FBI Background Check Was Granted And Concluded That There Is No Evidence To Corroborate The Claims Of Dr. Ford
Fox News' Political Reporter Brooke Singman Tweeted That The FBI Report "Has Nothing To Corroborate" The Allegations Against Judge Kavanaugh. "NEW per @johnrobertsFox @MikeEmanuelFox : #FBIReport has nothing to corroborate #ChristineBlasleyFord or #DeborahRamirez allegations, according to sources familiar." (Brooke Singman, Twitter Feed , 10/4/18)
CNN's Ana Cabrera Tweeted "A Source Close To The Process Who Supports Kavanaugh Tells @Arianedevogue More Information Came Out In The FBI Interviews Helpful To Kavanaugh Than Helpful To Ford." "A source close to the process who supports Kavanaugh tells @Arianedevogue more information came out in the FBI interviews helpful to Kavanaugh than helpful to Ford." (Ana Cabrera, Twitter Feed , 10/4/18)
According To Huffington Post's Ryan Reilly, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) Said, "There's Nothing That We Didn't Already Know" And That It Was "Time To Vote." "GRASSLEY: 'There's nothing in it that we didn't already know… It's time to vote. I'll be voting to confirm Judge Kavanaugh.'" (Ryan J. Reilly, Twitter Feed , 10/4/18)
CNN Correspondent Phil Mattingly Reported That Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Said The FBI Report Was "Very, Very Reassuring." " .@senatemajldr McConnell tells @tedbarrettcnn the FBI report is 'very, very reassuring.'" (Phil Mattingly, Twitter Feed , 10/4/18)
According To CNN's Jeremy Herb, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) Stated That The FBI Report Appeared "To Be A Very Thorough Investigation." "Sen. Collins says 'it appears to be a very thorough investigation.' She plans to go back and read the full report later" (Jeremy Herb, Twitter Feed , 10/4/18)
NBC News' Frank Thorp V Reported That When Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) Was Asked If There Was Anything New In The FBI Report, Harris Responded By Saying, "Nope." "Sen @KamalaHarris: 'This so-called Investigation leaves a lot more questions than answers.' Q: Was there anything that you saw that was new? HARRIS: Nope." (Frank Thorp V, Twitter Feed , 10/4/18)
Now, After The Investigation Has Found No Evidence Of Wrongdoing, Democrats Are Moving The Goalposts And Claiming The Investigation Is Inadequate Because They Do Not Like What They Hear
Today, After The FBI Report Was Given To The Senate, Minority Leader Schumer Claimed That The FBI Investigation Did Not Get All The Facts Of The Case And That His "Fears Have Been Realized." SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): "We had many fears that this would be a very limited process that would constrain the FBI from getting all the facts. Having received a thorough briefing on the documents, those fears have been realized." (Sen. Chuck Schumer, Remarks At A Press Conference, Washington, D.C., 10/4/18)
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) Claimed That She Had "Serious Concerns That This Is Not A Credible Investigation." "Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today released the following statement after the White House confirmed that Dr. Blasey Ford and Judge Kavanaugh would not be interviewed as part of the FBI background investigation: 'The White House confirmation that it will not allow the FBI to interview Dr. Blasey Ford, Judge Kavanaugh or witnesses identified by Deborah Ramirez raises serious concerns that this is not a credible investigation and begs the question: What other restrictions has the White House placed on the FBI?'" (Press Release, "Feinstein: Investigation Not Credible Without Ford, Kavanaugh Interviews," Sen. Dianne Feinstein , 10/3/18)
Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) Claimed That The FBI Investigation Was A "Cover Up" And That The FBI, The White House And The Senate Leadership Were "Turning A Deaf Ear" To The Allegations. CNN'S POPPY HARLOW: "Let's begin with the fact. We know the FBI had extensive conversations with nine people. Okay? Nine. Nowhere near the full list of those who were turned over to them recommended to them by Democrats and Republicans that they should talk to. We know that Ford and Brett Kavanaugh did not speak to the FBI. They did not interview them. In your view, is this a fulsome and credible investigation?" SEN. ED MARKEY (D-MA): "It is obviously a cover up. The Trump White House working with the Republican leadership in the Senate have deliberately circumscribed this investigation so that only a small handful of people will be questioned. And if any leads are in fact developed that the FBI is not allowed to follow them in order to determine the truth of what happened. And whether we're talking about Debbie Ramirez, we're talking about James Roche, we're talking about many other people that came forward to say they are willing to give information. The FBI, the White House and the Senate leadership are just turning a deaf ear." (CNN's "Newsroom," 10/4/18)
Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) Claimed That The FBI Report Was An "Incomplete Report By Any Stretch Of The Imagination." SEN. BOB MENENDEZ: "In fact, the reports that Dr. Ford has not been interviewed and that Judge Kavanaugh has not been interviewed, and the individual that Dr. Ford might have offered as corroboration for some of her testimony, it is an incomplete report by any stretch of the imagination." ("MSNBC's "Live With Hallie Jackson," 10/4/18)
Senator Gillibrand (D-NY) Stated She Didn't "Believe" The FBI Investigation Was Thorough And Blamed The Fact That The FBI Was "Limited" As A Reason Why Senators Would Not Receive A Thorough Report. CNN'S WOLF BLITZER: "So based on what you know, is the FBI doing a thorough investigation as we speak?" SEN. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND (D-NY): "Unfortunately, I don't believe they are. The fact that they were limited on who they could talk to, the fact that they don't have the authority to even go back to Judge Kavanaugh if they have further questions, in light of these additional interviews. The fact that they can't even go back to Dr. Ford if they want to. That doesn't sound like the complete, thorough investigation that frankly Senators deserve and would be due if you had a thorough background check." (CNN's "Situation Room," 10/3/18)
Senator Coons Claimed That The FBI Investigation Did "Not Seem Like The Robust FBI Investigation The President Described." MSNBC'S WILLIE GEIST: "Do you believe this FBI inquiry was a sham?" COONS: "Well I think the FBI conducted this inquiry at the direction of the White House and the majority in the Senate. So I don't think this is the FBI's fault. I think they carried forward on the scope that they were given. but I am concerned that President Trump publicly re-assured concerned Senators that the FBI was going to be allowed to pursue all relevant investigatory leads for these allegations and if you've got someone like Dr. Ford who is urging the FBI to question her and you've got someone like Dr. Ford and Debbie Ramirez who was questioned who say here are additional witnesses who can corroborate my allegations and no effort was made to question those additional witnesses, then to me that does not seem like the robust FBI investigation the President described." (MSNBC's "Morning Joe," 10/4/18)
- Senator Coons After Reading The FBI Report: "[The FBI] Did Not Do As Thorough And Fulsome A Job Of Assessing The Facts." "After viewing the FBI report, Senator Coons says investigators 'did not do as thorough and fulsome a job of assessing the facts' as they should have." (Elaina Pott, Twitter Feed , 10/4/18)
Senator Durbin Claimed That He Found It "Unacceptable" That The FBI Only Interviewed A "Handful Of Witnesses." CNN'S JOHN BERMAN: "Based on what you know what into it, interviews with nine witnesses, not professor ford, has the FBI compromised in your mind its reputation?" SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): "Of course I owe it to the FBI to process, to read the report before I make a generalized comment on it. But I find it unacceptable that only a handful of witnesses interviewed." (CNN's "New Day," 10/4/18)
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