Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME)
As expected, the RINOs are waffling in the hours leading up to the confirmation vote on Brett Kavanaugh.
Senators reviewed the FBI report on Brett Kavanaugh in a SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility) Thursday.
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) spent over an hour and a half in the SCIF reading the FBI report and emerged undecided.
Senator Lisa Murkowski met with dozens of emotional sexual assault survivors for over an hour Thursday.
RINO of all RINOs Jeff Flake is still “having issues” according to reports.
PERGRAM: Collins said she will make her decision soon.
Collins says she will make a decision on Kavanaugh “very soon” but no statement tonight
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) October 4, 2018
A Republican Senator said “They are not there yet” about whether Kavanaugh has the votes for confirmation.
“They are not there yet.” Those are the words of a senior Senate Republican source about whether Kavanaugh has the votes for confirmation. Collins/Flake remain undecided. Flake is an unknown as is Manchin.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) October 4, 2018
Onto Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski…
MSNBC reporter Garrett Haake reported: Murkowski has been meeting with dozens of Alaskan women privately in her office today, including several sexual assault survivors. The last group of 18 just left, describing a very emotional, hour+ meeting
“The women tell me Murkowski was VERY engaged with their stories and heard them out as they urged her to vote against Kavanaugh,” Garrett Haake added.
The women tell me Murkowski was VERY engaged with their stories and heard them out as they urged her to vote against Kavanaugh.
— Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) October 4, 2018
There is no evidence to support Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted Christine Ford, Deborah Ramirez or Julie Swetnick.
Flake, Collins and Murkowski may vote as a bloc, according to previous reports.
If no Democrats vote for Kavanaugh, he needs at least 50 Republicans to vote ‘yea’ and V.P. Mike Pence will come in as a tie-breaker.
Dem Senator Joe Manchin, however, is still in play.
Update: McConnell may have to hold the vote Sunday: GOP MT Sen Steve Daines will not be available on Saturday for Kavanaugh confirmation vote. Will be at his daughter’s wedding. This means McConnell needs all 50 GOPers present to vote yes unless he gets help from Dem Manchin. Pence would not be able to break tie w/99 sens voting
GOP MT Sen Steve Daines will not be available on Saturday for Kavanaugh confirmation vote. Will be at his daughter's wedding. This means McConnell needs all 50 GOPers present to vote yes unless he gets help from Dem Manchin. Pence would not be able to break tie w/99 sens voting
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) October 4, 2018
Mitch McConnell filed cloture to end debate late Wednesday evening, set up the procedural vote for Friday morning which will take us the the confirmation vote by Saturday evening.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said from the Senate floor Thursday morning:
The fact is none of these allegations have been corroborated by the FBI. Neither the Judiciary or FBI could find ANY witness to corroborate the allegations. No backup from any witnesses… This is the United States of America! Nobody is supposed to be guilty until proven innocent in the United States of America!… This is embarrassing to the Senate. The Senate should not set a fundamentally un-American precedent… Brett Kavanaugh is totally qualified for this job.
