FBI Lacks White House Approval to Talk to Kavanaugh and Ford, Sources Say

Source: Bloomberg

By Chris Strohm and Shannon Pettypiece
October 3, 2018, 1:11 PM EDT Updated on October 3, 2018, 1:44 PM EDT

The FBI hasn’t interviewed Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh or Christine Blasey Ford because it doesn’t have clear authority from the White House to do so, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

Instead, the White House has indicated to the FBI that testimony from Kavanaugh and Ford, who has accused him of attempting to rape her when they were in high school, before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week is sufficient, said the people, who asked to not be identified discussing the sensitive matter.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether the Federal Bureau of Investigation is trying to force the issue and seek explicit approval from the White House to interview Ford and Kavanaugh. And it wasn’t clear why the FBI hasn’t yet talked to other people who have been recommended by lawyers or who have voluntarily come forward -- or if the bureau would need explicit approval to talk with them as well.

Confusion has now beset the investigation, fed by conflicting signals over what constraints have been placed on the bureau despite President Donald Trump’s comment Monday that “the FBI should interview anybody that they want, within reason.”

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-03/trump-bets-fight-for-imperiled-kavanaugh-will-fire-up-gop-voters

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"It’s time to put this embarrassing spectacle behind us," said McConnell, who reiterated his plan to hold at least a preliminary vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation this week.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “We have no idea if the FBI is doing a real investigation or simply preparing a fig leaf at the direction of the White House for Republicans to vote yes.”

Regarding Wray, Schumer of New York said, "If he’s being constrained by the White House, he has an obligation to let us know."


Hey........ McConnell the embarrassment is that you condone lying and a drunk perjurer sitting on the bench, after all you told your head fraudster that this nominee would be a bad choice.......................did you not..........your the embarrassing spectacle..................