Sen. Jeff Flake said Friday morning that he will vote to confirm Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh — then was angrily confronted by protesters enraged by his announcement.
“After hearing more than 30 hours of testimony from Judge Kavanaugh earlier this month, I was prepared to support his nomination based on his views of the law and order as a judge,” the Arizona Republican, who has been seen as the Senate Judiciary Committee’s swing vote, said in a statement.
“In fact, I commented at the time that had he been nominated in another era, he would have likely received 90+ votes,” he said.
“When Dr. Ford’s allegations against Judge Kavanaugh surfaced two weeks ago, I insisted that she be allowed testify before the committee moved to a vote. Yesterday, we head compelling testimony from Dr. Ford, as well as a persuasive response from Judge Kavanaugh. I wish that I could express the confidence that some of my colleagues have conveyed about what either did or did not happen in the early 1980s, but I left the hearing yesterday with as much doubt as certainty,” he continued.
“What I do know is that our system of justice affords a presumption of innocence to the accused, absent corroborating evidence. That’s what binds us to the rule of law. 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.”
Flake’s announcement came just before the Senate Judiciary Committee convened to vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the high court – a day after the nominee angrily denied sex-assault allegations by Christine Blasey Ford.
Once Flake’s vote became public, he was cornered for several by enraged protesters in the Senate elevator in an extraordinary scene captured on live television.
Most of the committee members had already made their minds up, putting the spotlight on Flake.
Flake is retiring at the end of this session and has frequently clashed with President Trump.
During an intense, emotional hearing Thursday, Ford testified that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while they were both teenagers in 1982.
Kavanaugh later offered a vociferous and sometimes tearful defense, which Trump praised.
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