A vote on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation was thrown into doubt Sunday after Sen. Jeff Flake said he’s currently “not comfortable voting yes” following accusations from a California professor that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her as a teenager.
Christine Blasey Ford publicly came forward to the Washington Post on Sunday and detailed her accusation. “I thought he might inadvertently kill me,” she said. “He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.”
Read: Kavanaugh accuser comes forward: ‘He was trying to attack me’
After her story was published, Flake, an Arizona Republican and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told Politico: “If they push forward without any attempt with hearing what she’s had to say, I’m not comfortable voting yes. We need to hear from her. And I don’t think I’m alone in this.”
Flake said the committee should not vote until more is heard from Ford. “For me, we can’t vote until we hear more,” he told the Washington Post on Sunday. Republicans control the Judiciary Committee by an 11-10 advantage, so Flake’s vote is crucial for Kavanaugh’s advancement.
A spokesman for Judiciary Committee chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said Sunday that Grassley is seeking to set up calls with Ford and Kavanaugh before Thursday’s committee vote.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Sunday he would be open to hearing from Ford, but did not call for a delay. “If the committee is to hear from Ms. Ford, it should be done immediately,” he said in a statement.
A number of Democratic senators called for the vote to be put off. “To railroad a vote now would be an insult to the women of America and the integrity of the Supreme Court,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement.
Kavanaugh last week denied the allegations. The White House has stood by him, and said Sunday it would not withdraw his nomination.
Republicans had hoped to have a final confirmation vote on Kavanaugh by Oct. 1.
