The United States Senate on Friday voted to advance the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to a final floor vote, which will determine his entry to the country’s highest court. The cloture motion – a vote to go ahead with another vote – was passed 51-49. It sets a 30-hour window for debate and discussion before the Senate, prior to a final vote.
Kavanaugh has been accused of sexual misconduct by three women. Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard both Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, one of the complainants. The committee voted to forward Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Senate. But Republican Senator Jeff Flake called for a one-week delay in the full vote there, so that the Federal Bureau of Investigation could conduct an inquiry.
President Donald Trump expressed his satisfaction at the result, tweeting that he was “very proud” of the Senate.
On Thursday, the White House received the agency’s report. It forwarded the report to the Senate, but said it was confident that the legislature would vote to confirm Kavanaugh. Later in the day, police in Washington DC arrested over 300 people protesting against the Supreme Court nominee.
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