Bob Corker, the junior senator from Tennessee and the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, says he is throwing his full support behind Brett Kavanaugh.
In a tweet on Thursday night, Corker said he plans to vote for Kavanaugh. You can read his full statement here:
I plan to vote to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh. My full statement:
Corker Said There Wasn’t Enough Evidence to Prove That Kavanaugh Did Anything Wrong
Breaking: Bob Corker Will Vote To Confirm Brett Kavanaugh t.co/QkJZtZYmzN
In his statement Thursday night, Corker noted that he was one of the senators who had called for a delay in the confirmation vote; he said that he believed it was very important for Dr. Christine Ford to have a chance to testify. Ford has accused Kavanaugh of attempting to sexaully assault her at a party when they were both in high school.
Corker said Ford had shown courage when she agreed to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier in the day. But, he said, she had not shown enough evidence to prove that Kavanaugh had actually tried to assault her.
“I also very strongly believe that Judge Kavanaugh, like all Americans, deserves the presumption of innocence and that it was equally as important for him to have the opportunity to address the charges and defend himself. While both individuals provided compelling testimony, nothing that has been presented corroborates the accusation.”
That’s why, Corker said, he will vote to confirm Kavanaugh.
The Senate Judiciary Committee Plans to Meet Friday Morning, With a Full Senate Vote Possible on Saturday
Senator Joe Manchin Will Reportedly Side With People “Who Want Kavanaugh Confirmed” t.co/ifHJNjZRpI
Chuck Grassley, the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says his committee plans to meet at 9:30 on Friday morning to discuss Kavanaugh’s nomination. News reports say the committee is expected to vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation on Friday, and then a procedural vote by the full Senate could be held as early as Saturday.
Corker is a moderate Republican, and his vote was not being counted on as a sure thing.
Also Thursday, news reports say West Virginia’s senator Manchin, a Democrat, plans to vote to confirm Kavanaugh too. Republicans hold only a slim majority in the Senate, and Manchin’s vote could tip the scales in their favor, since it would mean they could get Kavanaugh confirmed even if two Republicans vote against him.
Manchin had a one-hour meeting on Thursday night with three undecided Republican senators: Susan Collins of Maine, Jeff Flake of Arizona and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. After their closed-door meeting, Collins, Flake and Murowski went into a meeting of Republican senators on Capitol Hill.
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