Two GOP senators join Democrats asking for FBI probe of sex allegations vs. Kavanaugh

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Senators Kamala Harris, center, and Mazie Hirono, right, spoke to the media after the Senate committee hearing.

HOURS AFTER Donald Trump gave into the intense pressure to look into allegations of sexual misconduct of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, the FBI has already scheduled interviews with at least one of the two women who came forward with additional iinformation after Dr. Christine Blasey Ford claimed that Kavanaugh assaulted her.

The FBI's supplemental investigation would look into allegations of sexual misconduct by Kavanaugh. Besides the allegation of Blasey Ford, which the Senate Judiciary Committee heard Thursday, two other women have come forward as victims and/or witnesses to the drunken, aggressive behavior by Kavanaugh.

Blasey Ford “welcomes” the FBI investigation into her allegations that she was sexually assaulted by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, one of her attorneys confirmed Friday.

“A thorough FBI investigation is critical to developing all the relevant facts,” Debra Katz said in a statement. “Dr. Christine Blasey Ford welcomes this step in the process, and appreciates the efforts of Senators Flake, Murkowski, Manchin and Collins — and all other senators who have supported an FBI investigation — to ensure it is completed before the Senate votes on Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination. No artificial limits as to time or scope should be imposed on this investigation.”

Kavanaugh has also said he would cooperate fully with the investigation.

The key vote was cast by Republican Sen. Jeff Flake who placed a condition on his yes vote, giving the GOP the majority on the committee. For his yes vote, he wanted an FBI investigation of the allegations before the Senate vote.

Shortly after Flake's position became known, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, expressed her support for an investigation. Without the two GOP senators,  any attempt by the GOP to push a vote through purely on party affiliation and without an FBI probe, would have died.

Democrats have been pushing for an FBI investigation of the sexual misconduct allegations ever since Balsey Ford's assertions became known last week.

Trump's green light to the FBI probe came after intense pressure from women who sympathized with Balsey Ford and believed her allegations. The American Bar Association this morning and the Jesuit Order, withdrew their endorsements of Kavanaugh pending an FBI probe.

“I’ve ordered the FBI to conduct a supplemental investigation to update Judge Kavanaugh’s file,” Trump said in a statement on Friday. “As the Senate has requested, this update must be limited in scope and completed in less than one week.”

"It certainly should cover the three credible reports that have come forward, and it has to be complete,"said Sen. Mazie Hirono to CNN's Wolf Blitzer on "The Situation Room."

Friday morning as the judiciary committee was voting to send the nomination to the Senate floor, Hirono and Sen. Kamala Harris walked out of the meeting room in protest to the vote.

"Republicans are rushing Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation with a sham hearing this morning, less than 24 hours after Dr. Ford had the courage to tell her story in front of the entire country. This is a disgrace," said Harris in a letter to her supporters.

"So, instead of sitting through this farce... I walked out," she continued.

"I know this week has been exhausting," said Harris, "but we cannot stop marching and speaking out against this nomination."

TV cameras didn't show this: Dozens of House members stood in silence as Sen. Chuck Grassley,chair of the Senate Judiciary  Committee openedthe hearing to listen to Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's testimony alleging the nominee assaulted her when both were teenagers. Among those members were AAPI Representatives Jamila Jayapal, Judy Chu, Colleen Hanabusa and Grace Meng. They left  the room as soon as guards approached them.

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