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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Feinstein Confirms Call for Kavanaugh Investigation

Senator Dianne Feinstein said Thursday she has referred information she received about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh to "federal investigative authorities."

WASHINGTON (CN) - Senator Dianne Feinstein said Thursday she has referred information she received about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh to "federal investigative authorities."

Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the cryptic statement following a report Wednesday by The Intercept that she is privy to a document making unspecified allegations against Kavanaugh, a judge with the D.C. Circuit who is expected to succeed retired Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court.

According to The Intercept, Democrats on the Judiciary Committee have made overtures to review the document, but Feinstein has rebuffed them.

"I have received information from an individual concerning the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court," Feinstein said in a statement Thursday. "That individual strongly requested confidentiality, declined to come forward or press the matter further and I have honored that decision. I have, however, referred the matter to federal investigative authorities."

The Intercept reported there are conflicting stories about what is in the letter, which came to Feinstein from Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., but that a "consistent theme" emerged that it has something to do with "an incident involving Kavanaugh and a woman while they were in high school."

The Intercept said the woman is now represented by Debra Katz, a Washington, D.C., civil rights attorney who represents women raising allegations of sexual misconduct. Katz, a founding partner at the firm Katz, Marshall and Banks, did not immediately return a request for comment.

White House spokeswoman Kerri Kupec called the news of the letter an "11th hour attempt" to delay Kavanaugh's nomination from Senate Democrats.

"Throughout his confirmation process, Judge Kavanaugh has had 65 meetings with senators - including with Senator Feinstein - sat through over 30 hours of testimony, addressed over 2,000 questions in a public setting and additional questions in a confidential session," Kupec said in a statement. "Not until the eve of his confirmation has Sen. Feinstein or anyone raised the specter of new ‘information' about him."

Categories / Courts, Government, Politics

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