Grassley: With FBI Work Complete, It’s Time to Vote
WASHINGTON
– Senate
Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa issued the following
statement about the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to serve as an
Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States.
“I’ve now received a committee staff briefing on
the FBI’s supplement to Judge Kavanaugh’s background investigation file.
There’s nothing in it that we didn’t already know. These uncorroborated
accusations have been unequivocally and repeatedly rejected by Judge Kavanaugh,
and neither the Judiciary Committee nor the FBI could locate any third parties
who can attest to any of the allegations. There’s also no contemporaneous
evidence. This investigation found no hint of misconduct and the same is true
of the six prior FBI background investigations conducted during Judge
Kavanaugh’s 25 years of public service.
“I trust that the career agents of the FBI have
done their work independent of political or partisan considerations. That’s
exactly what senators from both sides asked for. Now it’s up to senators to
fulfill their constitutional duty and make a judgment.
“No one is on trial and the Senate is not a
courtroom. But our nation’s tradition of fairness still applies. A presumption
of innocence is how the American justice system works, and it should remain our
guidepost in the Senate. Abandoning that principle would cut a sad path for the
Senate as an institution.
“Here is what we know: Judge Kavanaugh’s former
clerks, colleagues and friends from high school to the present acclaim his
personal integrity and character. His neighbors and community members recognize
his positive contributions to their schools and churches. And his fellow
members of the legal profession know him to be a thoughtful and respectful
jurist. His judicial record shows that he is fair and rules impartially and
without prejudice.
“Fundamentally, we senators ought to wipe away the
muck from all the mudslinging and politics and look at this nomination with
clear eyes. Judge Kavanaugh is one of the most qualified nominees to ever come
before the Senate. He’s served with distinction for twelve years on the
nation’s most important circuit court and dedicated himself to serving the
American public. We know that he will be an excellent justice because he’s been
an excellent judge.
“It’s time to vote. I’ll be voting to confirm Judge
Kavanaugh.”
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