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With much of the nation on pins and needles, the full Senate is expected to take a procedural test vote Friday morning that will determine how the polarized chamber moves forward on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. If Republicans get the majority of votes they need Friday, or if Vice President Mike Pence is called upon to cast the tie-breaker, the next stop would be a final roll call, likely over the weekend.
At stake: the fate of one of the most contentious high court nominees the nation has ever seen.
Here’s some of the things you should know about Friday’s vote:
How did we get here?
After President Trump directed the FBI to look into allegations by Palo Alto University professor Christine Blasey Ford of sexual misconduct by Kavanaugh when he was in high school, the agency issued its report on Thursday morning. Within hours, it was clear the Kavanaugh nomination looked promising as two key swing-vote Republican senators — Susan Collins of Maine and Jeff Flake of Arizona — expressed satisfaction with the probe’s finding. That set the stage for Friday’s procedural vote and boosted the odds of Kavanaugh’s Senate confirmation, probably on Saturday.
What did Collins and Flake say about the FBI’s report?
Collins, who is one of three Republicans and two Democrats who had not yet indicated how they would vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination, said on the eve of Friday’s vote that “it appears to be a very thorough investigation, but I’m going back later to personally read the interviews.” Flake, who had requested the investigation after saying “this country is being ripped apart” by the Kavanaugh battle, told reporters that “we’ve seen no additional corroborating information” to support Ford’s accusations.
So what exactly is the Senate doing Friday?
As leading Democrats and Republicans offered opposing assessments of the FBI’s probe, and Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley of Iowa said the report included “no hint of misconduct,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., announced he had already launched the process, leading to Friday’s procedural vote.
What kind of vote is this?
McConnell said he had filed a petition for a so-called cloture vote. If that passes, Reuters reported, it would limit debate by senators on the Kavanaugh nomination and start the final 30-hour countdown required before the Senate can vote to confirm the nominee.
What time will Friday’s vote take place?
It’s not certain. But “after filing a cloture petition,” said the Reuters report, “lawmakers must wait one legislative day before proceeding to the cloture vote, according to Senate rules. That means a cloture vote could come on Friday morning at the soonest,” likely within an hour of the Senate convening.
How is the roll call on Kavanaugh expected to go?
Hard to tell. With Republicans grasping a razor-thin 51-49 majority in the Senate majority, the outcome could depend on how the five swing senators decide to vote; as of Thursday, four remain publicly undeclared. They are GOP senators Collins, Flake and Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski and Democrat Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Democrat Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota announced Thursday that she will vote no.
What happens if the Republicans get the votes they need?
The next step would be for the full Senate to take a final roll call on Kavanaugh’s nomination. That’s expected to happen as early as Saturday. If the vote ends up a tie, Pence would presumably cast the crucial deciding vote, sending Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
What has President Trump been saying in the hours before the vote?
Trump on Thursday tweeted about the probe and the accusations that spawned it, denouncing what he called “the harsh and unfair treatment” of Kavanaugh. “This great life cannot be ruined by mean” and “despicable Democrats and totally uncorroborated allegations!” His spokesman, Raj Shah, told CNN: “The president, the White House are firmly behind Brett Kavanaugh. We believe that all the Senate’s questions have been addressed through this supplemental FBI investigation.”
What have Democratic leaders in the Senate been saying about the vote and the FBI probe?
While lawyers for Kavanaugh’s accusers criticized the probe, saying the FBI decided not to interview witnesses they had suggested, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judicial committee, has told reporters that “the most notable part of this report is what’s not in it.” Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), blamed the White House for what critics are claiming is the limited scope of the probe.
Are there protests planned or expected?
Protesters opposed to Kavanaugh’s nomination have been active all week, gathering on Capitol Hill on Thursday with more actions expected as Friday’s Senate vote takes place. Chanting “We believe survivors!” the demonstrators in D.C. have rallied and marched as similar protests were taking place around the country. Tensions remained high as aggressive anti-Kavanaugh protesters rattled and reportedly harassed senators, the Washington Post reported. “Feeding the anxiety was an unusually beefy presence of the U.S. Capitol Police, who were keeping demonstrators and frequently reporters at arm’s length by forming wedges around lawmakers walking through corridors,” the report said.
What about protests in the Bay Area, where Ford is from?
Ford supporters were expected to protest Thursday evening when an “Anti-Kavanaugh” rally and march scheduled for UC Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza from 6-8 p.m., sponsored by a group called By Any Means Necessary. The group did not return phone calls Thursday, but they’re at facebook.com/groups/nationalbamn.