After the FBI sent a new report on its background investigation into sexual misconduct claims against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh to the Senate Thursday morning, Democrats who reviewed the report complained that the investigation appears to be incomplete.
“The most notable part of this report is what’s not in it,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said at a press conference after reading some of the FBI report.
“It looks to be a product of an incomplete investigation that was limited, perhaps by the White House, I don’t know,” she added, noting that Democrats are aware of several potential witnesses who were not contacted by the FBI.
She criticized the FBI for failing to interview Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her while the two were in high school. Feinstein argued “it’s simply not credible” to use public testimony as a substitute for an interview conducted by FBI agents.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said that his “fears” that the FBI investigation would be limited “have been realized.” He also criticized a statement from Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans that suggested the FBI’s several background checks into Kavanaugh did not uncover any clues about potential misconduct.
“I disagree with Sen. Grassley’s statement that there was no hint of misconduct,” Schumer said.
