Key lawmaker promises investigation into Kavanaugh if Dems retake House

The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee says Democrats plan to open an investigation into Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh if they take back control of the House this fall.

“It is not something we are eager to do,” Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), who is in line to become chairman of the committee if Democrats retake the House, said in an interview with The New York Times on Friday.

“But the Senate having failed to do its proper constitutionally mandated job of advise and consent, we are going to have to do something to provide a check and balance, to protect the rule of law and to protect the legitimacy of one of our most important institutions,” he added.{mosads}

Nadler argued that there was evidence that Senate Republicans and the FBI had overseen a “whitewash” investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh.

The ranking Judiciary Committee Democrat did not comment on the possibility of impeachment, according to the Times.

Nadler’s interview was published only hours after it became apparent that Kavanaugh had secured the necessary votes to be confirmed.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced on the Senate floor on Friday afternoon that she would support Kavanaugh in a final vote set for Saturday.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced moments later that he would vote to confirm the Supreme Court nominee as well. 

Kavanaugh has been at the center of weeks of controversy surrounding sexual misconduct allegations against him, which threw his nomination into question.

Christine Blasey Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week about her claims that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a high school party in the 1980s. 

Kavanaugh, who forcefully defended himself during an appearance before the Senate panel, has fiercely denied the accusation.

Nadler’s statement comes just days after he first raised the possibility of opening a House investigation into Kavanaugh, something that has been floated by a number of other Judiciary Committee Democrats.

“We would have to investigate any credible allegations certainly of perjury and other things that haven’t properly been looked into before,” Nadler said on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.

Nadler told The Times that he expects the Judiciary committee would subpoena records from the White House and the FBI if Democrats earned a House majority in the November midterm elections.

He also said that the committee would seek to interview Kavanaugh’s accusers and the many potential witnesses.