Senate Democrats are calling on the FBI to examine allegations raised by Julie Swetnick, the third woman to accuse Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, as part of its reopened background investigation into the Supreme Court nominee.
Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter on Monday to White House counsel Don McGahn and FBI Director Christopher Wray including a list of potential witnesses for the FBI’s investigation.
{mosads}”The Committee has received serious allegations from two other women – Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick. These three women have come forward at great personal risk, identified themselves by name, submitted written allegations to the Committee, and requested an FBI investigation,” Democrats wrote.
Ramirez and Swetnick came forward after Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of assaulting her at a high school party. Kavanaugh has denied all the allegations.
The Democrats added that “all three allegations should be included in the supplemental investigation.”
Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Dick Durbin (Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.), Mazie K. Hirono (Hawaii), Cory Booker (N.J.), Kamala Harris (Calif.) and Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) signed the letter.
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), who is a member of the Judiciary Committee, did not sign it. He helped negotiate the one-week timeframe for the FBI investigation with GOP Sen. Jeff Flake (Ariz.).
NBC News reported over the weekend that the White House was placing limits on the FBI’s investigation and that it would not include Swetnick. She alleges that Kavanaugh was present at a party where a “gang rape,” which she was the victim of, took place.
“We ask that you confirm that the FBI background investigation will include the allegations of Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick and that the FBI will perform all logical steps related to these allegations, including interviewing other individuals who might have relevant information and gathering evidence related to the truthfulness of statements made in relation to these allegations,” the Democratic senators added in their letter.
Democrats are also asking for the White House to hand over details on the scope of the investigation and the FBI’s next steps. After the investigation is finished, senators want copies of interviews and a list of witnesses who refused to cooperate.
“We believe that providing this important information to the Senate and American people is the best way to ensure public confidence in the results,” the senators said.