Manchin announces support for Kavanaugh, ensuring enough votes for confirmation

WASHINGTON — It is all but certain the U.S. Senate will vote to confirm Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh after decisions made Friday by two undecided senators.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine spoke on the Senate floor Friday afternoon about supporting Kavanaugh. Minutes later, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., released a statement announcing he would vote in favor of confirmation.

Manchin said his decision came after hearing from constituents, meeting with Kavanaugh in July and attending the Judiciary Committee’s hearings on the nomination.

“I have reservations about this vote given the serious accusations against Judge Kavanaugh and the temperament he displayed in the hearing. And my heart goes out to anyone who has experienced any type of sexual assault in their life,” he said in a statement. “However, based on all of the information I have available to me, including the recently completed FBI report, I have found Judge Kavanaugh to be a qualified jurist who will follow the Constitution and determine cases based on the legal findings before him. I do hope that Judge Kavanaugh will not allow the partisan nature this process took to follow him onto the court.”

The FBI report came following sexual assault accusations against Kavanaugh; California professor Christine Blasey Ford and Kavanaugh testified before the Judiciary Committee last week. Ford said Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when the two were teenagers, which Kavanaugh denied.

Manchin reviewed the report Thursday and Friday. He told reporters after his announcement while he believed Dr. Ford’s testimony, but didn’t believe there was evidence supporting the claim that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her.

“But I believe something happened,” he added.

Manchin was the only Democrat to vote in favor of advancing Kavanaugh’s nomination Friday morning. Sens. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Donnelly of Indiana, fellow red state Democrats who are running for reelection this year, voted against the action.

Manchin, Heitkamp and Donnelly voted last year to confirm Neil Gorsuch to the bench.

Collins voted to move forward with the nomination as did fellow Republican Jeff Flake of Arizona, while Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski voted against.

Manchin, Collins, Flake and Murkowski were identified as undecided votes heading into Friday.

Manchin and Murkowski were the only senators to not vote along party lines.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., who presided over the Senate during the vote, supported moving it forward.

The final vote total was 51-49.

Manchin has kept an open mind on Kavanaugh; when the nomination was first announced, he said he had concerns about what putting Kavanaugh on the bench could mean for protecting insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions. The provision has also been an issue in this year’s U.S. Senate contest between Manchin and state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who is involved in a lawsuit with other attorneys general over the constitutionality of the federal health care law.

“With respect to any cases that may come before him impacting the 800,000 West Virginians with pre-existing conditions, Judge Kavanaugh assured me personally that he would consider the human impacts and approach any decision with surgical precision to avoid unintended consequences. That is why I voted to confirm Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination to serve on the Supreme Court because I believe he will rule in a manner that is consistent with our Constitution,” Manchin said his statement.

With protesters chanting behind him, Manchin told reporters at the U.S. Capitol he waited to announce his decision after Collins’ remarks out of respect.

“I knew when I saw she was going to do that, I said, ‘Fine.’ I watched it,” he said. “Then I made my decision and I gave my reasons for my decision.”

Morrisey, who is running for U.S. Senate as a Republican, criticized Manchin for the timing of his support, adding Manchin “only votes in the interest of Joe Manchin.”

“President Trump had all the votes he needed to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh, but Manchin waited — making a craven political calculation — in order to try to save his political career,” he said.

“Spending months on the sideline, Manchin allowed Senate Democrats and the liberal media to orchestrate a resist and obstruct circus to smear President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee. Manchin owes West Virginia an apology for watching, doing nothing, as Democrats sought to destroy Judge Brett Kavanaugh.”

Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of the president, also criticized Manchin for when he announced his decision.

“A real profile in courage from Lyin’ liberal @JoeManchinWV. Waited until Kavanugh (sic.) had enough votes secured before he announced his support. I bet he had another press release ready to go if Collins went the other way,” he tweeted.

Trump Jr. also urged people to support Morrisey. Trump Jr. came to Charleston in June to raise money for Morrisey’s bid for public office.

Protesters gathered outside of Manchin’s Charleston campaign office after the cloture vote, urging the senator to reconsider his vote on Kavanaugh.

Progressive organization MoveOn.org announced Friday it was canceling ad campaigns supporting Manchin and Tennessee Senate candidate Phil Bredesen; Breseden, a former governor and the Democrat in a close Senate race, said Friday he supported confirmation.

“We’re cancelling a planned six-figure digital video ad expenditure for Phil Bredesen in Tennessee due to his Kavanaugh position. And similarly will be pulling all planned campaigning on behalf of Joe Manchin in West Virginia if he votes yes. Kavanaugh is unfit for the Court,” MoveOn.org said on Twitter.

The Congressional Black Caucus chastised Manchin, comparing his decision on Kavanaugh to his support of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in February 2017. Manchin was the only Democrat to vote for confirming Sessions.

“At this point, why would anyone in West Virginia who believes in justice & equality continue to support @Sen_JoeManchin? With friends like these, who needs enemies?” the caucus asked.





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