Sen. Mitch McConnell promises that vote on Brett Kavanaugh will take place this week

Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) promised Tuesday that the Senate would vote on the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to be a justice on the Supreme Court by the end of the week.

What did McConnell say?

During a speech on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday, McConnell said firmly: “One thing we know for sure: The Senate will vote on Judge Kavanaugh here on this floor, this week.”

McConnell criticized Democrats for their demands to expand the FBI investigation into Kavanaugh, accusing them of constantly trying to “move the goalposts.” McConnell argued that his Democratic colleagues would “not be satisfied unless they have brought down Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination.”

In a similar speech on the Senate floor Monday, McConnell speculated that if he gave into Democratic demands on this point, there would be no end to what they demanded next:

The Democratic leader, and the ranking Democrat on the committee both said recently that an FBI investigation can be completed in less than a week. But, Mr. President, I'll bet almost anything, that after it runs its course in the next few days, we will then be treated to a lecture. A lecture. That anything short of a totally unbounded fishing expedition of indefinite duration is too limited, or too arbitrary, or somehow insufficient. We all know that's coming.

What about the FBI investigation?

The FBI has been conducting an additional investigation into Kavanaugh since the Senate Judiciary Committee wrapped up a series of hearings on Friday. This investigation was a concession that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) gave to Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). Flake said that the investigation would ease his conscience before he voted to confirm Kavanaugh.

Republicans have insisted that this investigation be limited to a single week, noting that the FBI had already conducted a background investigation into Kavanaugh and referred their findings to the White House. Democrats have argued that the time limit could prevent the FBI from conducting a thorough investigation into accusations of sexual misconduct that have been leveled against Kavanaugh.

McConnell tweeted that "[s]enators will have the opportunity to vote" as soon as "the FBI shares what they've found."

What else?

McConnell also dismissed reports that Kavanaugh had been in a bar fight during his college days.

“One can only imagine what new bombshell might be published today or tomorrow,” he scoffed.