The House Judiciary Committee will investigate Judge Brett Kavanaugh if he is confirmed to the Supreme Court and Democrats regain a majority in the House after November's midterm elections, a top House Democrat vowed Sunday.
New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D) would likely chair the House Judiciary Committee if Democrats retake the House, as he is already the committee's ranking member. He explained on ABC News' "This Week" that in the case of a Democratic majority in the House, he would use his newfound power to initiate another Kavanaugh investigation.
"If he is on the Supreme Court, and the Senate hasn't investigated, then the House will have to," Nadler said. "We would have to investigate any credible allegations, certainly of perjury, and other things that haven't been properly looked into before."
Nadler characterized the uncorroborated claims of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh as "credible."
Speaking to the FBI's investigation into Kavanaugh's background, Nadler said it would be "a real problem" if the probe isn't thorough and called on Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), who prompted the investigation, to ensure the investigation is carried out with integrity.
"I would hope that Sen. Flake and others would make clear that their votes will not be for the nominee unless there is a free hand for a proper investigation of these very serious allegations of sexual assaults," Nadler said.
"We cannot have a justice on the Supreme Court for the next several decades who will be deciding questions of liberty and life and death...who has been credibly accused of sexual assaults, who has been credible accused of various other, um, uh, things — wrong things, including perjury," he explained.
Kavanaugh vehemently denies all allegations of misconduct.
The FBI initiated a "supplemental" investigation of Kavanaugh's background on Friday. The investigation is only expected to last one week, but no new information is expected to be revealed. And even though Democrats hounded Kavanaugh to call for the investigation, those opposing his confirmation have already questioned the integrity of the probe.
Also, top Democrats have floated the possibility of impeaching Kavanaugh should he be confirmed to the Supreme Court.
However, Rachel Mitchell, the Arizona prosecutor who questioned Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford during last week's hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, released a memo late Sunday detailing why no "reasonable prosecutor" would pursue the Kavanaugh case. In fact, she said the case is "weaker" than traditional "he said, she said" sex cases.
Chris Enloe
Staff Writer
