Sen. Mazie Hirono (D., Hawaii) criticized how the supplemental FBI investigation into sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is being conducted. The Democratic senator took issue with the timeline and scope of the investigation.
"There's time, you know. The thing is that every Senate vote matters and there's time to get to the bottom of it, even if it's seven days. That's bad enough, but then to limit the FBI as to the scope and who they're going to question?" Hirono said during an appearance on ABC's "This Week With George Stephanopoulos."
"That is – that really – I wanted to use the word farce, but – that's not the kind of investigation that all of us are expecting the FBI to conduct," Hirono continued.
On Friday, Sen. Jeff Flake (R., Ariz.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called for one-week delay on a floor vote to confirm Kavanaugh to allow for an FBI investigation, "limited in time and scope, to the current allegations that are there" against Kavanaugh.
The committee proceeded to vote in favor of advancing Kavanaugh's nomination to the Senate floor on a party line vote with all Republicans voting "yes" and all Democrats voting "no."
President Donald Trump ordered the FBI to conduct a supplemental investigation into the sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh, stipulating that the probe must be limited and completed within one week.
The president later challenged reports that the FBI probe would be limited in how many accusers the agency would interview, tweeting, "NBC News incorrectly reported (as usual) that I was limiting the FBI investigation of Judge Kavanaugh, and witnesses, only to certain people."
"Actually, I want them to interview whoever they deem appropriate, at their discretion. Please correct your reporting!" Trump continued.
On Thursday, Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, a woman who has accused him of sexual assault while they were in high school, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The prosecutor hired by Republican members of the committee to question Dr. Ford reportedly told GOP senators that she would not have prosecuted Kavanaugh or even have been able to obtain a search warrant.