CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota asked White House spokesman Raj Shah Thursday whether it would be easier to dump Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in favor of someone else because the process had become too "tainted."
Shah appeared on "New Day" as senators began reviewing an FBI report on Kavanaugh, who has denied allegations of sexual misconduct. The White House, under pressure from some Senate Republicans, commissioned the FBI probe on Kavanaugh last week before heading to a final confirmation vote.
Camerota, however, said "at best" it seemed Kavanaugh had been less than truthful about his past while testifying last week before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"At best, it appears Judge Kavanaugh misrepresented some of his past drinking to the Senate Judiciary Committee and some of his experiences in high school and college in terms of how—" Camerota said.
"I disagree with that contention, but sure. I'll let you finish," Shah said, interrupting.
"According to now many witnesses, he misrepresented the level to which he drank and his memory issues. At worst, he sexually assaulted someone, as Christine Blasey Ford accuses," Camerota said. "Wouldn't it be easier at this point to go with a different nominee who doesn't have any of these problems? You have time before January; just start over. This process has gotten too tainted. Start over, and do a more clean process with a different nominee."
"No, we're not going to do that," Shah said. "The president, the White House are firmly behind Brett Kavanaugh. We believe that all the Senate's questions have been addressed through this supplemental FBI investigation. And to be clear ... we cannot live in a world where allegation alone can sully a man's reputation for life."
Over the past three weeks, Kavanaugh's sexual behavior, drinking habits, and high school yearbook have come under the microscope in what's turned into a raucous confirmation process.
No corroborating witnesses have come forward to prove any of the claims made by Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick, although Ford testified under oath she was "100 percent" sure Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her a house party in 1982.
Shah noted no witnesses named by Ford have supported her claim of being at the party with Kavanaugh, and Ramirez, according to the New Yorker's own reporting, had been unsure of her own account of Kavanaugh exposing himself to her at a party before later, after consulting her memory and attorneys, deciding she was positive.
Shah also said the FBI had "trained professionals" who did relevant interviews and the White House had not micromanaged the process. He concluded by stating he was "very confident" Kavanaugh would be confirmed.