Senate Confirms Kavanaugh's Supreme Court Nomination Over Protesters' Screams

The decisionmaking process on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s seat on the Supreme Court has spanned three months since he was nominated by President Donald Trump in July. Traditional hearings are generally followed by a decision, but this case was rather accompanied by daylong Senate interrogations and an unorganized display of the U.S. judiciary system.

The process came to a bitterly divided end Saturday with Vice President Mike Pence overseeing a vote of the full Senate. The vote was interrupted several times by protesters in the Senate gallery, with Pence calling for oder.

Kavanaugh was confirmed in a 50-48 vote along party lines.

Testimonies

Both Kavanaugh and his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, underwent questioning from both the Senate Judiciary Committee and sex crimes prosecutor Rachel Mitchell. Read coverage of the testimonies here.

The Judiciary Committee requested a "supplemental" FBI investigation into Kavanaugh's background following Blasey Ford and Kavanaugh's testimony before a final vote was taken. 

FBI Results

The White House announced Thursday that no evidence was found to support the allegations of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh, after examining interview reports from the FBI. Sen. Chuck Grassley confirmed on Twitter that Senate had received the report.

This report included “302” forms of FBI interviews. According to NBC news, this information will not be made public. Initially, the 10 members of the Judiciary Committee had access to the report, then all 100 senators received the information afterward, setting the stage for Saturday's vote of the full Senate, NBC News said.

Why It’s Important

Not only does this decision greatly impact the sway of the Supreme Court, it sets a precedent for how accusations of sexual assault are treated in Washington, D.C. and the country as a whole. 

With Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court, the majority will shift to the right. This will likely affect midterm election results and issues surrounding Roe v. Wade and gun control.

Related Links:

What Trump's SCOTUS Pick Will Mean For The Stock Market

Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh: What You Need To Know