Democrats Got Their FBI Investigation. Now It’s Time To Vote.

October 4, 2018

Ahead of the Senate Democrats’ press conference on the FBI investigation this morning, we wanted to remind everyone of their previous comments:

“The FBI has now done exactly what was requested by the Democratic leadership including Senators Schumer, Feinstein, Klobuchar, and Coons. Senator Schumer repeatedly praised the FBI for being ‘not biased’ and ‘professional.’ And Senator Durbin agreed that ‘if there is no truth to her charges, the FBI investigation will show that.’ Of course now that the FBI’s work is done, the Democrats are changing their tune, and we know the theatrics are coming. But their own words over the past two weeks expose their lies. The FBI now completed its seventh background check on Judge Kavanaugh, and it’s time to confirm this qualified nominee to the Supreme Court.” – Brian Rogers, Executive Director, America Rising Squared

THEY SAID IT: DEMOCRATS ON FBI INVESTIGATION

Sept 23 – Letter From Sens. Schumer & Feinstein To President Trump: “FBI’s standard practice” is background investigation; “The FBI has almost a full week to do its work.  It will not take a ‘tremendous amount of time,’ but it is necessary if you truly want the facts to be known.”

• SCHUMER & FEINSTEIN: “Contrary to your assertions, conducting background investigations on nominees has long been the FBI’s standard practice, and it is common for such background investigations to be reopened where new information about a nominee becomes known. In fact, in very similar circumstances during the Senate’s consideration of the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, the Senate Judiciary Committee requested an FBI investigation of Professor Anita Hill’s allegations of sexual harassment. On the same day that President George W. Bush received this request, White House Counsel C. Boyden Gray directed the FBI to investigate. The Bureau immediately investigated the matter and produced a report prior to the Judiciary Committee’s second round of hearings on the nomination. Now that it appears likely that the Judiciary Committee will hold its hearing on Thursday, September 27th, the FBI has almost a full week to do its work.  It will not take a ‘tremendous amount of time,’ but it is necessary if you truly want the facts to be known.” (Letter From Sens. Schumer & Feinsein To President Trump, 9/23/18)

Sept 24 – Sen. Mazie Hirono: “How do you get to the truth if you won’t even allow an investigation?” (ABC’s Nightline, 9/24/18)

Sept 25 – Democrat Leader Schumer: “There is really only one way to get to the bottom of these allegations and prevent the nation from being thrown into further turmoil: an independent background check by the FBI” because “the FBI is not biased. the FBI is professional.”

• SCHUMER: “There is one simple way to get to the bottom of this, without the he-said, she-said, without the finger-pointing and name-calling: a quiet, serious, thorough background check by the FBI. That’s the logical way to go. The FBI is not biased. The FBI is professional. It’s a crime to lie to them so people have a large incentive to tell the truth. Re-opening an FBI investigation is a routine practice for judicial nominations. It’s happened over and over again when new information comes up and it only takes a short time to complete. It should be quiet, serious, and get to the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. If my Republican friends are so concerned about this process being chaotic, they should want the FBI to handle investigating these allegations, because the FBI can conduct this investigation soberly, effectively, and discreetly. In fact, there is really only one way to get to the bottom of these allegations and prevent the nation from being thrown into further turmoil: an independent background check by the FBI. So on one hand, our Republican colleagues decry the turmoil, but on the other hand, they avoid the careful, best, serious way to get at the allegations – a background check investigation by the FBI.” (Sen. Schumer Floor Remarks, 9/25/18)

Sept 27 – Sen. Dick Durbin: “If there is no truth to her charges, the FBI investigation will show that.” (Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, 9/27/18)

Sept 27 – Sen. Blumenthal: “We cannot in good conscience vote without hearing at least from Mark Judge.”

• BLUMENTHAL: “It is our Constitutional duty to do everything we can to uncover the truth after hearing yesterday that compelling testimony from Dr. Blasey Ford and we cannot in good conscience vote without hearing at least from Mark Judge.” (Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, 9/27/18)

Sept 28 – Democrat Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Sen. Dianne Feinstein: “I think we need to do this investigation.”

• FEINSTEIN: “I would support that motion. I think we do need this investigation. As a matter of fact, I sort of misunderstood, Senator Flake, what you were doing. I thought it included a one-week investigation. So I would like to support the motion for that investigation.” (Senate Judiciary Committee Meeting, 9/28/18)

Sept 28 – Sen. Chris Coons: “It is my hope that we could work together on a bipartisan basis to diligently pursue an FBI investigation within the next week, not for the purpose of delay but for the purpose of investigating further either allegations made by Dr. Ford or others, with a goal towards demonstrating a bipartisan commitment to diligently investigating this allegation.”

• COONS: “I want to thank any presented and colleague, Senator Flake, and thank you for giving us the time today to have a conversation. A number of my colleagues have asked for a one-week delay in order that there might be an FBI investigation of what allegations are currently before this committee. i respect Senator Flake’s view that in his opinion, it was best to respect your having begin Dr. Ford the time to be heard yesterday, and advance the nominee to the floor. But it is my hope that we could work together on a bipartisan basis to diligently pursue an FBI investigation within the next week, not for the purpose of delay but for the purpose of investigating further either allegations made by Dr. Ford or others, with a goal towards demonstrating a bipartisan commitment to diligently investigating this allegation.” (Judiciary Committee Markup, 9/28/18)

Sept 28 – Sen. Amy Klobuchar: “I have proposed and talked to some of my colleagues, and I know others have as well as a finite period for an FBI Investigation, maybe a week.”

Sept 28 – Sen. Amy Klobuchar: “I want to have Mark Judge, the person she says was in the room, under oath or interviewed by the FBI.”

• KLOBUCHAR: “I have proposed and talked to some of my colleagues, and I know others have as well as a finite period for an FBI investigation, maybe a week. If we want to show Dr. Ford respect, we give her the respect of having her case heard and the evidence looked at. I look at it as what are you hiding? What would it hurt? If Judge Kavanaugh is so sure that he has this corroborating evidence and what this calendar means and what these things mean, then what is he afraid of if we just spend one week looking at the evidence?” (Senate Judiciary Committee Meeting, 9/28/18)

• NBC’s SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: “I hear you. at the same time, this is a perplexing situation. the three names that Dr. Ford gave to the committee, she says was there that night, including one that says he was in the room, they say they have no recollection. does that give you pause, even if you found her testimony to be believable and credible? Does that give you pause?” SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR: “I want to have Mark Judge, the person she says was in the room, under oath or interviewed by the FBI. If he is interviewed by the FBI, that’s a way different thing than just sending in a letter to the committee.” (NBC’s Today Show, 9/28/18)

Sept 28 – Sen. Richard Blumenthal: “My view is that the FBI is an investigative agency of consummate skill and integrity. It will follow the facts and the law and the evidence where it leads them.” (Anderson Cooper 360, 9/28/18)