FBI report on Brett Kavanaugh ‘on way to Senate’ today

The US Senate will today scrutinise the FBI report on its probe into Brett Kavanaugh before voting on his nomination on Friday.

The White House has reportedly seen the FBI’s crucial report on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and is set to send it to the Senate later this morning.

The Washington Post reports that the probe into Mr Kavanaugh’s background is due to arrive Wednesday night local time (Thursday morning AEST).

White House officials have been briefed on the FBI’s findings, the Post reports.

Mr Kavanaugh’s nomination was infused with more last minute drama after three moderate Republicans criticised Donald Trump for appearing to mock Mr Kavanaugh’s accuser Christine Blasey Ford at a campaign rally.

The three Republican Senators Jeff Flake, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski took offence at Mr Trump’s provocative comments about Dr Ford who has accused Mr Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her at a party in 1982.

At the rally in Mississippi Mr Trump teased Dr Ford over her lack of memory of key events such as where and when the party was, who drove her home and who was there.

“Thirty-six years ago this happened. I had one beer, right? I had one beer,” Mr Trump said. “How did you get home? I don’t remember. How’d you get there? I don’t remember. Where is the place? I don’t remember. How many years ago was it? I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know.’’

“There’s no time and no place for remarks like that,” Senator Flake said yesterday. “To discuss something this sensitive at a political rally is just not right. It’s just not right. I wish he hadn’t done it . . . It’s kind of appalling.”

Senator Collins said the president’s comments were “plain wrong’’ while Senator Murkowski said: “I thought the president’s comments yesterday mocking Dr Ford were wholly inappropriate and in my view unacceptable.”

Senator Flake said that Mr Trump’s comments would not sway his vote one way or the other on Mr Kavanaugh’s nomination. However Senators Collins and Murkowski did not say whether it would influence their vote.

All three Senators are considered the most likely Republicans to oppose Mr Kavanaugh amid the storm of controversy that has hung over his nomination since the accusations by Dr Ford.

Republicans hold a narrow 51-49 majority in the Senate so they cannot afford to have two Senators voting against Mr Kavanaugh’s nomination.

It comes as the FBI report into the allegations was reportedly handed to White House lawyers who will then hand it to the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The hasty probe, which has been conducted this week, is expected to contain sworn statements from at least four people who Dr Ford alleges were at the party where Mr Kavanaugh is alleged to have assaulted her.

These include Mark Judge, the former student colleague of Mr Kavanaugh who Dr Ford claims was in the room when Mr Kavanaugh attacked her.

Mr Judge has previous said he does not remember any such incident involving the Supreme Court nominee.

Unless the FBI report contains new information which may help to corroborate Dr Ford’s story, Republicans are likely to vote along party lines to narrowly confirm Mr Kavanaugh.

The White House yesterday sought to play down any damage caused by Mr Trump’s comments. Press secretary Sarah Sanders claimed the president was merely ‘stating the facts’ about lapses in Dr Ford’s memory rather than “mocking’’ her.

“Every single word Judge Kavanaugh has said has been picked apart. Every single word, second by second, of his testimony has been picked apart. Yet if anybody says anything about the accusations that have been thrown against him, that’s totally off-limits and outrageous,” Ms Sanders. “This entire process has been a disgrace.”

Democrats had called for a broader and longer FBI probe into the allegations, but the White House has supported the demands of Republicans that the investigation be concluded quickly so that the nomination can be take to a vote.

The Judiciary Committee is expected to vote first on Mr Kanavaugh before the whole Senate votes on whether to confirm him.

(Cameron Stewart is also US Contributor for Sky News Australia)