Does Kavanaugh Have a 'Better Than 50-50' Chance to Get Confirmed?
*By Amanda Weston*
Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's chances at confirmation may have increased this week.
"I don't know what Jeff Flake is thinking at the moment, or what these other Senators are thinking, but I think delaying for a week certainly helps them maybe feel a little better about voting yes," Eric Boehm, a reporter at Reason, told Cheddar Thursday.
He put the judge's chances at "better than 50/50, but I don't think it's a done deal yet."
That statement comes as a report detailing the FBI's investigation of sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh was made available to Senators Thursday morning. Legislators have a day to review the findings, which reportedly do not corroborate Prof. Christine Blasey Ford's account of the incident, ahead of a vote Friday.
Ford's legal team, though, has criticized the investigation, arguing the FBI did not interview her or any witnesses that could have backed up her story.
“We are profoundly disappointed that after the tremendous sacrifice she made in coming forward, those directing the FBI investigation were not interested in seeking the truth," Ford's team said [in a statement](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/senators-prepare-to-review-fbi-report-on-kavanaugh-after-early-morning-arrival/2018/10/04/394dbaf8-c7be-11e8-b2b5-79270f9cce17_story.html?utm_term=.02c3b4d2620a).
The FBI, under pressure from Senate Majority Leader Lindsey Graham (R-SC), closed its probe on Wednesday, less than a week after the inquiry began. Boehm suggested Democrats would probably have preferred a longer investigation.
He said now it's crucial to keep an eye on the swing voters, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME). He said there has also been some indication Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia may vote to confirm Kavanaugh. All three Senators have said the report may sway their decisions.
"We still don't really have a solid indication from any of them whether their positions have changed since last week, when really none of them had solid positions," Boehm said. "So today's the big day because of what might be in this new report."
Shortly after Boehm's interview, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) released [a statement](https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-fbi-work-complete-it-s-time-vote) saying the FBI report had "nothing in it that we didn't already know."
"These uncorroborated accusations have been unequivocally and repeatedly rejected by Judge Kavanaugh, and neither the Judiciary Committee nor the FBI could locate any third parties who can attest to any of the allegations," Grassley said.
He went on to call Kavanaugh "one of the most qualified nominees to every come before the Senate."
President Trump continued to focus on the Democrats Thursday, two days after he mocked Ford's testimony at a rally in Mississippi.
"This is now the 7th. time the FBI has investigated Judge Kavanaugh," Trump [tweeted](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1047853098365079553). "If we made it 100, it would still not be good enough for the Obstructionist Democrats."
As for Grassley's vote, he's all but given Kavanaugh the robe.
“It’s time to vote," Grassley said. "I’ll be voting to confirm Judge Kavanaugh.”
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/senators-review-fbi-report-on-kavanaugh-allegations).
Following the surprising big beat on estimates for the January jobs report, William M. Rodgers III, vice president and director of the Institute for Economic Equity at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, joined Cheddar News to break down the data. “We ended 2021 with a strong crescendo to a recovery that had taken hold, and we started 2022 in good fashion." He also discussed the dueling pressures of wage growth and inflation.
Jessica Mason Pieklo, senior vice president and executive editor of the Rewired News Group and co-host of the podcast. "Boom! Lawyered," joins Cheddar Politics to discuss Justice Stephen Breyer's retirement, legacy and potential replacement on the Supreme Court.
The Biden administration delivered a temporary win for student loan borrowers this year by extending the moratorium on federal payments for a few more months. That moratorium is coming to an end on May 1st and borrowers will again have their monthly loan payment plopped in their lap.
Stephanie Vanderslice, a creative writing professor paying off debt through the Parent Plus program, and Mike Pierce, executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center, join Cheddar Politics to discuss.
2022 was already going to be a big year for the Supreme Court. We have decisions on major issues like abortion and gun rights on the way. Then, Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement and that set up a major confirmation fight for later this year. Amy Howe, co-founder of SCOTUSblog, joins Cheddar Politics to discuss.
The Labor Department released a better-than-expected report of 467,000 jobs added in January. Heather Boushey, Council of Economic Advisers Member for President Biden, joined Cheddar to tout the administration's handling of the economy amid the pandemic and the upward revisions for the previous month. "It also shows that, because of the revisions, the economy was stronger over the past couple of months," she said. "I don't think that this can be said enough, but economic forecasting during an historic pandemic is extremely difficult." Boushey also addressed issues involving wage growth versus the rapid rise of inflation.
The Labor Department's January jobs report showed 467,000 jobs were added, compared to the 150,000 that were projected, a sign that employment is continuign to return to pre-pandemic levels. Lindsey Piegza, chief economist at investment bank Stifel, joined Cheddar to break down the report, noting the big gains but adding a note of caution. "Remember, even with this morning's stellar report, we're still millions below that level that we had reached prior to the onset of COVID-19," she said." Yes, we are recapturing jobs. We still have further ground that needs to be made before we can talk about reaching that previous peak." Piegza also discussed the role of the Federal Reserve going forward as the employment figures turn more positive.
As President Biden's poll numbers fall with Black voters, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass. 7th District) joined Cheddar to discuss what she feels could help the embattled administration: deliver on policies. Pressley pointed to stalled legislation such as new voting rights laws and Build Back Betters and canceling student loan debt, which would go a long way to improving his standing with Black constituents. "President Biden has the authority and the power to alleviate this burden, which would also help in closing the racial wealth gap, and he can do it by executive action with the stroke of a pen," she said. "And it doesn't require one vote from Congress. So, the Biden administration just needs to deliver to Black America in a tangible and impactful way."
