*By Carlo Versano*
With the clock ticking on a deadline for the FBI to wrap up its investigation into sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, the Senators who asked for it still don't have an idea of what to expect.
"I don't yet know the scale and scope of the investigation," said. Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), a member of the judiciary committee who worked with Republican Sen. Jeff Flake in dramatic fashion on a compromise that led to the FBI reopening its background investigation.
Speaking to Cheddar, Coons said that regardless of the outcome of Kavanaugh's confirmation, the fact that the nomination wasn't voted on immediately following last week's emotional testimony would end up being a good thing for the country.
"I think my friend Jeff Flake did something really positive," Coons said. "He got us to hit the pause button for a week."
"It's got to help the country that we're trying to work for more shared facts," the Senator added.
Investigators are under extreme pressure from Republicans to deliver a report in time for a vote on Friday, a deadline Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has demanded. Sources told Cheddar's J.D. Durkin that a report is likely to be delivered to senators Thursday.
CNN reported late Tuesday that the FBI has actually widened the scope of its investigation, adding a specific party from Kavanaugh's calendar to its inquiry.
Sen. Angus King (I-ME) told Cheddar that, even if Kavanuagh is confirmed to the high court, the nominee has revealed himself to be so partisan that it will be difficult for the judge to impartially decide certain cases. King alluded to a portion of Kavanaugh's testimony in which he blamed the allegations against him on a Democratic witch hunt. The Senator called that moment "very disturbing."
"I don't see how he can sit on a case involving partisan gerrymandering, for example," King said.
Meanwhile, President Trump shed all his prior restraint on the topic of Kavanaugh's first accuser, Prof. Christine Blasey Ford. Days after saying he found her to be a "credible witness" and a "very fine woman, he mocked and questioned Ford's testimony at a rally in Mississippi on Tuesday night to roaring applause from the audience. Earlier in the day, Trump also expressed concern that the #MeToo movement had made it "a very scary time for young men in America."
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), a key swing vote in the Kavanaugh confirmation process, said on NBC's "Today" show he found Trump's comments "kind of appalling."
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The black cab drivers are exploring the possibility of bringing a class action lawsuit against the ride-hailing app, arguing that tens of thousands of them have seen their earnings dwindle with Uber's presence in the British capital. Last month, Uber won back its license to operate in London, after the transportation authority initially cited the company's poor working conditions. Cheddar's Kristen Scholer and Tim Stenovec get into the latest.
The company, which counts former House Speaker John Boehner as a board member, just brought in $119 million in funding. Now Acreage Holdings is getting ready to list shares in Canada, a significant step for the growth and acceptance of cannabis, says George Allen, the company's president.
Peter Loftus, Reporter at the Wall Street Journal, is skeptical of pharmaceutical companies touting lower drug prices. Merck may be cutting prices on medications, Loftus told Cheddar, but the ones affected represent a smaller percentage of the company's total sales.
Kaniela Ing is fighting for a lead in Hawaii's First Congressional District. Currently ranked fourth in polling, Ing urges progressive Democrats not to take a step back after Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez's historic campaign, but rather to embrace new wave politics.
Facebook has suspended analytics firm Crimson Hexagon for allegedly mishandling user data. The Boston-based company has also been banned from the site for possible ties to a Kremlin-based nonprofit and the U.S. government. Deputy Tech editor at [Mashable Michael Nuñez explains why users should be concerned.](https://mashable.com/2018/07/20/facebook-suspends-crimson-hexagon/)
The U.S. president on Sunday tweeted at Iranian president Hassan Rouhani to "never, ever threaten the United States or you will suffer consequences the likes of which few throughout history have ever suffered before." His all-caps post came in response to Rouhani's own strongly-worded message for the United States. Cheddar's J.D. Durkin gets into the latest.
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The president's personal attorney recorded a discussion with Trump two months before the election about payments to a former Playboy model who claims she had an affair with Trump, according to a New York Times report. Those payments are under investigation for any potential campaign finance law violations. "The White House is in scramble mode," says Siraj Hashmi, Commentary writer at the Washington Examiner.
Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA) condemns the President’s behavior at his public meeting with Putin and Trump's remarks in the days that followed. “My greatest concern, really, is what might happen over next few weeks and months where Putin decides to take advantage of this weakness,” he tells Cheddar.
