The FBI report is in. Senator Bob Corker read it, and said there’s “zero corroboration” of the claims against Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Other senators have reached the same conclusion. Then there is Democratic former Governor Phil Bredesen.
Republicans said they were confident they had the votes to confirm Kavanaugh after senators studied the FBI reports, the Los Angeles Times said. Two key Republicans, Senators Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Susan Collins (R-ME) praised the report.
For nearly 90 days Bredesen has refused to say anything about whether he would vote for Kavanaugh if he were already a senator. Bredesen is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) who is retiring.
His opponent, U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), has given very vocal support in favor of Kavanaugh and President Donald Trump, who nominated the judge for the Supreme Court. She has repeatedly said Bredesen is following the orders of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to stay silent on the issue.
Bredesen’s base wants nothing but resistance, as a booing crowd of Democrats in Chattanooga demonstrated when he dodged the Kavanaugh question, the Republican National Committee said in a press release. The RNC questioned his handling of sexual harassment claims as governor, citing a story by The Washington Free Beacon:
“Bredesen’s claim during the event flies in the face of reported facts during his tenure as governor, when reporters caught his administration covering up details of sexual harassment allegations and helping the accused land jobs elsewhere,” the Beacon said.
RNC spokesman Garren Shipley said in a statement it is time for Bredesen to speak up.
“There’s nothing left for Phil Bredesen to hide behind. Either he supports Judge Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court, or he does not. Bredesen said he owes Tennesseans an answer. The time for that answer is now,” Shipley said.
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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
