IUSB professors give insight into Kavanaugh confirmation

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- The last couple days of the Senate Judiciary Hearing have been emotional and confusing.

Here's a timeline of Judge Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation proceedings:

• Kavanaugh is nominated to the Supreme Court by President Donald Trump on July 9th.
• Kavanaugh hearings begin on September 4th in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
• Confirmation process is delayed on September 17th until Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Judge Brett Kavanugh testify.
• Dr. Blasey Ford and Judge Kavanaugh testify in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 27th.
• President Donald Trump orders the FBI to conduct a supplemental background investigation into Judge Kavanaugh.

The process sounds simpler on paper.

The president recommends and nominates a candidate for the nation's highest court, and the Senate then has to confirm the nominee.

But allegations of sexual assault could leave Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination delayed even further.

Local professors from IUSB gave their insights about what we can expect moving forward with these proceedings.

"I don’t see irregularities, and I see that the accusers are being given their day and their opportunity to speak up and now perhaps to even have a full investigation by the FBI," said Dr. Timothy Willig, Associate Professor and Chair of History at IUSB.

Friday night, the President ordered a limited week-long FBI investigation into Judge Kavanaugh due to the request of senators.

It's an investigation that Dr. Willig says voters are willing to wait on.

"Rather than the number of days, I think the key issue here is to find the objective truth of the matter and if it requires a full criminal investigation or FBI inquiry," said Dr. Willig.

Dr. Thomas Spencer, Adjunct Professor of History at IUSB, said the eyes are now on Senator Jeff Flake as he voted to move the nomination process forward with a caveat.

That caveat being that there must be an investigation.

But Senator Flake did not guarantee how he would vote once it's completed.

Dr. Spencer says while the proceedings have been emotional, he doesn't think this is unprecedented given the accusations.

"The process remains the same, it's just that the, perhaps, political nature of it has added something to it," said Dr. Spencer.

"As far as the FBI investigation goes, I think it could only help us get closer to the bottom of it," said Dr. Wililg.

Dr. Spencer says we can't be sure on when exactly the Senate will vote.

Stay with ABC 57 news on-air and online as we continue to follow this developing story.