Reaction to Kavanaugh controversy

SOUTH BEND, IN- Voters in the South Bend area spoke to ABC57 Friday regarding their views on the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation proceedings.

After emotional testimonies before the Senate Judiciary Committee from both Judge Kavanaugh and his accuser, Dr. Christine B. Ford, there were calls from Democrats and Republicans to delay the Senate confirmation vote of Kavanaugh.

“I think that, for due process it would be a good idea for him to have the FBI investigation”, said Carolyn Smith of South Bend.

Senator Joe Donnelly of Indiana said today that he would not be supporting the embattled Supreme Court nominee in light of the allegations against him. Donnelly previously supported Neil Gorsuch, President Trump’s first Supreme Court nominee.

“I do not view Supreme Court vacancies through a partisan lens, which is why I have used the same thorough process to evaluate nominees regardless of who the president is at the time. That was the case regarding the nomination of Judge Garland and also when I voted for Justice Gorsuch, who was President Trump’s first nominee. It has remained my approach with Judge Kavanaugh”, Sen. Donnelly said in a statement.

Senate Republicans agreed Friday to delay the confirmation vote by a week to allow an FBI probe into the alleged sexual assault committed by Kavanaugh.

Currently, there are four Senators who are still undecided as to how they’ll vote on the nomination: Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), Joe Manchin (D-WV), and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND).