10/08/2024

Report Finds Trump White House Constrained FBI Probe of Brett Kavanaugh

The investigation related to sexual assault claims against the SCOTUS nominee

In September 2018, as allegations of sexual misconduct against Brett M. Kavanaugh threatened his confirmation to the Supreme Court, President Donald Trump vowed that the FBI would have "free rein" to vet the claims. Trump said the FBI was "talking to everybody" and added on social media: "I want them to interview whoever they deem appropriate, at their discretion."

The president's comments surprised the FBI, according to a new report from a Democratic senator based on previously undisclosed correspondence between the agency and the White House. FBI officials — directed to conduct a very limited inquiry in a week’s time — requested "additional guidance" from the White House, citing the public remarks by Trump and other officials describing a freewheeling investigation. But the White House never authorized the agency to independently probe the sexual misconduct allegations, which Kavanaugh staunchly denied.

The report, which was produced by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), a Judiciary Committee member and leading critic of the Kavanaugh confirmation, and provided to The Washington Post ahead of a public release on Tuesday, provides additional evidence of the tight control exercised by the White House over the FBI investigation — despite Trump's claims to the contrary.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.