This combination of file pictures shows the September 27, 2018 swearing-in of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford (L), the woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh (R), being sworn-in later that day, of sexually assaulting her at a party 36 years ago, during testimony during Kavanaugh鈥檚 US Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. AFP PHOTO / POOL / SAUL LOEB
WASHINGTON 鈥� Three Republican senators key to Brett Kavanaugh鈥檚 approval to the US Supreme Court blasted President Donald Trump Wednesday for mocking the woman accusing his nominee of sexual assault, as he played to a crowd of thousands at a political rally.
The controversy over Kavanaugh鈥檚 nomination 鈥� which could be put to a final vote in the Senate as early as Saturday 鈥� comes ahead of November congressional elections in which Trump鈥檚 Republican Party will battle to keep control of Congress.
Still undecided on backing the conservative judge 鈥� whose appointment to the crucial, lifelong post has fuelled a bitter partisan clash 鈥� Senator Susan Collins weighed in to denounce the president鈥檚 comments ridiculing Christine Blasey Ford as 鈥渏ust plain wrong.鈥�
Senator Lisa Murkowski called Trump鈥檚 speech 鈥渨holly inappropriate鈥� and 鈥渦nacceptable鈥� while Senator Jeff Flake, the third Republican swing vote, said there was 鈥渘o time and no place for remarks like that.鈥�
鈥淭o discuss something this sensitive at a political rally is just not right. I wish he hadn鈥檛 done it. It鈥檚 kind of appalling,鈥� Flake said.
The stern lawmaker reactions raised fresh doubts over the fate of Kavanaugh, as the Federal Bureau of Investigation reviews allegations by three women that the appeals court judge drank heavily and engaged in sexually abusive behavior while he was a student in the 1980s.
The FBI was last Friday given a week to probe the accusations 鈥� with a vote in the Senate pushed back accordingly.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that the FBI was due to present the Senate late Wednesday with its highly anticipated supplemental investigation report and moved to end debate on Kavanaugh鈥檚 nomination 鈥� setting up a Friday procedural vote and a final vote as early as the following day.
Trump stirred the furious backlash when, at a Mississippi election rally late Tuesday, he ridiculed Blasey Ford鈥檚 accusation that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a party in 1982, when both attended elite private high schools in suburban Washington.
The White House denied that Trump had derided the university professor.
鈥淭he president was simply stating facts that Dr Ford herself laid out in her testimony,鈥� spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told journalists.
Senior Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway likewise argued that Trump鈥檚 comments were in-bounds in the political battle over Kavanaugh.
鈥淓xcuse me, she鈥檚 been treated like a Faberge egg by all of us, beginning with me and the president,鈥� Conway said of Blasey Ford.
鈥榁ile and soulless attack鈥�
But Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, calling Trump鈥檚 remarks 鈥渞eprehensible,鈥漵aid the president owes Blasey Ford an immediate apology.
In searing testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, Blasey Ford told lawmakers she recalled some important details of the incident at a party in a private home, and was absolutely certain that Kavanaugh was the attacker.
She could not remember other aspects however 鈥� prompting Trump to mock her before an auditorium of supporters.
鈥淚 had one beer, right?鈥� Trump said, echoing one point Blasey Ford did recall.
鈥溾�楬ow did you get home?鈥� I don鈥檛 remember. 鈥楬ow did you get there?鈥� I don鈥檛 remember. 鈥榃here was the place?鈥� I don鈥檛 remember. 鈥楬ow many years ago was it?鈥� I don鈥檛 know. I don鈥檛 know. I don鈥檛 know. I don鈥檛 know,鈥� he added, to cheers from supporters.
鈥淏ut I had one beer. That鈥檚 the only thing I remember.鈥� Trump said.
Michael Bromwich, one of Blasey Ford鈥檚 attorneys, slammed 鈥渁 vicious, vile and soulless attack鈥� on his client.
鈥淚s it any wonder that she was terrified to come forward, and that other sexual assault survivors are as well? She is a remarkable profile in courage. He is a profile in cowardice.鈥�
Protest at Supreme Court
It was not clear whether the remarks shifted the dynamic in the battle over Kavanaugh, whose appointment Republicans hope could shift the balance in the Supreme Court decisively to conservatives.
Democrats say Kavanaugh cannot be confirmed with the still-unproven accusations hanging over his head. Kavanaugh steadfastly denies the allegations.
With Republicans holding a slim 51-49 majority in the Senate, the loss of any two of their senators would doom Kavanaugh.
None of the three undecided Republicans would say if their views had solidified, one way or another.
Trump on Wednesday tweeted further support for Kavanaugh, writing: 鈥淪omething very big is happening. He is a fine man and great intellect. The country is with him all the way!鈥�
Outside the US Supreme Court, several hundred people protested against Kavanaugh on Wednesday, carrying signs with messages such as, 鈥淲e will not be silent鈥� and 鈥淚 believe survivors. No on Kavanaugh.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檝e spent all day in senators鈥� offices just throwing ourselves in front of them and saying, 鈥楶lease don鈥檛 do this, this is a disgrace, this is an embarrassment鈥�,鈥� said Lorraine Tripoli, 58.
鈥淲e鈥檙e standing together against Judge Kavanaugh,鈥� Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand told demonstrators.
More than 650 law professors signed a letter to the Senate, published in The New York Times on Wednesday, saying that at the Judiciary Committee hearing Kavanaugh 鈥渄id not display the impartiality and judicial temperament鈥� required for the Supreme Court, and urged that he not be confirmed.
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