After nine hours of testimony on Thursday from Dr Christine Blasey Ford and
Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced
Kavanaugh's nomination on Friday. The decision arrived after last minute negotiations
resulted in Republican Sen. Jeff Flake moving forward with his yes vote but with
the caveat that a weeklong federal investigation must be made into the sexual
assault allegations which have been leveled against President Trump's Supreme
Court pick. It remains to be seen if Republican leaders, or Trump himself, will support
Flake's request for the FBI probe, or if they will proceed with a full Senate vote
on Kavanaugh's nomination. Thursday's hearings dominated the media as Dr Ford
testified, occasionally tearfully, that she was 100 percent sure that is was a young
Brett Kavanaugh who assaulted her at a house party in the 1980's. Kavanaugh appeared
in stark contrast to Dr Ford's genial manner, as he angrily denied the allegations,
calling them an "orchestrated political hit" by the Democrats. Sen. Flake was a key player
in the unfolding of the events Friday as he asserted that he would be voting
affirmatively for Kavanaugh's appointment to the nations highest court. Not long after
he made that announcement he was cornered by two women - both sexual assault
survivors - who urged him to reconsider. After a private sidebar with his colleagues,
Sen. Flake announced that he would vote to advance Kavanaugh's nomination to the full
Senate but only if an FBI investigation into the allegations was carried out.
Such an investigation is something the Democrats have been pushing for as Republicans
and the White House have continued to insist that it is not necessary.
Meanwhile, Flake has received plenty of derision on social media from various
high-profile people such as Kumail Nanjiani and Bernie Sanders.
Nanjiani praised the women that appealed to Flake in the elevator for the decision
writing, "Flake calling for an FBI investigation. Wow. The heroic act by those women
in the elevator worked," while Sanders tweeted: "Brett Kavanaugh lied repeatedly to
the Senate Judiciary Committee. He does not belong on the Supreme Court."
Actress Alyssa Milano, who recently came forward with her own story of being
assaulted and who was present for Thursdays hearings - retracted an earlier tweet in
which she called Flake a coward, simply writing, "I take it back."
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter's Jackie Strause, Milano described what it was
like being in the room as the historic hearing took place and, in particular, praised
Dr. Ford for her composure under such intense pressure and scrutiny.
Speaking of Kavanaugh and his appearance before the committee, the actress told
Strause, "When he spoke, there was a lot of rage in the room. Not only from him,
but also from the Republican party." Milano also offered these words after witnessing
the Supreme Court nominees testimony:
To read more on this story, head to THR.com.
For The Hollywood Reporter News, I'm Lyndsey Rodrigues.
For more infomation >> News brief, 9/28/2018, 6 p.m. update - Duration: 1:17. 
For more infomation >> News brief, 9/28/2018, 5 p.m. update - Duration: 1:28. 
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