Lindsey Graham to vote ‘yes’ on Brett Kavanaugh unless ‘bombshell’ emerges

Sen. Lindsey Graham says he plans to vote to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court absent some unknown “bombshell,” saying the judge’s life has been “ruined” by recent accusations of sexual assault and misconduct when the judge was in high school and college.

“He’s not a stumbling, bumbling drunk. I don’t believe that you could have accomplished what he’s accomplished to have been a serial rapist in high school and stop it for the rest of your life,” Mr. Graham, South Carolina Republican, said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”

“Not one person who he’s been in charge of during his legal career has ever said he did anything inappropriate,” Mr. Graham said.

“I think he’s highly qualified. I think he’s a capable man. I think his life was ruined here,” he said. “I’m going to vote for him unless some bombshell comes out that I don’t know about.”

The FBI has re-opened a limited background investigation into Judge Kavanaugh, who forcefully denied during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last week that he ever engaged in sexual assault.

Christine Blasey Ford, a California professor, testified to the committee that she’s absolutely sure it was Judge Kavanuagh who tried to force himself on her at a party when they were both in high school.

Mr. Graham said it’s clear that something happened to Ms. Ford, but that he doesn’t assume the judge is guilty and that he has to prove his innocence.

“To me, she was troubled by something but when it comes to Brett Kavanaugh he emphatically denied it,” he said.

“I’m going to look into the process that led to this debacle - to the effort to destroy this good man,” Mr. Graham said. “A lot of people believe it’s a noble cause to take down Kavanaugh. A lot of people in your business will never give scrutiny to people who try to take down a conservative. That’s too bad.”