WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined Steve Inskeep on NPR Morning Edition to discuss the status of the Kavanaugh nomination.

“I think part of what made Senator Flake join me in a week-long pause was his concern that this hearing and this environment is not just tearing apart our committee and the Senate, but reflects a way in which we're tearing the country apart,” said Senator Coons. “Look, the real hero in all of this I think is Dr. Ford, who came forward with allegations when she had nothing to gain and everything to lose. I think this one-week pause is a reasonable, bipartisan gesture not to keep this nomination open indefinitely, but to show that we took seriously enough Dr. Ford's allegation to actually investigate.” 

Audio available here.

Excerpts from the interview are below: 

Sen. Coons on how full this investigation needs to be: It has to be well beyond the initial very narrow scope of four witnesses, four individuals being interviewed. It's got to have a week full of opportunities for the FBI to follow up on things that in the hearing in front of the Judiciary Committee last Thursday were obviously before us. So, documents, for example, like the calendar that Judge Kavanaugh put forward. I would expect the FBI to then go interview people who appeared on that calendar and ask them about the events that he said would clear his name. Dr. Ford, she mentioned other things. There are also individuals who are already known in the public as having allegedly been part of these incidents and there are other allegations against Judge Kavanaugh that need to be pursued. It's my understanding that Deborah Ramirez has already been interviewed.

Sen. Coons on the FBI's mandate: I think there's a real tension between the very broad public statements of President Trump and Kellyanne Conway and press reports and then what I've understood from colleagues I've spoken to over the weekend. I'm working hard to encourage my colleagues in the Senate, principally Jeff Flake from Arizona, but others, to speak up and say, the whole point of this week is not to have an open-ended or endless investigation, but a credible, short, but purposeful investigation of the sexual assault allegations against Judge Kavanaugh that are in front of the Senate now.  

Sen. Coons on his interview with Sen. Flake: Well, that's the point of having the FBI further investigate is for them to question people, to present those facts, and then for the Senate to reach a conclusion. 

More on the investigation: I think it's entirely possible. Frankly, speaking for myself, I thought the tone that Judge Kavanaugh used, the very explicit, partisan attacks on the Senate and in particular on the Senate Democrats did not show a judicial temperament. He would have been better suited to leave those sharp and partisan attacks against Senate Democrats to his advocates on the committee. 

Sen. Coons on Democrats' objective: That's not my goal, and I found Senator Graham's outburst both out of character and unfortunately contributed to what has been a sharply partisan divide on the committee. I think part of what made Senator Flake join me in a week-long pause was his concern that this hearing and this environment is not just tearing apart our committee and the Senate, but reflects a way in which we're tearing the country apart. Look, the real hero in all of this I think is Dr. Ford, who came forward with allegations when she had nothing to gain and everything to lose. I think this one-week pause is a reasonable, bipartisan gesture not to keep this nomination open indefinitely, but to show that we took seriously enough Dr. Ford's allegation to actually investigate. 

Sen. Coons on the process: I did call the White House and urge the President to nominate someone who is confirmable when Justice Kennedy announced his resignation. I will say that Judge Kavanaugh is truly at the extreme end of American legal thought on some key issues. I intend to vote against him, but I do think that this week pause was an important opportunity for the allegations against him to be investigated and either confirmed or denied. 

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