“Morning Joe” lashed out at Republican senators on Friday over their refusal to launch an FBI investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Brett Kavanaugh, saying their decision was motivated by their fear of having Kavanaugh’s old friend Mark Judge speak to the organization.
“They don’t want the FBI to talk to Mark Judge. The whole world knows that and Republicans treat Americans stupid when they pretend it’s anything else other than that,” said show co-host Joe Scarborough on Friday. “It makes no sense that he and every Republican are afraid to have an FBI [investigation].”
Both Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski said they found Kavanaugh and his accuser Dr. Christine Blasey Ford to be highly persuasive witnesses.
“Extremely compelling, extremely painful,” Brzezinski said of Ford’s testimony. “I cried. I head tears in my eyes during the opening statements.” Scarborough also said he cried during the more than nine hours of hearings.
On Thursday Kavanaugh issued a forceful, defiant and emotional denial of both Ford’s allegation that he tried to rape her in the early 1980s and other women who have come forward alleging sexual misconduct.
“Sexual assault is horrific. It is morally wrong. It is illegal. It is contrary to my religious faith. And it contradicts the core promise of this nation that all people are created equal and entitled to be treated with dignity and respect,” said Kavanaugh. “I never did anything remotely resembling what Dr. Ford describes.”
The various allegations swirling around Kavanaugh have thrown his nomination to the Supreme Court into turmoil. Republicans with a 51 seat majority can only lose two senators (assuming Democrats all vote no). Media outlets Thursday widely reported that Republicans including Jeff Flake, Bob Corker, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski have all been wavering on the nomination and it remains unclear how the final vote will go.
Kavanaugh is expected to have a Judiciary Committee vote on Friday and it’s an open question as to whether he will receive the recommendation of the panel to move forward.