The supplemental FBI investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh has been expanded to allow the agency to investigate anyone necessary to complete its investigation within the one-week timeframe given for the reopened probe.
President Donald Trump appeared to support the expanded scope of the investigation into his Supreme Court nominee during a news conference that began with Trump talking about the just-completed trade agreement with Canada and Mexico but included him taking several questions about Kavanaugh and the supplemental investigation that he authorized Friday.
“They should interview anyone they want within reason,” Trump said. “You have to say within reason.” He also was supportive of — or, at least, not opposed to — the FBI interviewing Kavanaugh himself, saying, “I think so. I think it’s fine if they do. I don’t know. That’s up to them.”
The news of the expansion of the probe, first reported by the New York Times, came as Democrats released a list of more than 20 people who they believe should be interviewed — including all three women who have made on-the-record allegations against Kavanaugh and multiple high school and college classmates of Kavanaugh and the women.
The FBI already has interviewed the four people it was authorized initially to interview, according to the New York Times: Mark Judge, Leland Keyser, and P.J. Smyth, three of the people identified by Christine Blasey Ford as having been at the gathering where she alleges that Kavanaugh assaulted her, as well as Deborah Ramirez, the second woman to come forward, initially in an interview with the New Yorker.
“It wouldn’t bother me at all,” Trump said, when asked if all three women should be interviewed. Trump added, though, in an apparent reference to Julie Swetnick, who has not been interviewed by the FBI thus far, “The third I don’t know much about. It wouldn’t bother me at all. I heard that the third one has — I have no idea if this is true — has very little credibility. If there is any credibility, interview the third one.”
Trump reiterated, though, that time is of the essence for him: “I want it to be done quickly.” Under the agreement reached last week in that high-stakes Senate Judiciary Committee meeting, the supplemental investigation must be completed by Friday.
Nine of the 10 Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee signed the letter to White House counsel Don McGahn and FBI Director Chris Wray seeking the interviews. Sen. Chris Coons, the Democrat who had worked closely with Republican Sen. Jeff Flake to arrange for the one-week investigation, did not sign the letter. A Coons spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for information on why he did not sign the letter.
The Democrats are looking for all of the main individuals involved to be interviewed, including Kavanaugh, Ford and her husband, Ramirez, and Swetnick.
From Georgetown Prep, they want all of those named by Ford as being present at the gathering on the night of the alleged assault to be questioned — meaning Judge, Kayser, and Smyth — as well as those mentioned on Kavanaugh’s calendar as being present at a July 1, 1982, gathering: Christopher “Squi” Garrett and Timothy “Timmy” Gaudette, at whose home the group gathered, according to Kavanaugh’s calendar entry. Kavanaugh also identified Thomas Kane and Bernie McCarthy as the others listed on the calendar as attending the gathering.
The Democrats also list Sean Hagan, another person quoted in news reports about the time period in question, as a would-be interviewee.
The Democrats also asked that the FBI seek records that could confirm when Judge worked at a suburban Washington Safeway and that its agents interview Judge’s ex-girlfriend and college classmate, Elizabeth Rasor — who has offered, through her lawyer, to be interviewed.
The Democrats asked that the FBI interview five Yale classmates of Kavanaugh and Ramirez who have been named in news reports: Lynne Brookes, Mark Krasberg, Richard Oh, James Roche, and Elizabeth Swisher.
From Ford’s life in California today, Democrats asked that, in addition to her husband, the FBI interview the other three people who submitted affidavits attesting to her having told them about the sexual assault.
Finally, the Democrats ask for Jeremiah Hanafin, the former FBI agent who administered Ford’s polygraph test, to be interviewed.