WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to suspend consideration of Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court until an FBI investigation is completed into credible sexual assault allegations:

“The American people deserve the truth.  But if Republicans insist on blocking the one person who both witnessed, and participated in the alleged assault from testifying, then we’ll never get the facts.

“There is no question that Dr. Ford was credible, factual, and straightforward.  Judge Kavanaugh, on the other hand, was intemperate, partisan, and evasive.

“A swift and thorough FBI investigation is warranted and should proceed without further delay.  No one is asking that Republicans delay consideration for a year, as was done to Chief Judge Merrick Garland.

“To vote on this nomination now does a disservice to everyone involved.  It would send a terrible signal to women who come forward with credible sexual assault claims that they don’t matter.

“Moreover, approving Judge Kavanaugh now will only serve to further harden the view that the Supreme Court is a partial and partisan institution.  The committee should put politics aside and ask the FBI to pursue an investigation into the credible allegations against Judge Kavanaugh.”