Sen. Blumenthal Voting ‘No’ Regardless of FBI Report

Oct. 03--Politicians and voters around the country are watching closely as the FBI completes one of the most high-profile reports in its history -- a crucially important background check on allegations of sexual misconduct against U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh.

But even if the FBI report finds that the allegations against Kavanaugh are unproven and baseless, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said that he would not vote in the judge's favor.

"I was a 'no' on this nominee before any of these allegations surfaced," Blumenthal told The Courant. "My vote was determined by his extreme ideological record on women's reproductive rights, his far-right positions on healthcare protections and consumer and workers' rights and environmental protections. ... Yes, I opposed him from the very start because of his out-of-the-mainstream, extreme ideological views."

Even before Kavanaugh was nominated -- when he was listed among the finalists -- Blumenthal told reporters at the state Capitol complex in Hartford that he was opposed to the nomination.

President Trump has been talking about both Blumenthal and Kavanaugh's accuser, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, in recent days. He has received criticism from senators and others for mocking Ford during a rally Tuesday night in Mississippi.

Trump finished a news conference this week at the White House by defending Kavanaugh.

"I just think he's an outstanding person," Trump said. "I think he's been treated horribly. Even if you were going to bring up some of the subjects that were brought up, they didn't have to treat him so viciously and so violently as they've treated him."

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