The Senate Judiciary committee has voted to approve Judge Brett M Kavanaugh (Updated)

Update: The Senate Judiciary committee has voted to approve Trump’s Supreme Court nominee amid high drama on Capitol Hill and a demand from a Republican senator that the FBI probe the sexual assault allegations levelled at Brett Kavanaugh.

The committee voted along party lines 11-10 to forward the 53-year-old judge’s to the full senate for a confirmation hearing. But it only did so after Jeff Flake of Arizona, a man who is not seeking re-election this year, said he would only support Mr Kavanaugh on the main floor of the senate if a short investigation was held.

“This country is being pulled apart,” said Mr Flake. “What I trying to do is ask that the FBI has investigation. It would be short and limited in scope.

Earlier:

Senator Jeff Flake, the lone swing Republican vote on the Judiciary Committee, said Friday morning that he would vote to confirm Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, ensuring committee passage and bringing President Trump’s nominee to the brink of confirmation less than 24 hours after a remarkable public hearing with a woman accusing him of sexual assault.

Mr. Flake of Arizona announced his decision just moments before the 21 senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee gathered to hold the first of a series of votes on the nomination. As other Republicans lined up in support of Judge Kavanaugh as he denied the accusations, it had been unclear how Mr. Flake would vote after hearing tearful and compelling accounts from Judge Kavanaugh and the accuser, Christine Blasey Ford.

“After hearing more than 30 hours of testimony from Judge Kavanaugh earlier this month, I was prepared to support his nomination based on his view of the law and his record as a judge,” Mr. Flake said in statement Friday morning.

New York Times