Sens. Bennet, Gardner ask for additional testimony in Kavanaugh vote after allegations surface against judge

SenatorS Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

SenatorS Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

(Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

staff photo

UPDATE: The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing with Kavanaugh and his accusor next Monday, the Associated Press reports.

Colorado Sens. Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner are both calling for additional testimony before a vote for President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who is facing allegations of sexual assault from California college professor Christine Blasey Ford.

Gardner would “absolutely be supportive of Dr. Ford being allowed to testify publicly,” his congressional spokesperson Casey Contres said in a statement on Monday.

“Dr. Ford’s voice deserves to be heard,” Contres said in a statement. “Senator Gardner believes that the Senate Judiciary Committee needs to interview Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh without delay to gather as many facts as possible.”

Gardner previously expressed support for Kavanaugh’s nomination after meeting with the judge in July. He joined other Republican senators including Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake in calling for a delay.

CNN reported on Monday both Kavanaugh and Ford are willing to testify to Congress about the allegations. The Senate Judiciary Committee was expected to vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination on Thursday.

Sen. Michael Bennet, who last week said he would be voting against Kavanaugh’s appointment, posted on Twitter Sunday that the Senate should not move forward with the judge’s nomination until the Judiciary Committee conducts a full investigation into the allegations. Bennet is a Democrat.

“This is a lifetime appointment to one of the most powerful positions in government. We owe the American people no less,” Bennet’s Twitter post read.

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