UPDATE: The Senate confirmed Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
Original story below.
The U.S. Senate is set to vote on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court on Saturday, Oct. 6.
The final vote was expected to take place at around 5 p.m. ET, following yesterday’s advancement of Kavanaugh’s confirmation in a 51-49 cloture vote. However, according to Chad Pergram of Fox News, the vote is now slated for between 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
The cloture vote, which took place just before 11 a.m. on Oct. 5, triggered a 30-hour time period during which senators can speak about the final vote; the maximum time period is 30 hours, but the vote can potentially happen earlier if Republicans and Democrats come to an agreement.
President Donald Trump said on Saturday morning that he expects the vote to happen between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Where to Watch, Expected Vote Count
The Epoch Times will be broadcasting live from the Senate floor as the vote happens. CSPAN has been broadcasting a live stream from the floor as Senators speak.
The drama surrounding the vote culminated on Friday, with three undecided Senators announcing they would vote “yes” on Kavanaugh, starting with Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.).
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) then said in a speech on the Senate floor that she would vote “yes” on the judge, explaining how she pored over his extensive judicial record and also met privately with him and asked him additional questions over the phone.
She also slammed an allegation of gang rape that was brought forward against Kavanaugh with no evidence, yet circulated widely by Democrats and a number of media outlets, and noted that Christine Ford, the first woman to accuse Kavanaugh of sexual assault, named four witnesses but none of them, including a life-long friend, were able to corroborate her claim.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-West Va.) became the only Democrat to announce he’d vote “yes” on Kavanaugh shortly after Collins’ speech. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is the only Republican expected not to vote for Kavanaugh, but she said she’ll be “present” not “no.” Additionally, a Republican Senator, Steve Daines (R-Mont.) has said he will be at his daughter’s wedding on Saturday.
Thus, the vote is expected to be 50-48, with one “present.” The Senate is currently composed of 51 Republicans, 47 Democrats, and two Independents; the latter typically vote with Democrats.
According to CBS, a private swearing-in ceremony could take place as early as Saturday night, with a public event expected on Monday.
Thank you @SenatorCollins for standing by your convictions and doing the right thing to confirm Judge Kavanaugh.
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) October 5, 2018
White House Reacts
Collins speech was praised by White House officials, including Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
“Thank you @SenatorCollins for standing by your convictions and doing the right thing to confirm Judge Kavanaugh,” she said after Collins speech.
President Trump, who has backed Kavanaugh through the assault allegations, said after the cloture vote, “Very proud of the U.S. Senate for voting ‘YES’ to advance the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh!”
Vice President Mike Pence said he is ready to see Kavanaugh confirmed. He will likely be at the vote on Saturday.
“Judge Brett Kavanaugh has impeccable credentials and a proven judicial philosophy. He has a strong record of support for limited government, religious liberty, and our 2nd Amendment,” Pence wrote on Twitter. “He’s a conservative who will interpret the Constitution as written. It’s time to #ConfirmKavanaugh.”
