We just reported that Sen. Dianne Feinstein forwarded anonymous information to the FBI for investigation into Kavanaugh.
But it turns out the FBI is taking a pass on the information.
Matt Zapotosky from the Washington Post explains:
FBI official on the Dianne Feinstein referral about Kavanaugh: "Upon receipt of the information on the night of September 12, we included it as part of Judge Kavanaugh's background file, as per the standard process."
— Matt Zapotosky (@mattzap) September 13, 2018
Here's an explanation of what that means. The FBI backgrounds White House employees and nominees, & gives the White House a file on what they've found. But the FBI doesn't decide whether the person gets a job/nomination. The White House does that, w/ the info in the FBI file...
— Matt Zapotosky (@mattzap) September 13, 2018
Remember Rob Porter? The FBI backgrounded him, and gave WH a report. Then they got more info, and, Chris Wray has said, "we passed that on as well.” https://t.co/4jzRm0fB7P
— Matt Zapotosky (@mattzap) September 13, 2018
Same deal here. The FBI backgrounded Kavanaugh and gave White House a file. Then Feinstein gave them more info, and they passed that on as well...
— Matt Zapotosky (@mattzap) September 13, 2018
Importantly, the FBI isn't doing a criminal investigation based on what Feinstein told them. The broad outline of the allegation, as I understand it, seems like it'd be in state/local authorities wheelhouse, if there even is a crime, and if the statute of limitations hasn't run.
— Matt Zapotosky (@mattzap) September 13, 2018
That's not to say whatever happened or whatever was alleged isn't serious and deserving of attention and scrutiny. It's just to say the FBI has given the White House the info it might need for action. Because the White House, not the FBI, determines who it nominates.
— Matt Zapotosky (@mattzap) September 13, 2018
According to the Daily Wire, rumors suggest the allegation goes all the way back to Kavanaugh’s high school days:
We still don’t know the specifics of the allegation, but unsubstantiated rumors suggest it has something to do with something of a sexual nature while Kavanaugh was in high school. Had this been a serious allegation, one would suspect Feinstein wouldn’t have sat on it for months and would have brought it up during public or private interviews with Kavanaugh.
Exactly right, just as the White House suggested as well. If it were something serious, we’d have all known about it long before now.