Republicans can confirm Kavanaugh without Democrat votes, but they can only afford to lose one GOP senator and still advance his nomination. His nomination is expected to hinge on several senators viewed as potential swing votes such as Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
Protesters sought to put pressure on Collins on Monday morning, showing up at her Dirksen Senate office.
An aide from Collins’ office came out into the hallway at one point to listen to the protesters.
The protesters implored the senator to take a stand sooner rather than later, saying: “Collins needs to make a decision now when it matters and stand up for us.”
Another protester indicated that she was still holding out hope that Collins would be a “no” vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination, saying, “We believe that Senator Collins can be a hero.”
Capitol Hill police worked to make sure that people had room to move throughout the hallways, and later arrests began to take place outside of Collins’ office to protesters occupying the hallway. An exact number of arrests was not immediately known.
On Monday morning, a large group of people, including Yale students, made their way through the atrium of the Hart Senate Office Building, saying that they were headed to various Senate offices.
Kavanaugh, who has denied Ford’s accusation, pushed back against the allegation.
“This alleged event from 35 years ago did not happen,” Kavanaugh said in a statement. “The people who knew me then know that this did not happen, and have said so. This is a smear, plain and simple. I look forward to testifying on Thursday about the truth, and defending my good name — and the reputation for character and integrity I have spent a lifetime building — against these last-minute allegations.”
Protests against the contentious nomination are likely to continue ahead of the hearing.
Trump on Monday dismissed the allegations levied against his Supreme Court nominee, calling them “totally political.”
“And for people to come out of the woodwork from 36 years ago and 30 years ago and never mentioned it and all of a sudden it happens, in my opinion it’s totally political,” he said. “It’s totally political.”
CNN’s Kate Sullivan and Devan Cole contributed to this report.
Source : CNN