The Latest: Feinstein responds to Hawley investigation call
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Latest on the Missouri Senate candidates and the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court (all times local):
3:30 p.m.
Republican Missouri Senate candidate Josh Hawley is calling for an investigation of how Democrats handled allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
Hawley on Monday called for a special counsel to investigate Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein and others over the handling of Christine Blasey Ford’s allegations that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.
Ford initially made her claims in a confidential letter to Feinstein. But the letter was leaked after Kavanaugh’s initial confirmation hearing and Ford then told her explosive story to The Washington Post.
A statement provided by Feinstein’s office says she’s made it clear that neither she nor her staff leaked the letter and says comments about investigating the leak are an attempt to distract from the allegations against Kavanaugh.
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2 p.m.
Missouri’s Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill says her Republican challenger is a partisan for calling for an investigation of Democrats’ handling of sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
Hawley on Monday called for a special counsel to investigate Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, her staff and others for their handling of Christine Blasey Ford’s allegations against Kavanaugh. She says Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers. Kavanaugh has denied the claims.
Hawley also called on McCaskill to support a special counsel investigation.
But McCaskill in a statement provided by her campaign said that’s “what a partisan does.” She says it’s not the time to point fingers.
McCaskill says she will vote against Kavanaugh over his opinions on dark money.
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1:15 p.m.
Republican Missouri Senate candidate Josh Hawley says Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh has been “falsely accused” and is calling for an investigation of how Democrats handled sexual assault allegations against him.
Hawley on Monday said Kavanaugh “looks like someone who’s had his life ruined.”
Hawley called for a special counsel to investigate Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein and others over the handling of Christine Blasey Ford’s allegations that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers. Hawley asked Democratic incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill to join him in his call.
A spokeswoman for Feinstein did not immediately return an Associated Press request for comment Monday. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.
Hawley also says he has no reason to doubt Ford’s sincerity but says there’s no corroborating evidence to support her claims.