US not limiting Kavanaugh probe
The Trump administration has denied restricting an FBI inquiry into sexual misconduct allegations made against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Democrats have been alarmed at reports in US media that the White House was limiting who could be interviewed under the investigation.
President Trump ordered the inquiry on Friday at the request of a Senate committee. Kavanaugh denies the allegations against him, reports BBC. The new inquiry has delayed a final vote on Judge Kavanaugh, who if confirmed is likely to tip America's highest court in favor of conservatives.
Several US media outlets over the weekend said that the scope of the investigation was being constrained by the White House, reporting that one of Kavanaugh's accusers, Julie Swetnick, would not be interviewed. Trump has denied imposing any restrictions, saying he wanted the FBI "to interview whoever they deem appropriate" in its check on his pick for the Supreme Court.
Some of his other top officials also hit back, with his spokeswoman Sarah Sanders saying the White House was not "micromanaging" the inquiry. "It's a Senate process. It has been from the beginning, and we're letting the Senate continue to dictate what the terms look like."
Despite this, NBC news quoted a White House official as saying restrictions remained in place, adding that as the FBI is carrying out a background - not a criminal - investigation, the White House decides the parameters of the probe.
The most senior Democrat on the Senate's Judiciary Committee, Dianne Feinstein, has sent a letter urging the White House to release the written directive sent by President Trump to the FBI launching the investigation.
