Flake’s appearance draws protestors
Adam Urquhard/Nashua Telegraph
U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Arizona, strikes a smile as eager attendees and film crews swarm him for pictures and comments about the speech he had just delivered Monday evening at Saint Anselm College’s New Hampshire Institute of Politics.
Adam Urquhard/Nashua Telegraph
Dozens of protesters brought signs and banners to U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Arizona’s, speech in Manchester, N.H., Monday to express their disapproval of Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s U.S. Supreme Court nomination. Protesters lined the sidewalk chanting phrases such as ‘Kavano’ and ‘hey hey ho ho, Kavanaugh has got to go.’
MANCHESTER – U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake said he will wait until the FBI concludes its investigation of Christine Blasey Ford’s sexual assault claims against Judge Brett Kavanaugh before making a final decision about whether to support the Supreme Court nominee’s confirmation.
He made that assertion during a round of stops in New England Monday, beginning in Boston and concluding in New Hampshire, both considered key political arenas in the upcoming midterm elections and road to the 2020 presidential race.
Flake, an Arizona Republican, already had been scheduled to speak Monday at New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College, his second time at the campus since March. However, Flake’s vote Friday to advance Kavanaugh’s nomination from the Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration by the full Senate helped draw a large audience Monday, including protesters. Some of those who rallied outside the venue urged Flake to oppose Kavanaugh.
“I, for one, am waiting for the additional information that will come from the supplemental FBI investigation to inform my decision on Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination,” Flake said before Monday’s New Hampshire crowd.
Friday, Flake cast the deciding vote to move Kavanaugh’s nomination out of the committee, but said he would only vote to confirm Kavanaugh after an FBI investigation of Blasey Ford’s claim that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in 1982.
Because the Republicans have such a narrow majority in the Senate, they may not succeed in confirming Kavanaugh without Flake’s vote.
Flake, meanwhile, spoke about how difficult it is to govern in such a deeply divided nation. He discussed the faults of “tribalism,” with officials on both ends of the political spectrum pledging allegiance to a party.
His speech Monday at Saint Anselm was titled “After the Deluge: A Rejection of Destructive Politics and Return to Principle.” It seemed to speak to the heart of government being divided along party lines.
“Tribalism is ruining us.” Sen. Flake said.
“It is tearing our country apart. It is no way for sane adults to act, and most importantly, ultimately, the only tribe to which any of us owes allegiance is the American tribe.”
He further strengthened his position and seemed to distance himself from the Republican Party with the following remark.
“By the ways that we measure political success in this sort of era and by the conventions of how party loyalists are supposed to behave, I hope to continue to fail my tribe,” he said.
Early in his address, Flake lamented that governing is hard, democracy is hard, but decency shouldn’t be that hard.
“If you want to make America great as an elected official, be humble, conduct yourself in good faith and when necessary compromise to find solutions,” Flake said. “If the past week has taught me anything it is that this country is hungry for us to work together again on their behalf.”
After explaining the faults in today’s tribalism – with politicians on both sides pledging their allegiance to their respective parties – he said from personal experience he can attest that it’s never too late to leave the tribe. While he’s been openly critical of President Donald Trump in the past, Flake said he remains unsure on which way he will vote come the end of the week when the FBI is slated to conclude its supplemental investigation of Kavanaugh’s background.
Earlier Monday, New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman Wayne MacDonald, said he is more confident about how he would like to see things go, with the expectation Kavanaugh is confirmed. MacDonald said party officials welcomed Flake to New Hampshire, citing he has served the people of Arizona well in the U.S. Senate.
“I respect the fact he wants to see a further investigation done,” MacDonald said.
With Kavanaugh having already undergone a handful of background checks, MacDonald said another one is fine.
“I don’t see anything that suggests this one is going to come out any different than any others,” MacDonald said. “I hope when the FBI is done at the end of the week – which is their deadline – I hope all Republicans and same-minded Democrats vote for Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination.”
Many protesting outside the venue Monday didn’t share the same positive perspective about Kavanaugh.
“This may be one of the last opportunities for Sen. Flake to hear directly from the American public ahead of his vote on the Supreme Court nomination,” Zandra Rice Hawkins, executive director of Granite State Progress said in a statement. “It’s up to us to remind Flake that women and survivors around the world are watching his every move. New Hampshire is a state that celebrates politicians who don’t ask for permission to do what they know is right. We expect real leaders to stand up for their ideals, regardless of political pressure.”
Various advocates and survivors joined Granite State Progress along with representatives from UltraViolet, NH Young Democrats, America Votes-New Hampshire, Rights and Democracy, Fight 4 Her and others asking Sen. Flake to send a strong message about civility and respecting women by opposing Kavanaugh’s nomination for U.S. Supreme Court.
Josselyn Berry, co-director of ProgressNow Arizona said Sen. Flake calling for an FBI investigation into the sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh is a step in the right direction, but said what Flake does next will determine his legacy – and the course of history.
“Flake can vote no on Kavanaugh’s confirmation and prevent a man facing multiple, credible allegations of sexual assault from receiving a lifetime appointment to the nation’s highest court,” Berry said. “Or Flake can vote yes and show the world once again that he lacks the courage to live up to his own convictions. The choice is his. The nation is watching.”
“It’s unfortunate for everyone, for Ford, Kavanaugh and his family,” MacDonald said. “I think it’s unfortunate for the whole country. I hope that as this process continues – and it’s obvious it’s not over yet – I hope things become more civil and more deliberative, and based on everything I’ve seen and the evidence I’ve seen, I think (Kavanaugh) deserves to be confirmed.”
Regardless of party affiliation, it seems many believe Flake will cast the potentially deciding vote about Kavanaugh’s confirmation.
Currently, in addition to his role on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Flake also serves as chairman of the Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law. He serves on the Energy and National Resources Committee and is chairman of the Subcommittee on Water and Power. On the Foreign Relations Committee, he is chairman of the Subcommittee on African Affairs.
Sen. Flake is not seeking re-election and will retire from the Senate at the end of his term in January 2019.
National media previously has reported Flake is considering a 2020 presidential bid to challenge Trump, who was elected to lead the country in November 2016. To date, no sitting president ever has failed to secure his party’s nomination to run for re-election.
Adam Urquhart can be reached at 594-1206 or aurquhart@nashuatelegraph.com.