FBI's investigation of Kavanaugh doesn't even include Kavanaugh

The White House seems to be doing everything it can to block the FBI from conducting a thorough investigation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and allegations that he sexually assaulted women in the past.

And that includes preventing the FBI from talking to Kavanaugh.

To date, the FBI hasn’t interviewed Kavanaugh or Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who detailed her allegations of assault before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, because the bureau “doesn’t have clear authority from the White House to do so,” Bloomberg reports.

The White House set an an arbitrary one-week deadline for the FBI to conduct a supplemental background check on Kavanaugh, an idea endorsed by three key Republicans who are crucial to Kavanaugh’s confirmation.

But there seems to be confusion over what the parameters of the probe are, and how far afield the White House has allowed the FBI to go.

“On Monday, three days into the probe, the White House gave the FBI approval to interview more people, but the bureau is still constrained by an initial directive to investigate only credible allegations of sexual misconduct,” according to Bloomberg.

For now, the FBI remains on a ridiculously short leash that doesn’t even include interviewing the two central players in the drama.

This comes as signals from Capitol Hill suggest the FBI is already finishing up its work. Even though the bureau has failed to interview dozens of people who could have pertinent information about Kavanaugh.

Why does Trump get to tell the FBI how to do its job, and why can’t agents simply follow leads wherever they go? Because in the case of background checks, the White House is the client and can dictate the terms of the probe.

Meanwhile, unlike Kavanaugh, Ford is demanding that the FBI interview her.

On Wednesday, Ford’s attorneys issued a blistering statement, saying it would be “inconceivable” for the FBI to finish up its investigation without interviewing Ford or to Kavanaugh.

Her legal counsel days ago reached out to the bureau with a list “of emails and letters in which we identified witnesses and evidence that would likely assist the FBI in its investigation.” But they have yet to hear back.

It isn’t clear why the White House doesn’t want the FBI talking to Kavanaugh, but considering that Kavanaugh lied over and over again in his testimony to the Senate, perhaps there is a fear that he would be caught perjuring himself to the FBI.

The continued efforts to limit and rig the FBI investigation come as the White House switches its political strategy, with Trump going on the attack in a blatant attempt to undercut Ford’s credibility.

It sure doesn’t seem like the White House is trying to shine a light on the truth.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.