U.S. President Donald Trump has congratulated Judge Brett Kavanaugh following his confirmation to the Supreme Court on a 50-48 vote Saturday afternoon.
“I applaud and congratulate the U.S. Senate for confirming our GREAT NOMINEE, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, to the United States Supreme Court.
“Later today, I will sign his Commission of Appointment, and he will be officially sworn in. Very exciting,” the president wrote minutes after Vice President Mike Pence officially announced Kavanaugh’s confirmation.
The chamber voted 50-48 to confirm Kavanaugh, mostly along party lines, after a week-long FBI probe apparently helped settle concerns among most wavering senators about the sexual assault allegations that nearly derailed his nomination and led to a dramatic second hearing.
Saturday’s roll call marked the tightest successful Supreme Court confirmation vote in over 100 years, closer than even that of Clarence Thomas, who similarly faced sexual misconduct allegations.
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. was the sole Democrat to vote “yes.” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, was a “no,” but voted “present” as a courtesy to Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., who was attending his daughter’s wedding in Montana.
“I have asked Steve Daines, our great Republican Senator from Montana, to attend his daughter Annie’s wedding rather than coming to today’s vote.
“Steve was ready to do whatever he had to, but we had the necessary number. To the Daines Family, congratulations-have a wonderful day,” Trump tweeted Saturday afternoon.
The president also criticized Kavanaugh protesters in a Saturday evening tweeting, saying that the size of the group would be dwarfed by those in attendance at his planned Kansas City campaign rally.
“The crowd in front of the U.S. Supreme Court is tiny, looks like about 200 people (& most are onlookers) – that wouldn’t even fill the first couple of rows of our Kansas Rally, or any of our Rallies for that matter.
“The Fake News Media tries to make it look so big, and it’s not,” he tweeted.
