Majority Leader Mitch McConnell strongly defended the character and honor of Judge Kavanaugh against what he described as unfair, uncorroborated allegations him and harshly criticized Democrats on the Judiciary Committee for leaking the charges to the press to inflict maximum damage to Kavanaugh’s confirmation.

McConnell said the New Yorker allegations were so thin that even the New York Times didn’t find them "fit to print," and said the hearing with Kavanaugh and Ford will take Thursday and praised Grassley’s handling of the matter.

Importantly, he vowed that Kavanaugh would get an up or down vote on the Senate floor “in the near future,” suggesting that even if he is not recommended out of committee, leadership will still schedule a floor vote for him.