Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called the protests against Supreme Court justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh “a great political gift,” as the GOP lawmaker said the so-called “mob” energized Republicans.

“It’s been a great political gift for us. The tactics have energized our base,” McConnell said in an interview with the Washington Post. “I want to thank the mob, because they’ve done the one thing we were having trouble doing, which was energizing our base.”

While there were protests against Kavanaugh prior the Christine Blasey Ford stepping forward to accuse him of sexual assault, the demonstrations ramped up after the Senate Judiciary hearing with the accuser and accused. Some of these protests involved cornering unsure senators and asking them to vote against Kavanaugh.

However, McConnell said he had confidence in the nominee throughout the whole controversial process.

“I never thought Judge Kavanaugh would withdraw,” the Kentucky senior senator said. “When your integrity is attacked like his was, a withdrawal was certainly no solution to that, so we were in the fight to the finish.”

“Well you know, we had an FBI investigation to follow up. Every one of us had a chance to look at the facts, to listen to the testimony of both witnesses,” McConnell added. “We made a decision, and Judge Kavanaugh’s probably sitting on the Supreme Court.”

Following the conclusion of the FBI investigation — which Democrats called incomplete — McConnell and Republicans, along with Democrat Senator Joe Manchin, are expected to push through the confirmation of Kavanaugh this afternoon.

[image via screengrab]

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