U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said he believes the FBI should further investigate the background of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and that there is “no way to get to a fair process and a vote by Friday.”

The Hawaii Democrat addressed Kavanaugh’s troubled nomination this morning after speaking to Hawaii reporters on a conference call about upcoming federal disaster funding for Kauai, Oahu and Hawaii island.

Regarding Kavanaugh, Schatz said, “The most important thing to do is to try to have a dignified and fair process.”

With Republicans in control of both the Senate Judiciary Committee considering Kavanaugh’s nomination and the full Senate, Schatz said all of deadlines are self-imposed.

“There is no real rush,” Schatz said. “We ought to move with dignity, with a sense of fairness to all the parties involved and make sure we do a thorough investigation.”

He said FBI investigators “always work with the committees to do a background check. … That’s what we should do on this matter to get to the truth.

“The Republicans are totally in control of the calendar,” Schatz said. “What we’re asking for is a process that allows us to arrive at the truth. In my view there’s no reason not to utilize the resources of law enforcement to do a full and fair investigation.”

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono sits on the Judiciary Committee and has received national media coverage over her critical comments about how Republicans are handling the sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh when he was in prep school and at Yale University.

“Mazie is doing great,” Schatz said. “I think she adds a lot to the Judiciary Committee. She’s a force to be reckoned with.”