Jeff Flake is scheduled to appear in Boston next week
A local pro-choice group is planning to protest the Arizona senator following his vote to advance the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh.
On the heels of his vote to advance Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination, Sen. Jeff Flake is coming to Boston.
The Arizona senator is scheduled to participate in an event Monday, along with Ohio Gov. John Kasich, as part of the Forbes Under 30 Summit.
In consecutive interviews, the two Republicans — who have been among the most prominent GOP critics of President Donald Trump’s administration — are slated to discuss “The Future of the Republican Party,” according to the summit’s agenda. However, another subject will surely loom over the event: The future of Kavanaugh’s nomination.
Flake, who had been one of three Republican senators undecided about supporting Kavanaugh amid sexual assault allegations against the nominee, announced Friday morning that he would vote to advance the nomination through the Senate Judiciary Committee. The announcement of his tie-breaking vote in the committee immediately sparked fierce protests, including from two women who emotionally confronted Flake in a Senate elevator Friday morning.
Women confront Sen. Jeff Flake after he says he’ll vote yes to Kavanuagh: “That’s what you’re telling all women in America, that they don’t matter. They should just keep it to themselves because if they have told the truth you’re just going to help that man to power anyway.” pic.twitter.com/T7fSpyT69E
— CNN (@CNN) September 28, 2018
However, during the committee hearing, a somber-looking Flake said his Senate floor vote to confirm Kavanaugh would be conditional on a one-week FBI investigation into the allegations against the nominee. And while the retiring senator voted Friday afternoon to advance Kavanaugh’s nomination, he said he would vote no on the floor if the weeklong investigation was not conducted.
“I’ve been speaking to a number of people on the other side…I think it would be proper to delay the floor vote for up to but not more than one week in order to let the FBI do an investigation limited in time and scope to the current allegations that are there.” Sen. @JeffFlake pic.twitter.com/oR6HcArWax
— CSPAN (@cspan) September 28, 2018
For his part, Kasich has also called for the confirmation vote to be delayed. A Kasich spokesman declined to comment further on the governor’s inclusion with Flake at Monday’s event in Boston.
The Forbes Under 30 Summit announced only Thursday morning that Flake and Kasich would be attending the fifth annual festival next week. Their event is scheduled to be held at 11:30 a.m. at the Emerson Colonial Theatre in downtown Boston.
“In the age of Trump, a few national GOP leaders have stepped forward to offer a competing vision,” reads the event agenda. “In consecutive interviews, we’ll hear their views of [where] the Republican Party needs to go.”
On Friday afternoon, the Massachusetts branch of the national pro-choice group NARAL, which opposes Kavanaugh’s nomination, announced its plans to host a protest of Flake’s appearance Monday.
“Senator Flake, who went from an Undecided to a Yes vote for Judge Kavanaugh, will be in town on Monday to discuss ‘The Future of the Republican Party,'” a Facebook event post for the demonstration reads. “Let’s let him know what Boston thinks of his vote. Be there to peacefully hold signs and space for survivors and for all of us.”
