Coons: FBI's Kavanaugh Probe 'Deeply Disappointing'

Sen. Chris Coons Tuesday said the FBI did not look into the latest allegation of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, despite having been given information days before the justice's confirmation. 

"The FBI investigation was deeply disappointing and troubling," the Delaware Democrat told CNN "New Day" co-host Alisyn Camerota."They did not conduct what I would consider a by-the-book background investigation. 

Coons said a Yale classmate of Kavanaugh's, Max Stier, had allegations about the future justice behaving inappropriately at a college party, and then-Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley had told him to direct any credible allegations to the FBI.

"Mr. Stier had tried repeatedly to contact different folks who he knew," said Coons. "He reached out to me late that week a second time and asked for my help. He was very concerned about not having this public because he runs a nonpartisan organization that does great work here in Washington."

Coons said he sent a letter directly to FBI Director Christopher Wray and copied it to the majority and minority leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

That week was chaotic, he noted, as there were many people trying to get information to the FBI, including attorneys for Deborah Ramirez, a Yale classmate who said Kavanaugh had exposed himself to her at a dorm room party. 

"Ms. Ramirez's attorneys gave over a dozen names, at least, to the FBI who were not contacted or followed up on," said Coons. "That's my understanding or my recollection, and Mr. Stier was one of them."

He said Stier reached out to him, and he passed on his contact information to Wray and got a confirmation that they had received it, but to the best of his knowledge, Steier was not questioned or contacted. 

Camerota said Grassley denies having gotten the letter, and Coons said he knows the Judiciary Committee got it, and that Grassley's counsel did. 

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