White House optimistic that Senate will approve Kavanaugh's nomination

The White House, which has received the FBI report on sexual misconduct allegations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh, Thursday expressed confidence that the Supreme Court nominee would be confirmed by the Senate.

"The White House has received the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s supplemental background investigation into Judge Kavanaugh, and it is being transmitted to the Senate," White House Spokesman Raj Shah said Thursday.

His remarks came hours after the FBI submitted to the White House the report of its investigations on sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh.

Kavanaugh has denied the allegations of sexual misconduct by three women when he was in high school and college. However, President Donald Trump had directed the FBI to re-open a background investigation.

The nomination of Kavanaugh has been confirmed by the Senate Judiciary Committee and is now to be voted by the Senate. The Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has initiated the move and the procedural voting is likely to take place Friday.

"With Leader McConnell’s cloture filing, Senators have been given ample time to review this seventh background investigation," Indian-American Shah said.

This is the last addition to the most comprehensive review of a Supreme Court nominee in history, which includes extensive hearings, multiple committee interviews, over 1,200 questions for the record and over a half million pages of documents, Shah said.

"With this additional information, the White House is fully confident the Senate will vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court," he said.

Senators are expected to view the FBI report on Kavanaugh on Thursday.

The Wall Street Journal said that the White House after examining the FBI found no "corroboration of the allegations of sexual misconduct" against Kavanaugh.

(With inputs from agencies.)