Kavanaugh is confirmed to the Supreme Court by Senate

Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s second nominee to the Supreme Court, was confirmed to the court on Saturday with a Senate vote largely divided along party lines. The vote occurred shortly before 4 p.m.

The confirmation process has been bitterly partisan, and disputes were exacerbated by allegations of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh that began surfacing in September. In response to the allegations, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony from Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, who alleges Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were in high school. Kavanaugh denies the allegation, while she has stood by her testimony.

The committee paused the nomination process for a week so the FBI could investigate. Afterwards, Republicans declared that the FBI had not found any corroborating witnesses, while Democrats complained the FBI didn’t look hard or long enough.

• Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s second nominee to the Supreme Court, is expected to be confirmed to the court on Saturday with a Senate vote largely divided along party lines. The vote is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.

  The confirmation process has been bitterly partisan, and disputes were exacerbated by allegations of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh that began surfacing in September. In response to the allegations, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony from Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, who alleges Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were in high school. Kavanaugh denies the allegation, while she has stood by her testimony.

  The committee paused the nomination process for a week so the FBI could investigate. Afterwards, Republicans declared that the FBI had not found any corroborating witnesses, while Democrats complained the FBI didn’t look hard or long enough.

  When is the Senate vote on Kavanaugh?

  Senators voted to advance Kavanaugh’s confirmation Friday morning by a 51-49 margin.

  The final Senate vote is likely to occur at between 3:30 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. ET, with an expected 50-48 margin in favor of confirming Kavanaugh to the highest court.

  Follow Kavanaugh vote live updates:

• Final vote scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.

  The final vote on Kavanaugh has been scheduled to begin between 3:30 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.

  It will be a roll call vote — meaning senators will cast their votes individually.

• Protesters starting to get arrested on Capitol steps

  Of the scores of protesters on the Capitol steps, some are starting to get arrested, CBS News’ Bo Erickson reports.

  The large group of protesters has been sitting and chanting, Erickson reports.

• McConnell calls Kavanaugh opposition a “great political gift” for GOP

  McConnell, in an interview with the Washington Post, called the opposition a “great political gift” for the Republican Party.

  McConnell said he “never” considered asking Kavanaugh to withdraw, or asking the president to withdraw the nomination.

  “I want to thank the mob, because they’ve done the one thing we were having trouble doing, which was energizing our base,” McConnell told the Post.

• Anti-Kavanaugh protests not just in Washington

  Protesters are demonstrating against Kavanaugh not only in Washington, but across the country — including a large protest in Cleveland.

  According to CBS News affiliate Cleveland 19 News, a Cancel Kavanaugh Cleveland rally was held Saturday, hosted by progressive groups, including the Ohio branch of the Women’s March on Washington.

• Melania Trump says Kavanaugh is “highly qualified”

  Melania Trump praised Kavanaugh Saturday while wrapping up her four-country tour of Africa.

  “I think he’s highly qualified for the Supreme Court,” she told reporters while standing in front of the Great Sphinx in Egypt.

  She also said that she’s glad that both Kavanaugh and Ford were heard.

  Without saying whether she believed the sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh, Mrs. Trump said victims of “any kind of abuse or violence” must be helped.