Donald Trump orders FBI investigation into his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh over sex assault allegations
Video report by ITV News Washington Correspondent Robert Moore
President Donald Trump has ordered the FBI to launch an investigation into his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
It follows a request from the Senate Judiciary Committee who agreed to delay the final vote to allow for an investigation into allegations of sexual assault.
A statement tweeted by the White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders read: “I’ve ordered the FBI to conduct a supplemental investigation to update Judge Kavanaugh’s file.
"As the Senate has requested, this update must be limited in scope and completed in less than one week”.
Earlier today a Senate panel backed Mr Kavanaugh as Supreme Court nominee.
His nomination will now proceed to the full Senate, in which Republicans hold the majority.
The delay to the final vote came as last minute call from Senator Jeff Flake who held a key vote on the Committee.
The Republican appeared to have a change of heart after he was confronted by women who questioned him about his support for the Supreme Court nominee.
A lawyer for Christine Blasey Ford praised the efforts of several senators who successfully pushed for a new FBI investigation of Ms Ford's sexual assault claim against Mr Kavanaugh.
President Donald Trump responded to the decision saying he'll leave it to the Senate to determine when it will vote Mr Kavanaugh.
Expressing his optimism, he said: "I'm sure it will all be very good."
Earlier in the proceedings several Democratic Judiciary Committee members walked out of the hearing.
It followed emotional testimonies from Mr Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, who was "100 percent" certain he assaulted her during a party in high school.
The Democrats left the proceedings as Republican Chuck Grassley stated: "There is simply no reason to deny Judge Kavanaugh a seat on the supreme court".
Senator Richard Blumenthal was among the Democratic senators who walked out
Emotions ran high on Capitol Hill as angry anti-Kavanaugh protesters were arrested and escorted out of a Senate office building.
Led away in plastic handcuffs they chanted "we won't be silenced".
Anti-Kavanaugh protesters chant "we won't be silenced"
In an early indication of how the outcome could swing, Mr Kavanaugh gained a key vote of support from Mr Flake.
Tearful women who objected Mr Flake's stance later cornered him over his support for Mr Kavanaugh.
Begging him to change his mind on the Kavanaugh vote one woman said: "Look at me and tell me that it doesn't matter what happened to me."
During the proceedings a top Democrat accused the committee of becoming an "arm of the Trump White House".
Denouncing the Republicans' handling of the proceedings Patrick Leahy said it "feels like Alice in Wonderland".
In the era of MeToo, one Senator also remarked on the importance of the vote for female victims of sexual assault.
Senator Dianne Feinstein said the nomination is "a real test" for the Senate and the nation "to see how we treat women, especially women who are survivors of sexual assault."
High school friend of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh speaks out
Another woman, Julie Swetnick, has also accused the Supreme Court nominee and his high school friend, Mark Judge, of inappropriate treatment of women.
Mr Judge has said he will cooperate with any law enforcement agency that will "confidentially investigate" sexual misconduct allegations against him and Mr Kavanaugh.
In a signed letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday, he "categorically" denied sexual misconduct allegations made by Ms Swetnick.
Mr Judge said in his letter that he doesn't know Swetnick and does not recall any parties in the early 1980s where he "fondled or grabbed women in an aggressive or unwanted manner."
Why is Mr Kavanaugh's nomination divisive?
The appointment of Mr Trump's nominee could swing the U.S. Supreme Court's role on key issues in favour of the conservatives.
The nine Supreme Court judges are appointed for life.
This has prompted Republicans to accuse Democrats of trying to delay the vote on Mr Kavanaugh's nomination until the midterm elections in November.
If the Democrats secure enough seats in November they could have blocked Mr Kavanaugh's appointment.