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The bitter Senate fight to confirm Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court plunged into deeper chaos Thursday as a top Democrat disclosed she had referred “information” about President Trump’s nominee to the FBI. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) issued a brief, cryptic statement about the referral, but the absence of any details only raised questions. The information came in a letter that describes an alleged episode of sexual misconduct involving the 53-year-old Kavanaugh when he was in high school, according to a person familiar with the matter. (Kim and Viebeck, 9/13)

The “individual strongly requested confidentiality, declined to come forward or press the matter further, and I have honored that decision. I have, however, referred the matter to federal investigative authorities,” Feinstein said in a statement. (Everett and Dovere, 9/13)

Several Democrats on the committee declined to talk about the contents of the letter on Thursday after a hearing in which a vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination was slated for Sept. 20. It was unclear whether they had seen it. Anyone can make a referral to the FBI and it does not mean Kavanaugh is under federal investigation. Kavanaugh’s nomination is under intense scrutiny by Democrats who argue he would be the fifth solid conservative justice on the Supreme Court, a lock for Republican priorities such as scaling back abortion rights. (Haberkorn, 9/13)

The Senate Judiciary Committee delayed its vote on Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh until next week, as the deeply bitter fight over his confirmation intensified and a handful of moderate senators continued to deliberate privately over whether to support him. (Kim, 9/13)