Brett Kavanaugh's college roommate reveals he was ‘never contacted by FBI for background checks’

Jamie Roche accuses agency of ignoring sexual misconduct allegation

Brett Kavanaugh’s former college roommate has revealed the FBI has failed to contact him during any of the agency’s background checks into the Supreme Court nominee.

Jamie Roche, now a software executive in San Francisco, shared a bedroom with Mr Kavanaugh while they were both studying at Yale in 1983 – a year after the judge allegedly committed a serious sexual assault at a house party.

The FBI is currently conducting an additional investigation following the initial accusation - made by California professor Christine Blasey Ford - as well as another by Deborah Ramirez, who claims Mr Kavanaugh exposed himself to her during a dorm party at Yale.

Mr Kavanaugh denies all claims of sexual misconduct.

On Twitter, Mr Roche wrote: “As Brett Kavanaugh's college freshman roommate, I was never contacted by the FBI for any of their background checks.

“I assume college behaviour was not a topic of interest. They did not find Debbie's story because they were not looking for it.”

The FBI declined to comment on the allegations.

Mr Roche’s statement on Monday came the same day the White House gave the FBI clearance to interview anyone ahead of the investigation’s deadline on Friday.

The new guidance was issued to the FBI over the weekend in response to intense media scrutiny and Democratic insistence that the scope of the probe was too narrow.

In recent days the agency has questioned at least four people about accusations of misconduct against Mr Kavanaugh, dating back to when he was in high school and college.

Among the witnesses interviewed were men who Ms Ford says were present at a party of teenagers in the early 1980s at which she says she was sexually assaulted by Mr Kavanaugh.

Donald Trump, addressing concerns about the probe's expansiveness on Monday, said he wants the FBI to do a "comprehensive" investigation and "it wouldn't bother me at all" if agents pursued accusations made by three women who have come forward.

But he also said Senate Republicans are determining the parameters of the investigation and "ultimately, they're making the judgment".

"My White House will do whatever the senators want," Mr Trump said. "The one thing I want is speed."

The White House instructed the FBI to interview anyone it deems relevant to the inquiry, but required the work to be done by Friday, according to the person familiar with the discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

The revised guidance was aimed at promoting an investigation that could tamp down Democratic criticism and satisfy on-the-fence Republicans about its thoroughness and fairness while also ensuring a fixed deadline to prevent the probe from becoming open-ended and spanning weeks.

Officials said it was possible, but not likely, the bureau could complete its work before Friday.

Mr Trump said a comprehensive investigation is "a good thing" for Mr Kavanaugh, and that while it was fine that the FBI wants to interview all three women who have made accusations, "we don't want to go on a witch hunt, do we?".

Senator Susan Collins of Maine — one of three Republican senators who was instrumental last week in holding up Mr Kavanaugh's confirmation vote — said she had extensive conversation with the White House counsel's office and is "confident that the FBI is doing a thorough investigation and that it will be helpful to us as we make our decisions".

As Republicans and Democrats quarrelled over whether the FBI would have enough time and freedom to conduct a thorough investigation before a vote on the nomination, FBI agents have been interviewing multiple witnesses from Mr Kavanaugh's high school and college years.

They include Mark Judge, a high school friend of Mr Kavanaugh's who Ms Ford has said was in the room when a drunken Mr Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her. Mr Judge has denied misconduct allegations. On Monday, his lawyer Barbara "Biz" Van Gelder said Mr Judge had been interviewed "but his interview has not been completed". She declined to elaborate.

Another witness, Patrick "PJ" Smyth, answered "every question" he was asked and told agents he had "no knowledge" of the small gathering that Ms Ford described, according to his attorney, Eric Bruce. Mr Smyth also told the FBI he doesn't have "knowledge of Ford's allegations of improper conduct against Kavanaugh," Mr Bruce said.

Ms Ford has said Mr Smyth was downstairs, nowhere near the alleged event.

The FBI has also interviewed Leland Keyser, who Ms Ford said attended the same party. Ms Keyser's attorney, Howard Walsh, said she was questioned by FBI agents on Saturday, but he did not provide any additional details about the interview.

Mr Walsh has said his client does not know Mr Kavanaugh and has no recollection of ever being at a party with him. He has said Ms Keyser believes Ms Ford's account but is "unable to corroborate it because she has no recollection of the incident in question".

Mr Roche has been contacted for comment.

Additional reporting by AP