White House

2:30 PM PT -- POTUS has authorized the FBI to begin the Kavanaugh investigation that Sen. Flake called for right before the Judiciary Committee voted to recommend confirmation.

Several other Senators demanded such an investigation during Thursday's testimony, and Flake suggested the investigation should only delay the full Senate vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation by a week.

President Trump is one huge step closer to getting his guy, Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court -- the Senate Judiciary Committee just voted 11-10 to recommend he be confirmed.

The Committee has 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats, so the tally comes as no shock -- even after Thursday's emotional day of testimony from Kavanaugh and his sexual assault accuser, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. The next step for Kavanaugh is the confirmation vote before the full Senate.

Before he cast his vote recommending confirmation, Sen. Jeff Flake came face-to-face with two sexual assault victims who confronted and cornered him in an elevator on Capitol Hill. The incident might have had some impact -- before the Committee voted, Sen. Flake requested the Senate vote be delayed for one week to let the FBI conduct an investigation. However, the Committee voted to recommend confirmation ... and did NOT insist on the one-week delay.

Emotions have been running high since Thursday's nearly 9 hours of testimony. Two other women -- Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick -- also levied allegations but were not allowed to testify.

Ford recounted Kavanaugh's alleged attack on her at a house party when they were in high school. Kavanaugh followed, and vehemently denied the allegations ... seemingly coming unhinged at times.

3:48 PM PT -- The hearing has come to an end after more than 8 excruciating hours. The committee is slated to move forward with Friday's vote on Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court.

12:40 PM PT -- Kavanaugh delivered a passionate, tearful denial, saying the Democrats have tried to assassinate his character and destroy his family.

Brett Kavanaugh's fate may well be determined in the next 8 hours, after the showdown in the Senate Judiciary Committee between the Supreme Court nominee and his accuser, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.

The hearing kicked off at 10 AM ET and Ford was first up. She had the floor to make her case before fielding a series of questions. The Republican senators turned over questioning on their part to Rachel Mitchell, an Arizona sex crimes prosecutor who has been viewed as a victim's advocate in such cases.

The process is about to now be repeated with Kavanaugh, but after he makes his opening statements he's fair game to the full panel of senators -- both Dems and Republicans. Mitchell will join in and ask questions of Kavanaugh as well.

Dr. Ford opened with an emotional, tearful recount of the alleged sexual attack by Kavanaugh.

There will be no other witnesses ... notably 2 other accusers -- Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick -- will not be permitted to testify.

The hearing will last for hours and the Committee has 3 options -- voting to recommend confirmation of Kavanaugh and then sending the matter to the full Senate for a vote, voting to reject Kavanaugh and sending it to the full Senate, or not voting at all and sending the matter to the full Senate.

Kavanaugh needs a majority vote on the floor of the Senate. The Republicans have a 51-49 edge. If the vote is a tie, Vice President Pence will become the tie-breaker.

The United States paid millions to host the United Nations' General Assembly this year ... ironic since President Trump became the butt of the meeting's biggest joke.

We obtained federal docs outlining costs associated with the Lotte Hotel in NYC -- where a number of U.S. funded events went down -- and the total cost approaches $2.5 MILLION.

The breakdown includes hotel rooms and related expenses, venue spaces and related costs, such as furniture, food and beverages.

The Lotte was host to a reception by Melania, and President Trump held meetings there with South Korean President Moon Jae-In, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe.

As we reported ... the assembly burst into laughter when Trump quipped, "In less than 2 years, my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country."

The U.N. Headquarters -- located about a mile away from The Lotte -- also had expenses covered by the U.S. ... notably $54,000 for outdoor tents.

Donald Trump says he sees the allegations against Brett Kavanaugh differently from the rest of us because his fame has made him the target of many false allegations of sexual misconduct.

The Prez held a rare solo news conference Wednesday in New York and addressed the 3 women who've come forward with claims the Supreme Court nominee engaged in sexual misconduct in the '80s.

POTUS flat out admitted he's biased against the accusers after dealing with a long history of "really false charges" made against him. He specifically referred to Jessica Leeds' allegation -- made right before his 2016 election -- that he had sexually assaulted her in 1979 on a plane.

Interestingly ... POTUS didn't mention any of his accusers -- Leeds, Summer Zervos or the 20 other women -- by name.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is sounding more and more like a guy who is running for prez in 2020 after coming to Sen. Ted Cruz's defense ... and getting critical of President Trump.

We got hizzoner at Avalon in Hollywood Tuesday night where he was hosting a fundraiser for the Democratic party. We wanted to get Garcetti's take on Cruz getting heckled out of a D.C. restaurant ... a la Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Garcetti tells us he was NOT down with activists chasing Cruz and his wife out of the D.C. joint and you gotta watch -- because it's the words he uses that have presidential campaign written all over it. He hasn't announced yet, but based on our recon ... Garcetti's definitely running in 2020.

The Mayor also had some parting shots for Trump, laying full blame on 45 for what he considers America's failing image in the world's eyes. Garcetti's point ... he would've LOL'd with the rest of the United Nations Assembly.

President Trump is now literally a laughing stock -- he addressed the United Nations and drew audible laughs when he pulled his signature move ... bragging about his presidency.

The embarrassing moment went down Tuesday morning at the UN where Trump was addressing the General Assembly. During his speech, Trump quipped, "In less than 2 years, my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country."

You just gotta watch it. The gathered ambassadors couldn't contain their laughter. The roomful of LOLs prompted a head tilt and awkward smile from 45. He was almost forced to say, "Didn't expect that reaction, but that's okay" ... which drew even more laughs.

Judge Brett Kavanaugh is now facing a new allegation from another woman who says he exposed himself without her consent during their college years at Yale.

The New Yorker published a bombshell story Sunday ahead of Kavanaugh's Thursday hearing in D.C., where he's already set to face-off against Christine Blasey Ford ... who has accused him of a sexual assault when they were both in high school.

In this new story, written by Ronan Farrow and Jane Mayer, a woman named Deborah Ramirez claims Kavanaugh put his exposed penis in her face at a dorm party during their freshman year at Yale sometime between 1983 and '84. She says she got drunk during a drinking game, and that at one point a male classmate (not Kavanaugh) pointed a dildo at her.

Soon after, she says she was on the floor, foggy and slurring her words ... when she says she remembers seeing a real penis smack dab in her face. She tells the New Yorker she recalls other students telling her to kiss it. Ramirez says she pushed the person away, touching the penis in the process, and then saw Kavanaugh standing next to her, pulling his pants up and laughing.

She says she also remembers another student shouting down the hall, "Brett Kavanaugh just put his penis in Debbie’s face." Ramirez says she specifically remembers hearing his full name.

Ramirez admits that parts of her memory on the alleged incident are fuzzy, but the New Yorker notes "After six days of carefully assessing her memories and consulting with her attorney" Ramirez felt confident in the details of her story.

As for Kavanaugh, he tells the New Yorker ... "This alleged event from 35 years ago did not happen. The people who knew me then know that this did not happen, and have said so. This is a smear, plain and simple. I look forward to testifying on Thursday about the truth, and defending my good name--and the reputation for character and integrity I have spent a lifetime building--against these last-minute allegations." A White House spokesperson also expressed support for Kavanaugh.

President Trump's pissed off a bunch of canoers who say in a new lawsuit his excessive golfing's gotten them banned from the Potomac River.

The Canoe Cruisers Association of Greater Washington sued Trump's Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and the Coast Guard claiming an Administration rule prohibits canoers from accessing 2 miles of the Potomac River near Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia.

In docs, the canoers claim the Coast Guard and DHS initially had temporarily imposed restrictions but have created a "permanent security zone" in June 2017, and they've been turned away at least 32 times.

Donald Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame got the prison bars treatment ... after a familiar prankster pulled off the hilarious stunt.

The president's WOF star was locked down after a street artist, who goes by the name Plastic Jesus, attached bars to the star. PJ laid down the bars much to everyone's amusement before a wandering Trump supporter took matters into his own hands Wednesday.

Plastic Jesus says he used instant-drying, industrial strength, double-sided sticky tape, which is why he says it took the Trump supporter HOURS to remove them, also to everyone's delight.

The prankster says it was done as a joke, adding Trump should pay the price if he's ever found guilty of a crime. Special counsel Robert Mueller, of course, is investigating whether Trump and Co. colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election.

And, speaking of 2016 ... you'll recall Plastic Jesus is the one who erected a 6-inch wall around Trump's star to protest the border wall. It's a far cry from the destruction Trump's star received earlier this year ... becoming a lightning rod for street fights.

President Trump may not be too far off in his claim that the death toll numbers in Puerto Rico were inflated ... so says a FEMA administrator, who insists deaths linked to spousal abuse in the wake of the hurricane aren't actually the hurricane's fault at all.

Brock Long -- who's been heading up FEMA's disaster relief effort in P.R. and elsewhere -- went on 'Meet the Press' Sunday to defend Trump's tweet last week, in which he accused Democrats of jacking up the death count after Hurricane Maria to make him look bad.

The original deaths were reported to be in the tens -- but since then, a new study has found that nearly 3,000 people have died as a result of the Maria. Brock disputes those figures though, saying that study and others were all over the place and inconsistent.

He also says you can't blame indirect deaths on the hurricane, explaining that people having heart attacks due to stress, getting into accidents, falling off their roof or suffering from spousal abuse after the hurricane can't be pinned on the natural disaster itself.

Sounds like he's splitting more hairs than 45 -- but he's clearly on Trump's side in this.

President Trump is prepping for Hurricane Florence by boasting about his sparkling record fighting super storms -- especially in Puerto Rico, where he insists less than 100 died, and NOT 3,000.

As Florence's winds started whipping the Carolinas' Outer Banks, 45 recalled Hurricane Maria's devastation in P.R., saying ... "AFTER the storm had hit, they had anywhere from 6 to 18 deaths. As time went by it did not go up by much." He tweeted that it was only later that Democrats inflated the death toll to "really large numbers, like 3000" just to make him look bad.

You'll recall, Trump triumphantly arrived on the island a month after Maria ... and touted the fact there were only "16 people certified" dead. He also joyously tossed paper towels to a crowd of residents.

POTUS seems to be forgetting the fact there was almost ZERO electricity or clean water on the island for several months -- factors that increased deaths according to several investigative reports. Last month, Puerto Rico released an official death toll of 2,975.

But, the President might have revealed the true root of his Puerto Rico beef yesterday on Twitter.

He ripped the Mayor of San Juan for allegedly playing the political game. In any event, he vows the government is ready for whatever Florence brings to the Carolinas.

Oscar De La Hoya just got his first MAJOR political endorsement -- with former Mexico president Vicente Fox telling TMZ Sports, "I'm with you all the way!!!"

"Breaking news! Oscar De La Hoya is running for President of the United States. Bravo Oscar! You will make it," Fox told us.

Technically, Oscar isn't running yet -- but he told TMZ earlier this week he was putting together an exploratory team to see if he could get enough support to make a serious run for the White House in 2020.

Enter Fox -- who was President of Mexico from 2000 to 2006 -- who strongly believes Oscar is the right man for the job.

"You are honored and respected all over the world. You are well known in California, supported by all which you've done. You are a fighter. You are a warrior. You do fight for human rights. You do protect and fight for Hispanics and Mexican Americans rights in the United States ... that's you, Oscar."

"I'm with you all the way. You will make it ... President or 'Future President of the United States.' Fight. Win. That country needs people like you."

Not everyone has been as supportive, with Eric Holder and Jim Gray scoffing at the idea of President De La Hoya.

But, Oscar insists he's serious ... and this might be just the support he needs to get things going.

Good luck!

Oscar De La Hoya has zero intentions to run for president and is only claiming he's serious about a campaign to try to drum up interest in his GGG-Canelo fight ... so says Jim Gray.

We broke the story ... ODLH told us he's really exploring the idea of becoming president one day because he wants to have a bigger platform to use his voice.

When we got Gray -- a Showtime boxing host -- out at LAX and asked about Oscar's potential candidacy ... Gray was hardly buying it.

"Really? Come on," Gray tells us.

"I think he's trying to promote his fight. I think his fight may not be doing as well as he's hoping. So, he's trying to bring attention. So, what better way to get attention than to say, 'I want to run for president?'"

You be the judge ... does this sound like a man who's lying?!

The Secret Service wants to hear from the veteran TV star who thinks it would be a good idea for someone to "John Wilkes Booth" President Trump.

Sources connected with the Agency tell TMZ, Carole Cook's comments to our photog when she left Craig's restaurant Sunday night were enough to trigger an official inquiry.

Our photog asked Cook -- a famous Broadway actress who also appeared on "Dynasty," "Cagney & Lacey" and "Sixteen Candles" -- what she thought about Trump, and she replied, "Where's John Wilkes Booth when you need him?" When our guy asked if she meant Trump should be assassinated she responded, "Why not?"

Our sources say the Secret Service saw our post and are concerned enough that they want a chit chat with the 94-year-old actress. They were quick to add it's not an official investigation -- just due diligence. If the interview unearths anything ominous, only then would it become an official investigation.

President Oscar De La Hoya?!?!

Don't scoff -- the boxing legend says he's "very seriously" considering running for the highest office in the land ... and he's already putting together an exploratory team.

"I am actually very, very serious and I strongly feel that if a Kanye West can do it and announce and maybe tease the world that he would maybe one day wanna run for president, why not me?"

Obviously, Oscar has no experience as an elected politician -- but as ODLH pointed out on "TMZ Live," neither did Donald Trump.

So, what convinced Oscar to explore politics?

"I've had literally, over the years, ever since I became a professional in boxing, I've had millions of people tell me, 'Look, why don't you represent? Why don't you stand up and have a bigger voice?' And obviously, the biggest voice you can have is being president."

Oscar says if his exploratory team comes back with good numbers, he'll make it official and begin his campaign.

And, if you're wondering, Oscar says he believes strongly in standing for the national anthem.

But before he goes on the campaign trail, Oscar's got another major event in his life -- he's promoting the big Canelo vs. GGG rematch on Sept. 15th.