Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suggested Tuesday that Democrats recruited the women who have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court nominee…
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suggested Tuesday that Democrats recruited the women who have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
Opening the day’s Senate session, Mr. McConnell said Democrats have upended the confirmation process with a rabid acceptance of the allegations, which have either been refuted or left uncorroborated by the witnesses who have come forward.
“Everyone deserves better than this. Everyone. Not just Judge Kavanaugh. Everyone deserves better than this,” Mr. McConnell said. No matter how loudly my Democratic colleagues try to say otherwise, we have never been and do not wish to be a society in which a single uncorroborated allegation can float out across decades and wield veto power over somebody’s life.”
It was the second day in a row that Mr. McConnell opened the Senate with criticism of Democrats.
His Monday speech may have already poisoned things for Christine Blasey Ford, the first Kavanaugh accuser, who claims he attempted to sexually assault her during a high school party three decades ago.
Ms. Blasey Ford’s lawyer sent a letter, reported by several news outlets, objecting to Mr. McConnell calling the allegations “a smear campaign, pure and simple,” spawned by the anti-Trump resistance.
Ms. Blasey Ford’s lawyer said that was inconsistent with the GOP’s obligation to hold a fair hearing this week.
“The refusal of the White House to request that the FBI reopen Judge Kavanaugh ’s background check precluded a thorough non-partisan investigation of this matter. And the hearing plan that Mr. Davis described does not appear designed to provide Dr. Blasey Ford with fair and respectful treatment,” the letter stated.
Michael R. Bromwich, Ms. Blasey Ford’s lawyer, also took issue with Judiciary Committee Republicans’ intention to use a sex crimes prosecutor to question Ms. Blasey Ford, saying that could produce a “circus.”
“This is not a criminal trial for which the involvement of an experienced sex crimes prosecutor would be appropriate. Neither Dr. Blasey Ford nor Judge Kavanaugh is on trial,” Mr. Bromwich said, adding he can’t find a precedent for an outside counsel conducting the senators’ duties.
Mr. McConnell on Tuesday said the process toward Ms. Blasey Ford has been fair, and she has been put through the wringer through “no fault of hers.”
He said his gripe is with Democrats who he said have manipulated the process and may have “even [gone] looking for” anti- Kavanaugh complaints.
