WASHINGTON – Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing him of a past sexual assault, are expected to testify Thursday before…
WASHINGTON – Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing him of a past sexual assault, are expected to testify Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee amid what many describe as a media frenzy surpassing that of the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill hearings.
Since Ford came forward publicly with her allegation in The Washington Post, another woman has accused Kavanaugh of past sexual misconduct. Republicans, including President Donald Trump, have responded by dismissing the allegations as part of a Democratic smear campaign designed to derail Kavanaugh’s confirmation. Democrats have demanded an FBI investigation and accused Republicans of rushing the nomination process.
Now, after more than a week of public and contentious negotiations between Ford’s lawyers and Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the judge and the professor accusing him are slated to testify. Here is what we know about the upcoming hearing and the allegations:
In documents sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee and obtained by USA TODAY, Ford’s attorneys present declarations from Ford’s husband, Russell, and three friends who support the California college professor’s accusation. The four people say Ford told them about the assault in the years before Kavanaugh’s confirmation.
Rachel Mitchell, an Arizona sex crimes prosecutor, will take the lead in questioning for Republicans during Thursday’s hearing. «The goal is to de-politicize the process and get to the truth, instead of grandstanding and giving senators an opportunity to launch their presidential campaigns,» Grassley said.
An attorney for Deborah Ramirez, the second woman to publicly accuse Kavanaugh of misconduct, said Wednesday during an interview on NBC’s «Today» show that his client would be willing to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee. But, he said the issue is a «moot point» because the committee has not invited her to speak.
Lawyers for Kavanaugh sent five pages from a calendar he used in high school to the Senate Judiciary Committee late Tuesday, notifying them they intended to use the pages to prove Kavanaugh wasn’t at a 1982 house party where Ford alleges he held her down and tried to remove her clothes.
Attorney Michael Avenatti strongly disputed an online rumor that he was duped by a woman he said is prepared to allege a third sexual misconduct claim against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Avenatti said the story that someone got his girlfriend to make up the allegation is «crazy» and «a total fabrication.»
Contributing: Richard Wolf, Steve Kiggins and Christal Hayes, USA TODAY
