Accuser of Trump's Supreme Court nominee to testify on Thursday

By Doina Chiacu

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh listens during his U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2018. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The university professor who has accused Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, of sexual assault will testify before a Senate panel on Thursday about her allegation, her lawyers and the committee said on Sunday.

 

The agreement came a week after Christine Blasey Ford went public with her allegation against the conservative federal appeals court judge, endangering his confirmation by the Republican-led Senate to a lifetime job on the top U.S. court.

 

There are, however, unresolved procedural and logistical issues, Ford's lawyers said, including whether the Judiciary Committee's Republican senators, who are all male, or staff attorneys would question her. Ford's lawyers said "various senators have been dismissive of her account and should have to shoulder their responsibility to ask her questions."

 

Kavanaugh, who has called the allegation "completely false," also has agreed to testify at the hearing planned for 10 a.m. (1400 GMT) on Thursday. The potentially explosive hearing, against a backdrop of the #MeToo movement fighting sexual harassment and assault, comes just weeks before Nov. 6 congressional elections in which Democrats are trying to take control of Congress from Trump's fellow Republicans.

 

Ford, a psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California, has said Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in 1982 when both were high school students in Maryland. She accused him of attacking her and trying to remove her clothing while he was drunk at a party when he was 17 years old and she was 15.

 

Ford's lawyers said that in a Sunday morning call with committee staff members they agreed to the hearing even though the committee refused to subpoena Mark Judge, a Kavanaugh friend who Ford said witnessed the attack, as well as others she said were present.

 

"Despite actual threats to her safety and her life, Dr. Ford believes it is important for senators to hear directly from her about the sexual assault committed against her," Ford's attorneys Debra Katz, Lisa Banks and Michael Bromwich said in a statement.

 

"She has agreed to move forward with a hearing even though the Committee has refused to subpoena Mark Judge," it said. "They have also refused to invite other witnesses who are essential for a fair hearing that arrives at the truth about the sexual assault."

 

Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican, had set several deadlines since Friday for Ford to decide whether and how she would testify before the panel.

 

"Following Dr. Ford's testimony, Judge Kavanaugh will appear again before the committee," according to a statement from the committee.

Kavanaugh was questioned by committee staff last week.

 

Grassley's counsel said in a note to Ford's lawyers that "the Chairman asked me to relay again that he will do everything in his power to provide a safe, comfortable and dignified forum for Dr. Ford to testify." The counsel said it was the committee's "non-negotiable" right to determine who would be allowed to testify.

 

Kavanaugh's confirmation would solidify conservative control of the Supreme Court and advance Trump's goal of moving the high court and the broader federal judiciary to the right.

 

FBI PROBE

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Dianne Feinstein, the committee's top Democrat, urged Trump on Sunday to direct the FBI to thoroughly investigate Ford's allegations and report back to the Senate as soon as possible. Ford previously asked for an FBI probe but Trump said last week the agency should not be involved.

 

"There is no legitimate basis for you to continue blocking the FBI from investigating this important matter," the lawmakers said in a letter.

Republicans will be forced to walk a careful line in questioning Ford's account without alienating female voters before the November congressional elections. Trump has called her allegation into question, writing on Twitter on Friday that "if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents."

 

A Republican member of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Lindsey Graham, said Grassley "bent over backwards" to make the hearing happen. Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," Graham said Ford's lawyer had set 10 conditions and "we accepted six."

 

"We're not going to turn over to the other side how many witnesses to call," Graham added.

 

Ford has said there was alcohol at the party and that Kavanaugh and Judge were very drunk. Judge has previously written about his experiences as a teenage alcoholic.

 

A Democratic committee member, Senator Mazie Hirono, said she wanted to hear from Kavanaugh about the drinking and partying environment in high school.

 

Hirono said Ford had nothing to gain by coming forward. "I believe her," Hirono told CNN's "State of the Union" program. "There's credibility to her story."

 

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Additional reporting by Yasmeen Abutaleb, Steve Holland, Matt Spetalnick and Diane Bartz; Editing by Lisa Shumaker, Meredith Mazzilli and Will Dunham)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-09-24

 

And Avenatti has made a statement that Ford ‘is not alone’.

 

People who bet against Avenatti have a habit of winding up in the slammer.

 

Buckle up Illiberals and get your denial glasses on, it’s going to be a bumpy ride as the truth gets out.

 

#Basta

IMO she won't make it to Thursday. None of her alibi witnesses have her back and her story is falling apart as we speak. 

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

And Avenatti has made a statement that Ford ‘is not alone’.

 

People who bet against Avenatti have a habit of winding up in the slammer.

 

Buckle up Illiberals and get your denial glasses on, it’s going to be a bumpy ride as the truth gets out.

 

#Basta

Maybe there is some corroboration of Ford's story now.

 

There is a new female accuser regarding sexual misconduct at a Yale Univ. party and Kavanaugh as reported to the New Yorker's Ronan Farrow and Jane Mayer:

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/yorker-bombshell-second-woman-accuses-002935481.html

Edited September 24, 20187 yr by helpisgood
add opening sentence

30 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

IMO she won't make it to Thursday. None of her alibi witnesses have her back and her story is falling apart as we speak. 

Trollolllolloolloolloooooooo....

57 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

IMO she won't make it to Thursday. None of her alibi witnesses have her back and her story is falling apart as we speak. 

Why does she need an alibi?

Only in America.

1 hour ago, helpisgood said:

Maybe there is some corroboration of Ford's story now.

 

There is a new female accuser regarding sexual misconduct at a Yale Univ. party and Kavanaugh as reported to the New Yorker's Ronan Farrow and Jane Mayer:

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/yorker-bombshell-second-woman-accuses-002935481.html

So at least 2 more accusers.  If Republicans were smart, they'd stick a fork in Kavanaugh....he's done.  Unless they want to be known as the party that hates and disrespects women.  On top of being a totally corrupt party that hates minorities. 

3 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

So at least 2 more accusers.  If Republicans were smart, they'd stick a fork in Kavanaugh....he's done.  Unless they want to be known as the party that hates and disrespects women.  On top of being a totally corrupt party that hates minorities. 

IMO there's no way back for the GOP, they're all in. They sold their party's soul to the man-child for a few more years in the sun and history will judge them harshly.

Me thinks the trumpers are in for a rough ride don’t think the lady’s are going to tolerate getting railroaded 

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

And Avenatti has made a statement that Ford ‘is not alone’.

 

People who bet against Avenatti have a habit of winding up in the slammer.

 

Buckle up Illiberals and get your denial glasses on, it’s going to be a bumpy ride as the truth gets out.

 

#Basta

Man, I just read what Avenatti has.  If true (and a big freakin "if"), this is seriously wicked stuff....

 

[Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh faced a storm of new sexual misconduct allegations Sunday after attorney Michael Avenatti said he had knowledge that Kavanaugh and high school friend Mark Judge targeted women with drugs and alcohol in order to "allow a 'train' of men to subsequently gang rape them."]

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/kavanaugh-faces-new-accusations-avenatti-claims-evidence-of-targeting-women-for-gang-rape/ar-AAAxZey?ocid=wispr

 

This is getting weirder by the day.

 

 

24 minutes ago, Becker said:

IMO there's no way back for the GOP, they're all in. They sold their party's soul to the man-child for a few more years in the sun and history will judge them harshly.

Man child? He is a billionare. Can you, do you have the ability to be a billionare? 

Haven’t heard anything like that here in the USA I’m watching cnn rite now

1 minute ago, MikeChm said:

Man child? He is a billionare. Can you, do you have the ability to be a billionare? 

What does being a billionaire have to do with anything?  Trump is a lying, corrupt, stupid, perverted, racist, sorry-excuse-for-a-human being.  I don't care if his father did give him millions.   

Probably vetting the story 

41 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

So at least 2 more accusers.  If Republicans were smart, they'd stick a fork in Kavanaugh....he's done.  Unless they want to be known as the party that hates and disrespects women.  On top of being a totally corrupt party that hates minorities. 

Politically, their f-ed either way. Railroad this abuser in and they lose even more female support. But don't confirm him and lose part of their base that basically goes along with the sleazy corrupt "trump" clown train just to get stuff like judges that are out to attack choice, gay rights, workers rights, minorities rights, etc. Like if "trump" can't deliver on that why bother showing up to vote? This was voiced explicitly recently at the so called "Values" summit. Because of this I still think the republicans are going to try to steamroll this through anyway NO MATTER WHAT. Either way they lose, but their priority is to politically survive and they probably think they are better off massaging their base.

Edited September 24, 20187 yr by Jingthing

2 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

IMO she won't make it to Thursday. None of her alibi witnesses have her back and her story is falling apart as we speak. 

You mean Kavanaugh won't make it to Thursday.  With 3 sexual abuse allegations, this nomination will be pulled on Wednesday.

23 minutes ago, MikeChm said:

Man child? He is a billionare. Can you, do you have the ability to be a billionare? 

He claims he's a billionaire. Too bad he lied about releasing his tax returns, right?

And yes, with the inheritance he got I could also be very rich. Heck, I bet I could even avoid declaring bankruptcy six times!

Lindsey Graham already announced, that he is not interested in any witness- account!

He will still vote for Kavanaugh!

 

...all you need to know about Republicans!

????

Trump multiplied his father's fortune, showing he is capable than most of you. He is clever and competent than you.

Sour grape

1 hour ago, DM07 said:

...maybe!

Still she was the alleged VICTIM of a rape!

It doesn't matter one bit, if she was a "lustful bitch"!

That still doesn't give anyone the right to rape her!

 

 

Ahhh, the power of the internet to exaggerate, hysteriate and distort facts.

 

She never claimed to have been raped- she said it was sexuall assault- there's a huge difference.

 

Interesting that it took over 30 years for this to come to light- it stinks of political jerry-mandering. Just another example of the levels US politics have stooped to these days.

Edited September 24, 20187 yr by Psimbo

15 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

Ahhh, the power of the internet to exaggerate, hysteriate and distort facts.

 

She never claimed to have been raped- she said it was sexuall assault- there's a huge difference.

 

Interesting that it took over 30 years for this to come to light- it stinks of political jerry-mandering. Just another example of the levels US politics have stooped to these days.

Yes, no accusation of rape. Accusation of violent sexual assault. Accusation of putting his hand over her mouth to muffle her screams. Not what decent Americans are looking for in a SCOTUS justice. 

 

Edited September 24, 20187 yr by Jingthing

52 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

Ahhh, the power of the internet to exaggerate, hysteriate and distort facts.

 

She never claimed to have been raped- she said it was sexuall assault- there's a huge difference.

 

Interesting that it took over 30 years for this to come to light- it stinks of political jerry-mandering. Just another example of the levels US politics have stooped to these days.

...and where would that "sexual assault" have gone?

 

I’ll now predict Kavanaugh will wind up in the slammer.

 

 

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I’ll now predict Kavanaugh will wind up in the slammer.

 

 

Let's hope your prediction is more accurate than the one Nyezhov made about Manafort not going to jail

2 hours ago, MikeChm said:

Trump multiplied his father's fortune, showing he is capable than most of you. He is clever and competent than you.

Is that how you judge people's success in life, by how much money they have?  So what does that make you, an abject failure? 

Just now, Berkshire said:

Is that how you judge people's success in life, by how much money they have?  So what does that make you, an abject failure? 

Indeed. Personally I do give "trump" the credit that is due him. He is one of the greatest con men and propagandists in world history. 

Multiple inflammatory/defamatory/troll posts and replies have been removed.

8 hours ago, MikeChm said:

Trump multiplied his father's fortune, showing he is capable than most of you. He is clever and competent than you.

Well he said he did.

 

But he’s never produced any evidence to back up his claim.