Christine Blasey Ford Reaches Agreement With Senate Judiciary Committee To Testify About Kavanaugh Assault
Dr. Christine Blasey Ford has reached an agreement with the Senate Judiciary Committee. According to the New York Times, the professor will testify on Thursday about her alleged sexual assault committed by Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Dr. Blasey’s agreement with the committee was solidified early Sunday morning after her lawyers met with committee aides. Though most details about her time before the committee have been discussed, it is still unknown if the “Republicans will use an outside lawyer to question her.” If they choose an outside person, it will most likely be a woman, given that all of the Republicans on the panel are men.
The hearing in which Dr. Blasey will detail the incident — where Kavanaugh allegedly groped her and held her down at a party when they were teens — will be open to the public. Forty-five-minute breaks will be included, and though Dr. Blasey has requested that Kavanaugh give his testimony first, the committee may choose to hear hers first. Additionally, the professor will be provided with security, since she has received numerous death threats and has even had to move out of her home since she first opened up about the alleged sexual assault.
“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,” wrote Dr. Blasey’s lawyers, Debra S. Katz, Lisa J. Banks, and Michael R. Bromwich, in a statement. They added that though there are some details that have not been set in stone, the hearing will still occur.
Dr. Blasey’s accusations have thrown Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court into question. In addition to the death threats, Dr. Blasey has also been accused of lying, and many have called out Democratic leader Dianne Feinstein for “taking advantage” of the professor.
“I want to listen to Dr. Ford. I feel sorry for her. I think she’s being used here,” said Senator Lindsey Graham in an interview with Fox News on Sunday. “I’m not going to play a game here and tell you this will wipe out his entire life because if nothing changes, it won’t with me.”
There have been people who attended Georgetown Preparatory School along with Dr. Blasey and Kavanaugh who have shown support of Dr. Blasey’s claims. However, the person who she says actually witnessed the incident, Mark Judge, has said that he has no knowledge of the incident. It has not been announced if Judge will be subpoenaed to offer his testimony.
