WASHINGTON – Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee are willing to meet some but not all of Christine Blasey Ford's conditions in order for her to testify next week about her allegation of sexual assault in the 1980s by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.
Ford has accused Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump's nominee for the high court, of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers. Kavanaugh has denied the accusation.
Republicans have offered Ford time to testify in front of the panel Wednesday, a day earlier than she requested, but a delay from Monday's scheduled hearing. They insist that she speak first, against her wishes, so that Kavanaugh can defend himself after her allegation is aired. But they agreed to her requests for security measures and that Kavanaugh be out of the room when she testifies.
Still unresolved is who will conduct the questioning. They have not announced if they will honor her request to be interviewed by senators rather than a special counsel, a procedure that would save the panel's 11 Republican men from the optics of questioning a woman claiming sexual assault.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, a member of the Judiciary Committee, criticized the “counteroffer” and emphasized that senators, rather than committee counsel, must be able to question both witnesses.
"I will not forfeit my ability to question Judge Kavanaugh and anyone else who comes before the committee with testimony, no matter how uncomfortable it may make the 11 men across the dais," he said, referring to the panel's Republican members.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Committee, fired back Friday afternoon saying that Republicans pushing for a Wednesday hearing when Ford requested Thursday is "mean-spirited and candidly shows no sympathy or empathy whatsoever."
All 10 Democrats on the Committee wrote a letter to Grassley saying "the Committee majority’s treatment of Dr. Ford has unquestionably been worse than the disgraceful treatment that Anita Hill received 27 years ago." Hill accused now-Justice Clearance Thomas of sexual harassment in 1991 and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were criticized for their handling of the situation.
The Democrats called for more witnesses than just Ford and Kavanaugh, including the FBI, Kavanaugh's friend who Ford alleges was in the room, character witnesses and outside experts.
More: Joe Biden regrets how Anita Hill was treated, says Kavanaugh accuser should get more respect
More: Kavanaugh's prep school culture nurtures high achievers, fosters darker impulses, grads say
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