Kavanaugh flatly denied Ford’s allegations: “I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation”.
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Mr Kavanaugh issued a fresh denial of the claims in a statement released by the White House last Monday.
According to her lawyer, Ford is willing to testify in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Prof Ford has been given until Friday to decide if she will testify. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, walks through a tunnel towards the Dirksen Senate Building on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat at the committee, said on Tuesday that the panel should respect Ford’s wishes and thus delay the Monday hearing which she said is part of a “rushed” process.
This all but ensures that Kavanaugh has enough support from Senate Republicans to advance the vote as early as next week, whether or not Ford chooses to testify before the committee. Judge Kavanaugh has denied the allegations and has said he is ready to testify, which has been schedule on Monday.
Flake is a persistent critic of President Trump and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is vetting Kavanaugh’s nomination for a lifetime post on America’s highest court.
According to the spokesperson, the Federal Bureau of Investigation “does not make any judgment about the credibility or significance of any allegation”.
“She is prepared to cooperate with the committee and with any law enforcement investigation”, she added.
Judge Thomas was narrowly confirmed and he remains a Supreme Court justice. Both Kavanaugh and Ford are invited to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee at a hearing on Monday, but Ford has called for the FBI to investigate the matter before she testifies. “We want to get to the bottom of everything. I sincerely hope that Dr Ford will accept my invitation to do so, either privately or publicly, on Monday”. He called the allegations a “drive-by attack” on the judge’s character.
Democrats were quick to back her call for a delay.
“She will talk with the committee”, Banks said.
“The rush to a hearing is unnecessary, and contrary to the Committee discovering the truth”, Ms Banks wrote. They are fantasizing about a bunch of wealthy old white men demeaning a sexual assault victim, and the campaign commercials they could make out of it.
This is vile. A person can not claim a crime happened and then turn around and say she doesn’t know if it happened when pressured for details.
Republicans, some of whom see the allegations as a stalling tactic by Democrats to thwart Kavanaugh’s confirmation, have been pushing to confirm him before November’s midterm elections, when they could lose their 51-49 majority control of the Senate. “If she shows up that would be wonderful”.
Charles Grassley’s handling of the first hour of the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearing.
What is the allegation against the judge?
“I’ll listen to the lady, but we’re going to bring this to a close”, said the SC senator. Susan Collins, whose vote could be crucial, said in a radio interview.
There were signs the GOP’s strategy of planning a nationally televised hearing while also offering Ford the chance to testify in private was keeping possible Republican defections in check.
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President Trump said Wednesday that her performance in that hearing could determine whether he stands by his embattled nominee.
