Ford To Testify About Sexual Assault Accusation Against Kavanaugh on Thursday

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee announced that Christine Blasey Ford’s attorneys have agreed to her providing testimony on Thursday. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will then appear before the committee to provide testimony regarding Ford’s allegation of sexual misconduct.

As a result, Monday’s committee confirmation vote that was announced on Friday will be postponed. 

The hearing will be held on September 27, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. in Room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC.

Beyond the change in date, the parameters Grassley stated on Friday will be the same:

• Kavanaugh will not be present while Dr. Ford testifies.
• Press will be limited, and only one camera will be allowed during her testimony.
• The number of times and time allotted for Senators will be equal.
• Ford will be provided adequate breaks during her testimony.
• Kavanaugh will not be the first to testify as requested by Ford’s attorneys; he will appear after Ford testifies. 
• Staff attorneys may still question Ford.
• Mark Judge will not be issued a subpoena; his sworn statement will be considered sufficient.

So far during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s investigation of this matter, Kavanaugh interviewed with committee staff where he reiterated his unqualified and categorical denial of Dr. Ford’s allegations.

Mark Judge, who was allegedly in the room during Kavanaugh’s alleged sexual assault of Ford, submitted a statement through counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 18 in which he stated: “I do not recall the party described in Dr. Ford’s letter. More to the point, I never saw Brett act in the manner Dr. Ford describes.”

Patrick Smyth, who Ford identified as being at the same party this alleged event took place, also provided a statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee through counsel on September 19 in which he said “I have no knowledge of the party in question; nor do I have any knowledge of the allegations of improper conduct she has leveled against Brett Kavanaugh.”

Leland Ingraham Keyser, whom news reports identified as a life-long friend of Ford’s, stated to the Senate Judiciary Committee through her counsel Saturday night that she “does not know Mr. Kavanaugh and has no recollection of ever being at a party or gathering where he was present, with, or without, Dr. Ford.”

A former schoolmate of Ford’s—Christina King Miranda—claimed on social media posts on September 20 that “[t]his incident did happen, many of us heard about it in school.” Hours later, the Committee reached out to Miranda and asked her to participate in a confidential interview on Ford’s allegations with Committee investigators.  Shortly thereafter, however, she deleted her posts and claimed on National Public Radio that she “ha[d] no idea” whether the incident “happened or not.” She further stated that she would not participate in an interview with the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Grassley’s office said that the Senate Judiciary Committee asked Ford to participate in a confidential interview with Republican and Democratic Committee staff last Monday.  They have reiterated that request over the last week.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has sought information from six individuals—five who were allegedly present at the party when the incident took place, and one who claimed to have secondhand knowledge of the incident.  Four of those allegedly present at the party have provided statements to the Committee—Kavanaugh, Judge, Smyth, and Keyser. Kavanaugh has flatly denied the allegations, and Judge, Smyth, and Keyser deny having knowledge of any party matching Ford’s description.  King subsequently recanted her claim of secondhand knowledge and publicly refused to cooperate with the Committee’s investigation.

Dr. Ford is the only first-hand witness not to provide a statement to, or interview with, the Committee.