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Kavanaugh Open Thread: Senate Republicans Offer to Hold Ford’s Hearing on Wednesday

Kavanaugh Open Thread: Senate Republicans Offer to Hold Ford’s Hearing on Wednesday

Ford has until the end of the day to respond.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc_3qe9u2dA

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley gave Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, until 10AM ET to decide if she will testify on Monday.

Ford’s team handed out the terms for her testimony late Thursday night and I doubt it will sit well. First of all, she won’t do it on Monday and she still wants an FBI probe.

Now the Senate Republicans have given Ford a counteroffer with a hearing on Wednesday.

Wednesday Hearing?

Ford asked for a hearing on Thursday, but Senate Republicans offered Wednesday. From Politico:

The Senate Judiciary Committee is giving Christine Blasey Ford attorney’s until the end of the day Friday to work out terms of next week’s proposed hearing on Ford’s allegations that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her, according to a Republican senator.

Senate GOP is offering to hold the hearing on Wednesday after Ford asked for a Thursday hearing and is meeting some of Ford’s requests but not others, the senator said.

“We’ll do it on Wednesday, we expect the accuser before the accused and we do intend to have the counsel do the questioning,” the senator said, summing up the Republicans’ stance. The party is OK with limiting the hearing to one camera as requested by Ford and has also “acquiesced” to Ford’s request that Kavanaugh not be in the same room as her, the senator said.

GOP members of the Judiciary Committee held a conference call on Friday morning to discuss how to respond to Ford’s requests on Thursday. And barring new revelations, the party plans to vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination in Judiciary Committee shortly after hearing her testimony next week.

In July, Ford Advisor Spoke of “Strategy” That Could Defeat Kavanaugh

Ford has sought advice from Democratic operative from Ricki Seidman, the woman who helped Anita Hill.

Well, back in July, Seidman spoke to the American Constitution Society about a strategy that could end up defeating Kavanaugh. Remember, July is when Sen. Dianne Feinstein received Ford’s letter. From The American Mirror:

“While I think at the outset, looking at the numbers in the Senate, it’s not extremely likely that the nominee can be defeated. I would absolutely withhold judgement as the process goes on. I think that I would not reach any conclusion about the outcome in advance,” Seidman says in the recording.

Was she teasing a post-hearing surprise that was triggered by Sen. Dianne Feinstein?

Seidman speculated that Kavanaugh was chosen prior to Justice Anthony Kennedy announcing his retirement, and that liberal groups — who would oppose any Trump nominee — were caught flat-footed.

“Over the coming days and weeks,” Seidman says in the recording that seems to have occurred shortly after Kavanaugh’s announcement, “there will be a strategy that will emerge, and I think it’s possible that that strategy might ultimately defeat the nominee.”

She didn’t provide further details, but given the fact that Dr. Christine Blasey Ford “is being advised by” Seidman, according to Politico, it’s not difficult to conclude the plot currently unfolding began months ago.

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Ford’s Terms

In other words, they’re going to drag this out for as long as they can. From Fox News:

Among the terms: Only members of the committee — no lawyers — can question her; Kavanaugh cannot be in the room at the time; and Kavanaugh should be questioned first, before he has the opportunity to hear Ford’s testimony.

The requests, some of which appeared to be negotiable, capped a whirlwind day of back-and-forth statements. Ford’s lawyers told the Senate Judiciary Committee that she was open to testifying next week, apparently backing off her bid for the FBI to first launch a new inquiry into her allegations.

But the attorneys said it was “not possible” for Ford to testify at a hearing scheduled for Monday by Senate Republicans, without explaining why, and they reiterated that she had a “strong preference” for an FBI probe beforehand.

According to an email sent by her attorney Debra Katz to the committee, Ford would appear as long as senators provide “terms that are fair and which ensure her safety.”

It was not immediately clear whether Senate Republicans would agree to Ford’s latest requests, but they reportedly have indicated they were considering them. Judiciary Committee Republicans have offered Ford the opportunity to testify privately, and have indicated they’re willing to fly out to California “or anywhere else” to question her there if she would find that more convenient.

Interesting. Why must Kavanaugh go first? Probably so she can get in the last word. Plus he won’t know exactly what he’s responding to.

Kavanaugh has shown eagerness to testify on Monday so he can clear his name. I don’t blame him one bit.

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