Patterico's Pontifications

9/21/2018

Blasey Ford Camp Outlines Conditions; GOP Working On Counter Offer (UPDATE: Blasey Ford Camp Responds To Committee Deadline)

Filed under: General — Dana @ 11:07 am



[guest post by Dana]

Yesterday, Christine Blasey Ford’s attorney, Debra Katz, outlined the conditions that must be met in order for Blasey Ford to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee:

Ford will not appear any sooner than next Thursday*;

No questions to be asked at hearing by any outside counsel — only by Senators;

Mark Judge must be subpoenaed;

Kavanaugh would testify first, then Ford would testify, and Kavanaugh would have no opportunity to respond or rebut;

The Friday deadline for her to provide written statement before the hearing would be waived;

Provide adequate security;

Only one pool camera in hearing room;

Ford and Kavanaugh allotted the same amount of time to talk.

* Regarding a written statement by Friday is a “non-starter,” and testimony on Monday is a “dealbreaker” according to Katz:

…because “[i]t is simply not possible for her to prepare such testimony while at the same time trying to take appropriate security precautions in the face of the avalanche of threats she has been receiving.”

Obviously, the demand that Kavanaugh would testify first and have no opportunity for rebuttal is so problematic, it is unacceptable. As some have pointed out, yes, this isn’t a court of law, however:

Just this morning, CNN is reporting that the GOP is working on a response Blasey Ford’s demands:

Two sources say the Senate Judiciary Committee will likely send a proposal to Christine Blasey Ford’s lawyer proposing a Wednesday hearing, with Ford testifying first and Brett Kavanaugh second.

The proposal would have outside counsel asks the questions.

As noted:

Offer not final and not sent, per numerous GOP sources. Discussed on Judiciary R call this morning

We need to hear from both of them. Given that both sides of the aisle agree that a very serious allegation has been made, both the accuser and the accused should be provided a secure forum in which to which to be heard and be available for questioning and examination. In spite of various factions already assuming Kavanaugh’s dishonesty and Blasey Ford’s honesty and/or Kavanaugh’s honesty and Blasey Ford’s dishonesty, if the primary concern is rooting out the truth, then wouldn’t both sides of the political aisle want them to testify? And wouldn’t the individuals themselves want that opportunity as well? Ultimately, the public needs to hear from both to see if their claims stand up under scrutiny. If that hasn’t yet happened in full, how on earth has anyone already made a definitive call about guilt or innocence? Unless, of course, the real priority here isn’t really about any allegation and denial. And that, sadly, is where we find ourselves: If the voracious and insatiable appetite of partisan politics demands the exploitation of an individual’s alleged assault and the subsequent destruction of another individual – whether innocent or guilty, then so be it.

(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)

–Dana

UPDATE: Earlier today, the Senate Judiciary Committee gave Ford a 10 p.m. Friday deadline to make her decision as to whether Christine Blasey Ford would testify on Wednesday:

The committee, led by chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said Ford could testify Wednesday — a day earlier than she demanded, but also two days later than the day the committee had originally announced, Monday. The committee is also proposing that Ford testify before Kavanaugh, as opposed to after, and that outside counsel handle the questioning. According to a GOP committee aide, the exact language in the counter offer asks Ford, “Please respond by 5 p.m.”

Katz responded to the letter, which she made a point to note that it had been sent at 4:00 p.m.:

“I advised you that Dr. Ford had traveled to meet with the FBI for several hours about the death threats she had been receiving, and we would need until tomorrow to confer with her and to be able to provide you with a well-considered response,” Katz said in the letter. “Rather than allowing her the time she needs to respond to the take-it-or-leave-it demand you conveyed, you sent us an email at 5:47 p.m. – which you again gave to the media first – insisting that we accept your “invitation” for a Wednesday hearing by 10:00 p.m. tonight.”

She further claimed:

The 10:00 p.m. deadline is arbitrary. Its sole purpose is to bully Dr. Ford and deprive her of the ability to make a considered decision that has life-altering implications for her and her family. She has already been forced out of her home and continues to face harassment, hate mail, and death threats. Our modest request is that she be given an additional day to make her decision.

You can read the response in its entirety here.

As a reminder, the next term of the Supreme Court begins Oct. 1.


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