Friday at 10:00 a.m. is the deadline set by the Senate Judiciary Committee for a commitment and written proffer of testimony by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who alleges that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a high school party over thirty-five years ago.
Dr. Ford’s attorney said Thursday it was “not possible” for her to appear Monday, appearing to negate the need for the scheduled committee hearing. Her lawyers held out the possibility of a committee session sometime during the week, under “fair” conditions. The Judiciary Committee has offered to meet Dr. Ford at any place, including in California, and to hold a hearing in public or in private.
Thursday was dominated by the assertions of a Kavanaugh acquaintance and conservative attorney, Ed Whelan, who pointed to evidence of a possible location of a Maryland house party and a similar-appearing classmate as a potential explanation for Ford’s apparent case of mistaken identity. In a statement late in the day, Ford rejected the theory: “I knew them both, and socialized with” the other individual, she said. “There is zero chance that I would confuse them.”
Judge Kavanaugh, in his own letter to the Judiciary Committee today, reiterated “I continue to want a hearing as soon as possible so that I can clear my name…. I remain committed to defending my integrity.”
