Lawyer says Senate Republicans not planning 'fair and respectful' treatment of Kavanaugh accuser
- A lawyer representing Christine Blasey Ford, who is accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, has raised concerns about the plans for the public hearing where Ford is expected to testify this week.
- He said that the hiring of an "experienced sex crimes prosecutor" to question Ford would turn the hearing into a "circus" in a letter to the Senate Judiciary Chairman. Ford's team has asked that senators conduct the questioning.
- The setup, he said, "does not appear designed to provide Dr. Blasey Ford with fair and respectful treatment."
- "Neither Dr. Blasey Ford nor Judge Kavanaugh is on trial. The goal should be to develop the relevant facts, not try a case," the lawyer wrote.
A lawyer representing Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, said that the plan for Thursday's public hearing risks turning it into a trial and "does not appear designed to provide Dr. Blasey Ford with fair and respectful treatment."
Michael R. Bromwich, a lawyer for Ford, made the comments in a letter to Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, The Hill reported.
Republican Senators reportedly hiring an "experienced sex crimes prosecutor" in a non-criminal proceeding where Ford requested Senators question her personally risks turning the hearing into a "circus" with Ford on trial, Bromwhich said.
Breitbart reported on Monday that Grassley hired an unnamed "female experienced sex-crimes prosecutor" to question Ford.
Republicans have looked to avoid a situation where the party's male senators are seen to aggressively question Ford.
"This is not a criminal trial for which the involvement of an experienced sex crimes prosecutor would be appropriate. Neither Dr. Blasey Ford nor Judge Kavanaugh is on trial. The goal should be to develop the relevant facts, not try a case," Bromwich wrote.
He said to Grassley that the using such a prosecutor is "inconsistent with your stated wish to avoid a 'circus' as well as Dr. Blasey Ford's repeated requests through counsel that senators conduct the questioning."
Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, said on Monday that Republicans were "leaning towards" using an outside counsel to conduct the questioning.
Ford is expected to testify in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, where she will speak about her allegation that Kavanaugh, at a high-school party in the 1980s, pinned her to a bed, groped her, and put his hands over her mouth when she resisted.
Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied the accusation.
Bromwich said that Grassley's staff had not responded "to a number of outstanding questions about the hearing," including what the role will be for the "experienced sex crimes prosecutor" during the hearing.
"Please identify this person and ask your staff to send us her resume immediately. We respectfully request to meet with her tomorrow," he said.
Democrats plan on asking Ford questions themselves.