Top Senate Republican berates media for 'bias' covering Kavanaugh scandal
- Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley lashed out at reporters on Thursday, condemning what he called "bias" in the media.
- The Iowa Republican cited an instance in which he said reporters denied interviews to pro-Brett Kavanaugh demonstrators while they focused their attention on protesters opposed to the Supreme Court nominee.
- "Now that's a bias that none of you should be proud of," he said.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley lashed out at reporters during a press conference on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation process on Thursday, condemning what he called "bias" in the media.
The 85-year-old Iowa Republican appeared at the briefing with four other Judiciary Committee Republicans, all of whom defended Kavanaugh and the integrity of the FBI investigation into the sexual misconduct allegations against the judge - a probe that's been widely decried by Democrats as unfairly limited by the White House.
Grassley interrupted a reporter in the middle of a question to lament what he described as a breakdown in collegiality between senators of opposing parties.
"This is almost rock bottom," Grassley said, raising his voice. "I would like to have the future mending things so we can do things in a collegial way like the United States Senate ought to do ... and you folks can have something to do with this."
The senator then went on to argue that political bias in the press is partly responsible for the partisan divide in Congress.
"I would never use the word 'fake news' - I consider you folks policemen for our democratic system of government, but I want to show you where some of you have bias," he said. "I've had demonstrators in my office for two weeks now - both for Kavanaugh and against Kavanaugh. And one time, the people that were for Kavanaugh wanted to be interviewed and they said, 'We're only interested in interviewing people against Kavanaugh.'"
He added, "Now that's a bias that none of you should be proud of."
Grassley has been accused of attempting to silence Kavanaugh's accusers and rush through a vote on the nominee before Sen. Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican, called for an FBI investigation into the allegations last week.