Grassley in focus on Kavanaugh's assault allegation

Congress

Iowa's fiercely Republican legacy is at stake as it sails on both sides of the Supreme Court's nomination chaos.

Senator Chuck Grassley has earned a reputation for decades of whistleblower protection and the government's fight for transparency. Now, he is embarking on the arduous task of investigating an allegation of sexual assault while introducing a Supreme Court candidate who could define it, as well as the GOP, for the coming years.

The 85-year-old Republican of Iowa is trying to convince Christine Blasey Ford to meet with the Senate Judiciary Committee next week and instruct the prosecution to confirm the Court's candidate. Supreme, Brett Kavanaugh. It is a delicate act of juggling that serves as the culmination point of a conservative career in which one fought the alternating democrats and worked with them against the leadership of his party.

History continues below

On Wednesday, Grassley's challenge was to vividly expose the fact that he had sympathized with Ford for facing death threats, which he said was "disturbing" him in a letter to his lawyers. Then, a few paragraphs later in this letter, Grassley served a quick shot: Ford's testimony and biography must be submitted on Friday morning if she intends to show up Monday.

Grassley says he is trying to be fair to Ford by offering to bring a staff member to California to interview him and repeatedly try to contact his lawyers. But his dilemma is the same as that of the rest of his party: be as delicate as possible with a victim of alleged sexual assault while keeping Kavanaugh on the way to the bench.

"I'm focusing right now on everything we can to make sure Dr. Ford is comfortable with this committee, whether it's at a public meeting, in camera or a public meeting. or private. It's four different ways to choose, "Grassley told reporters Wednesday. He said that the hearing would only be "successful" if Ford and Kavanaugh showed up.

Grassley, the famous curious, faces competing imperatives as he goes through one of the most difficult periods of his 43-year political career. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Tries to get Kavanaugh to confirm before the midterm elections, and many Grassley colleagues argue that there should be no delay.

But for Democrats and supporters of the fight against sexual violence, Grassley is too eager for his long history to urge people to talk about wrongdoing. They say that he must stop and evaluate his place in the story before going ahead.

"I sometimes know him to be a real advocate for victims' rights, so I'm surprised he seems to be rushing and preparing for it in a way that we feel is not informed by the trauma," Terri said. Poore, politician. Director of the National Alliance Against Sexual Violence. "Sen. Grassley is a man who cares to do things right. And I think sometimes doing the right thing can go beyond politics. "

Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), a Liberal member of the Judiciary Committee, said Ford had received an "unacceptable treatment" from Grassley: "I'm expecting more."

"I would expect Senator Grassley to be far more impartial and impartial in the way he treats Dr. Ford," Hirono said in an interview. "She just said, here we have an audience on Monday. Take it or leave it. This is not the treatment I was expecting from President Grassley. [It] traumatizes her again. "

Republicans see Grassley, now in his seventh term, as continuing his long history of autonomy and trying to adapt to those with whom he does not agree. He quickly proposed a public hearing with Ford and canceled a vote scheduled for Thursday on the commission to go ahead with Kavanaugh after the California-based professor had made his allegation public.

And there is no one but the GOP would prefer to have a confirmation fight as frenzied as the senior Iowa senator. John Kennedy (R-La.), A member of the Judiciary Committee, said he was a "senatorial rock star" who dealt with protesters, democratic interruptions and difficult political decisions.

"He is very sensitive to the problems of survivors and whistleblowers," said Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), one of six women senators. "We want to address this issue in a fair and balanced way. And I think President Grassley will do an outstanding job. "

Over the past three years, Grassley has at times delighted, but more often than not, confused fellow Democrats. In particular, he prevented Barack Obama's Supreme Court candidate, Merrick Garland, from being heard under McConnell's leadership. He also progressed on the list of lower-level candidates without the acceptance of Democrats, believing that they broke with tradition.

But Grassley may be surprised: he worked with Liberal Senator Cory Booker (DN.J.) – who praised him at Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings for having "Job's patience" – on a bill aimed at to protect special advocate Robert Mueller. And he lined up with Liberal Democrats on a bill to change the way the US deals with military sexual assaults.

What he will do if Ford decides not to show up is the issue of concern to everyone in the Senate. On Wednesday night, Ford's lawyers asked Grassley to allow more witnesses.

"I do not know what President Grassley will do," said Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), an undecided senator. Republicans must vote for Kavanaugh, said on WVOM radio. "The current effort is to convince Professor Ford to introduce herself, which she said she wants to do. And I think it would be better for her to do it.

Grassley is more experienced than most Senators in the allegations of sexual misconduct against a Supreme Court candidate. He is one of three senators still serving on the Judiciary Committee who played a role in Anita Hill's hearings during Clarence Thomas' confirmation to the High Court. And he firmly defended Thomas against the allegations that he felt had not been proven.

"She accused Justice Thomas of sexual harassment and she had to prove the truth of these accusations. Judge Thomas is accused, but he does not need to prove his innocence. And to the extent that none of my colleagues find the situation murky, obscure, and confused, Judge Thomas must have the doubt, "Grassley said in 1991.

But Grassley also took advantage of Anita Hill's hearing experience to develop a law giving Capitol Hill employees a sexual harassment reporting system. He was the lead author of the Congressional Liability Act, 1995, which created the current workplace malpractice monitoring system.

And 27 years old are making a big difference when it comes to Ford versus Hill, say his critics. High-level politicians and businessmen have been ousted as a result of allegations of sexual assault, and Grassley's treatment of Ford's allegations could go a long way in determining how the Republican Party is perceived by women.

"If Grassley wagers the public will ignore Dr. Blasey [Ford] just because she's not going to a simulated hearing, he's completely wrong. Republicans will face a fierce reaction in November that they insist on going ahead to install an alleged sexual aggressor on the ground, "said Brian Fallon, executive director of the anti-terror group. -Kavanaugh, Demand Justice.

Of course, if Ford shows up for Monday's hearing, Grassley will have a different challenge: by controlling what will be the biggest show in Congress for years, a woman will face her accuser just a month before mid-March. session. The atmosphere of Kavanaugh's first round of audiences was pretty chaotic, but Grassley pushed by the noise of the protesters and did not prevent Democratic Dissent from behaving in such a way as to strengthen its support for the GOP.

If Monday's hearing advances, the stakes will be even higher.

"It'll go crazy, I'm sure, if it's like the first confirmation hearing," said John Cornyn, Texas, a prominent member of the judiciary. "But I think he was able to control it and give everyone a fair chance. I am so confident.