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Senator Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, at a confirmation hearing of the Judiciary Committee of the Senate, November 15, 2017. Credit: Diego M. Radzinschi / ALM
The Republicans of the US Senate were apparently She decided to hire an outside attorney to handle the interrogation of Christine Blasey Ford during a still uncertain public hearing where she would claim that the Supreme Court's candidate, Brett Kavanaugh. , had sexually assaulted him decades ago in high school.
Ford's lawyer, Debra Katz, of Katz Marshall & Banks in Washington, said Thursday that Justice President Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, was ready to testify next week, but under certain conditions and with confidence. according to reports. Katz did not repeat a request, made earlier this weekthat the committee first ask the FBI to investigate its allegations before a hearing takes place.
Kavanaugh, who denied the allegations of aggression, spends his days this week preparing for the hearing with the help of White House officials and former employees, according to a Senate advisor.
"Since I heard this allegation for the first time, I have categorically and unequivocally. I remain committed to upholding my integrity, "Kavanaugh said in a letter to Grassley on Thursday.
Ford worked with Ricki Seidman, communications expert and political strategist, according to reporting. Seidman is a former associate of the late Senator Ted Kennedy, who played a key role in Anita Hill's 1991 testimony against Clarence Thomas at the Supreme Court's confirmation hearing. Seidman also contributed to Supreme Court confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor.
Congressional law teams work long hours, negotiating the contours of confrontation.
Almost immediately after the announcement of Kavanaugh's appointment in July, Grassley Appeals to a team of specialized lawyers and legal assistants overseeing the appointment, lawyers reviewing documents and working on other legal issues, according to the Senate assistant.
Mike Davis, Chief Counsel for Senate Judiciary Committee Appointments. Credit: Diego M. Radzinschi / ALM
A senior Grassley advisor – Mike Davis, lead counsel to the nominating committee and a Former Clerk of Judge Neil Gorsuch– been criticized on a tweet those who seemed to assert that the Republicans were "imperturbable and determined" to confirm Kavanaugh. Davis later deleted the tweet, saying he had referred to "partisan attacks by Democrats and their refusal to participate in a thorough and fair investigation".
This summer, Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, the Democratic Judiciary Committee, hired Marc Hearron to Morrison & Foerster to be his chief counsel on appointments. Last year, Feinstein appointed Jennifer Duck to head the Democratic Judiciary Committee. Duck was Feinstein's chief of staff since 2013, when she left Pfizer Inc. Duck was vice president of government relations and chief executive officer of the drug manufacturer.
Democratic and Republican senators continued on Thursday in the press and on social media to question whether the FBI should first investigate Ford's allegations before any public testimony and whether to call other witnesses.
At a press conference on Thursday, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, said Ford should not testify without the FBI first investigating its claims that Kavanaugh had tried it while they were both teenagers. Gillibrand noted that the FBI had investigated Hill Hill's allegations of sexual harassment before testifying at Thomas's confirmation hearing.
Jeffrey Peck, former Senior Advocate and Director of Personnel of the Senate Judiciary Committee at the Thomas Hill Hearings in 1991, stated that there had been no debate during these proceedings as to whether the FBI would investigate. "Everyone agreed that the FBI should investigate Professor Hill's allegations, which is obviously a stark contrast to today," Peck said in an interview Thursday.
The most difficult issues, he said, were the witnesses who would testify, how many and in what order.
Peck recalled the hearings of Thomas Hill as a "chaotic" period.
"It's difficult for members, difficult for staff, for the accused and for the accused, and things are generally more compressed than you'd like," said Peck, now a lobbyist at Washington's Peck Madigan Jones.
Dennis Burke, a lawyer at Ballard Spahr in Phoenix, was a majority lawyer at the Thomas Hill hearings. He described these audiences as "surrealist so far". The committee, Burke said, was in "unknown territory" and no one had a complete idea of what was going to happen. There was no process or procedure for managing such a scenario. "
Senate committees are set up to hear bills and propose amendments and compromises on legislation, Burke said. "This is not a compromise process. It is: "Are we going to vote this person or not?"
Burke described the process as "extremely tense and confusing". He continued, "You have to recruit Democratic and Republican staff in the room, which is in the room and what questions to ask? What do we do with what comes out of the interview? Does the person testify? Who will be on the panel of the person? The other party says, "If this person is on your panel, we want him on our panel."
Peck said the committee should have rules put in place – rules that neither party can change – for any future situation. "There should be an agreement when something like this happens, the FBI reopens the investigation and there is no fixed deadline, but a reasonable time to investigate and the role of the staff in the 39, investigation, "he said.
"On the one hand, it's chaotic and a lot of work," said Peck. "On the other hand, it's not something you let go of and do nothing."
Read more:
Prepare for a Supreme Court at 8 Justice, While Kavanaugh's Controversy Persists
Everyone in the Kavanaugh controversy is up to it
Kavanaugh, in the middle of a sexual assault complaint, reportedly hired Beth Wilkinson
Female employees stand by Kavanaugh despite allegation of assault
Lawyers who guided Anita Hill offered advice to Kavanaugh's accuser
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