Senate to hold hearing allowing Kavanaugh and his accuser to testify publicly

WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing next Monday during which the woman who accused Supreme Court candidate Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in high school will be able to testify and Kavanaugh will have an opportunity to respond.

"As I said earlier, anyone who comes in as Dr. Ford does deserves to be heard. My staff contacted Dr. Ford to hear his story and they had a follow-up call with Judge Kavanaugh this afternoon, "said Monday evening President Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

"Unfortunately, the Democrats of the commission have refused to join us in this effort, but to ensure sufficient transparency, we will hold a public hearing on Monday to give these recent allegations full dissemination," he added.

Although his statement does not mention the cancellation of the Kavanaugh nomination vote scheduled for Thursday, the scheduled hearing means that the vote is almost certainly postponed.

The White House issued a statement praising the announcement. "Judge Kavanaugh is looking forward to a hearing where he can clarify his name for this false allegation," he added. "He is ready to testify tomorrow if the Senate is ready to hear it."

The announcement comes shortly after President Donald Trump declared that he was ready to accept that the vote on Kavanaugh's appointment would take more time, even though he added that it would not be possible for him to take any more time. was "ridiculous" to ask if Kavanaugh had offered to withdraw.

"If it gets a little late, it will take a bit late," Trump told reporters at the White House, adding, "I think he's on the right track."

Kavanaugh, who denied allegation by Christine Blasey Ford, called on key senators Monday during a visit to the White House for several hours while the fate of his candidacy depended on the reaction of legislators.

Trump said he had not spoken to Kavanaugh, but congratulated the candidate as "one of the great intellects and one of the best people."

"I wish the Democrats could have done that earlier," Trump said of the revelation of the charge, which Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Passed on to the FBI last week. "But all that being said, we want to go through the process."

Earlier in the day, Mr. Kavanaugh indicated that he was ready to testify publicly in response to the allegation.

"It's a completely false allegation. I have never done anything similar to what the accuser describes to her or anyone, "Kavanaugh said in a statement issued by the White House." Because it never happened, I did not know until her.

"I am willing to speak to the Senate Judiciary Committee in the manner that the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation of 36 years ago and defend my integrity."

Kavanaugh was scheduled to hold a Republican conference call at 5:30 pm. AND, according to a White House source familiar with the plan. Democrats said they would not participate. Another White House source said the appeal did not preclude a future committee hearing centered on Ford's allegations – but that it did not guarantee either.

At the hearing announced next Monday, the Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell, of the R-Ky., Publicly took a position Monday afternoon in the Senate on the latest allegations, in which he denounced the mismanagement of the information by the Democrats. he advances to the "eleventh hour", 70 days after the appointment of the president by Kavanaugh.

"In the Senate and throughout the country, almost everyone who started the process with an open mind was impressed," he said. "But now, this 36-year-old misconduct charge going back to high school was improperly presented at the last minute."

McConnell did not say at that time whether he would like to hear the testimony of Ford and Kavanaugh on the alleged assault and he did not say whether he would like the Judiciary Committee to postpone its vote on Thursday on the appointment of Kavanaugh . He only said that he was "pleased" that Grassley followed the usual practice and regular order in holding background calls.

Subsequently, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., criticized McConnell in the Senate for his "ruthlessness" in not supporting the slowing down of the process after postponing Merrick Garland's appointment to the Supreme Court . .

"For too long, women have made serious allegations of abuse and have been ignored or dragged into the mud," Schumer said, adding that Grassley should provide Ford with the Americans' forum to hear his story. of? Are they afraid that she could be persuasive? "

Senator Orrin Hatch of R-Utah told NBC News outside his Capitol Hill office on Monday that Ford was "mixed" and called Kavanaugh "honest" and "simple". The senator's assistant stated that Hatch had just spoken by phone to Kavanaugh, who had denied even attending the party in question.

A White House official told NBC News that Kavanaugh claimed he was not at the party in question.

Kavanaugh arrived at the White House just after 10am Monday morning and was still there from the beginning of the afternoon. A source close to the process told NBC News that White House lawyer Don McGahn wanted Kavanaugh to fight, suggesting he would not withdraw his appointment.

Ford's 51-year-old lawyer said in a NBC "Today" interview that Ford was ready to testify publicly about the experience.

Ford is "willing to do all that is necessary," said his lawyer, Debra Katz. Ford revealed its identity in an article published online Sunday in the Washington Post.

Katz added that her client believes that Kavanaugh's actions were an "attempted rape" and that she is willing to testify publicly.

"She thinks that if it was severe intoxication of Brett Kavanaugh, she would have been raped," Katz said on "Today."

The Senate Judiciary Committee was scheduled to vote on Kavanaugh's appointment on Thursday, but Democrats called for a postponement pending an investigation into the allegations. Two Senate Republicans, Jeff Flake (Arizona) and Bob Corker (Tennessee), also called for a break, saying they would like to hear Ford.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, considered an advance vote on Kavanaugh, said in a tweet on Monday that Ford and Kavanaugh were required to testify under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Collins, who is not a member of this committee, spoke to Kavanaugh by phone on Friday about allegations for an hour, she told reporters Monday afternoon.

Asked by reporters if she believes that Ford, Collins said, "I do not know enough about Dr. Ford and his claims to come to this kind of judgment."

But she added, "Of course, if Judge Kavanaugh lied about what happened, it would be disqualifying."

Senator Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Who is not a member of the committee, told WTMJ radio in Milwaukee on Monday that "this woman is ready to come forward and tell her story". Hear about her and Kavanaugh.

Several Democrats in the Red State, facing tight re-elections, who were seen as potential votes for Kavanaugh, said Monday they wanted the allegations to be thoroughly investigated.

Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota said in a statement released on Twitter on Monday that Ford's claim was "serious".

"Ford should have the opportunity to testify before the Committee and is willing to do so, and Judge Kavanaugh has also expressed his willingness to discuss the matter with the Committee," said Heitkamp. "It takes courage for any woman to talk about the sexual assault and we must respect Professor Ford by listening to him and listening to his story."

Senator Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. Echoed Heitkamp. "I am deeply troubled by these allegations," she said in a brief statement. "They should be thoroughly and fairly examined by the Judiciary Committee without artificial delay."

The goal of the GOP leaders is to confirm Kananaugh before the start of the new Supreme Court mandate in October. And they are pressed for time this week because the Great Jewish Day of Yom Kippur means that the Senate will come out on Wednesday.

In a letter to Grassley on Monday morning, the 10 Democrats on the panel demanded he postpone Thursday's vote on Kavanaugh's appointment in light of the new allegations.

"All senators, regardless of party, should insist that the FBI exercise due diligence and fully investigate the allegations as part of its examination of Justice Kavanaugh's background," they wrote. "The review of these allegations at the personnel level should not take place until the FBI career professionals with the necessary investigative expertise have completed their examination."

A group of Senate Democrats, who are already opposing Kavanaugh, has also filed a lawsuit in the hope of forcing the National Archives and the CIA to hand over Kavanaugh's documents.

Most Republicans have not weighed since the story went public last week.

The conservative Judicial Crisis Network, which aired commercials in support of Kavanaugh, announced Monday that it will announce a new $ 1.5 million television and television blitz, featuring a Kavanaugh's friend, 35 years old.

"We will not allow a last-minute defamation campaign to destroy a good and decent man who has a clean personal record," said a spokesman for the Judicial Crisis Network.

In the history of the post office, Ford alleged that Kavanaugh and another drunk person "took her to a room at a teenagers' rally" in the Maryland suburbs in the early 1980s. thought it could kill me inadvertently, "she said about Kavanaugh. "He was trying to attack me and take off my clothes."

Schumer said Sunday that he would like to see the investigation by the FBI. Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., A prominent member of the Judiciary panel, said last week that she had sent Ford's information about Kavanaugh back to the FBI.