On Thursday, Christine Blasey Ford will be testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding her accusations that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in the early 1980s.
CNBC reported that the decision was announced Sunday after a tense discussion between her lawyers and Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley.
Grassley warned Ford’s lawyers to either respond to the committee’s offer of a Wednesday hearing or the panel would vote Monday on Kavanaugh’s nomination.
“We made important progress on our call this morning with Senate Judiciary Committee staff members,” Ford’s legal team announced on Sunday afternoon. “We committed to moving forward with an open hearing on Thursday, Sept. 27 at 10 am. Despite actual threats to her safety and her life, Dr. Ford believes it is important for senators to hear directly from her about the sexual assault committed against her.”
Ford’s lawyers countered shortly before the 10 p.m. deadline Friday—which they called “arbitrary” and “aggressive”—saying that Ford wanted another day to consider testifying.
“The 10:00 p.m. deadline is arbitrary. Its sole purpose is to bully Dr. Ford and deprive her of the ability to make a considered decision that has life-altering implications for her and her family,” said Debra Katz, Ford’s lawyer.
Grassley ultimately agreed to extend the deadline to Saturday, saying in a late-night tweet that Ford should “decide so we can move on.” He added, “I want to hear her.”
Ford’s legal team said they are disappointed the committee will not subpoena other witnesses for Thursday’s hearing.
“A number of important procedural and logistical issues remain unresolved, although they will not impede the hearing taking place,” according to attorneys Katz, Lisa J. Banks, and Michael R. Bromwich.
“Among those issues is who on the Majority side will be asking the questions, whether senators or staff attorneys. We were told no decision has been made on this important issue, even though various senators have been dismissive of her account and should have to shoulder their responsibility to ask her questions. Nor were we told when we would have that answer or answers to the other unresolved issues. We look forward to hearing back from the Majority staff as soon as possible on these important matters.”
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump on Friday shifted his response to Kavanaugh’s accuser and appeared to cast doubt on her allegation.
“I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!” Trump said in a string of tweets.
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