Brett Kavanaugh accuser ready to testify to Senate over sexual assault allegation
Supreme Court nominee has denied the incident took place
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Your support makes all the difference.A woman is ready to testify before the Senate over an allegation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her.
Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology professor, says she was attacked when they were both teenagers.
She still expects to negotiate the terms of her testimony, but met a deadline to commit to it that had been set for Saturday afternoon. She is expected to testify next week.
Just before the deadline, Debra Katz, the lawyer representing Dr Blasey Ford, sent an email to the Judiciary Committee restating that her client is willing to testify before them. The lawyer indicated that she and her client planned on negotiating the conditions of the testimony further.
“We are disappointed by the leaks and bullying that have tainted this process,” the letter said.
“The imposition of aggressive and artificial deadlines regarding the date and conditions of any hearing has created tremendous and unwarranted anxiety and stress on Dr Blasey Ford,” Ms Katz wrote. “Your cavalier treatment of a sexual assault survivor who has been doing her best to cooperate with the committee is completely inappropriate.”
Since coming forward with her accusation against Mr Kavanaugh – which he denies – Dr Blasey Ford has reportedly received death threats that have forced her to go into hiding.
The accusations have resulted in one of the most contentious Supreme Court nomination processes in decades, and has thrown Mr Kavanaugh’s chances of making it onto the nation’s highest court into jeopardy.
Dr Blasey Ford has said that Mr Kavanaugh attempted to rape her during a house party in high school. At that party, Dr Blasey Ford said that Mr Kavanaugh forced her into a room and drunkenly attempted to initiate sex with her. When she went to scream, Dr Blasey Ford said that Mr Kavanaugh put his hand over her mouth.
The incident ended when a third person in the room toppled into them, and she was able to escape, it is claimed.