The Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee is setting a deadline for the Ford and her attorney….
We’ll see how this plays….
Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley will hold a committee vote on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court if he cannot work out the details of an appearance before the panel next week by Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault.
The Iowa Republican said if he doesn’t hear back by 10 p.m. on Friday evening or Ford decides not to appear, the committee will vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination on Monday. If he and Ford’s attorney can agree to hear her testimony next week, Grassley will postpone the Monday vote.
“We cannot continue to delay,” Grassley said. He and other Republicans want Ford to appear on Wednesday, though Ford has requested Thursday,
Top committee Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California said she is “shocked and appalled” at Grassley’s hardball tactics.
“Bullying a survivor of attempted rape in order to confirm a nominee — particularly at a time when she’s receiving death threats — is an extreme abuse of power,” she said.
After holding a conference call on Friday morning, the committee’s Republicans accepted some of Ford’s requests, such as allowing one camera in the room, making sure Kavanaugh and Ford aren’t in the same hearing room at the same time and giving Ford breaks during testimony as well as security from the U.S. Capitol Police….
Update….
Brand new letter from Ford’s lawyer: “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… Our modest request is that she be given an additional day to make her decision.”
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image….nypost.com
As expected….
Grassley’s 10:00PM feline has been ignored by Ford….
If she sticks to she WILL testify?
Grassley is gonna have to be more flexible….
This is high stakes game of chicken the old lawmaker is being ran tru….
It will get messier….
Grassley text to Kavanaugh (?) explaining he has to be flexible with Ford….
ChuckGrassley
Verified account
@ChuckGrassley
Kavanaugh I just granted another extension to Dr Ford to decide if she wants to proceed w the statement she made last week to testify to the senate She shld decide so we can move on I want to hear her. I hope u understand. It’s not my normal approach to b indecisive…
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Politico
GOP aide working on Kavanaugh resigns amid past harassment claim
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Breaking
Ford has advised the Senate Judicaty Committee staff that she WILL testify in front of the commmittee…..
Final terms of her appearance have to be worked out…..
Make no mistake?
The ball is in Ford’s hands right now..
My feeling is her going AFTER Kavanaugh will be ultimate aim….
The GOPer’s can actually do the vote in the Senate up to Dec 31….
Update on the GOP speaker working for the Senate Judiciary Committee that has stepped aside….
Link….
I was very surprised to find that I agreed with almost everything said this morning by (of all people) Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) on one of the Sunday morning talk shows (I think Face the Nation on CBS).
On the other hand, Sen. Lindsey Graham (also R-SC) seems to be pedalling furiously to the Trump-believing Southern Right as he pedals their bizarre theory that James Comey’s FBI was colluding with the Democrats and Russia in 2016 to derail Donald Trump’s campaign for President. Long time since he, John McCain & Joe Lieberman were the Three military-veteran Musketeers (with another veteran, N.M. GOP Rep. Heather Wilson, serving sometimes as a d’Artagnan, or Fourth Musketeer).
Yet a third South Carolina Republican, former Gov. & current US Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley, said many things that I agreed with and many that I didn’t.
Perhaps our resident Palmetto State resident might like to comment.
I didn’t see the program so I can’t comment on what was said.
Trey Gowdy surprised everyone by not runnng for reelection.Ironically,the chairmanship of the Benghazi Committee (pretty much regarded as a dud) which many thought would be the entree to a bid for Speaker appears that have been the beginning of Gowdys disillusionment that led to his leaving Congress .There was talk of a federal judicial appointment which might still happen;otherwise ,Trey might opt to make money with a large law firm or prepare for a future statewide race.
Nikki Haley is mentioned as a future presidential candidate and seems content to operate her own shop at the UN while basically ignoring Trumps bluster.Such might serve her well in the post Trump era among establishment Republicans but who can say how strong they will be at that time?In S.C. her only option would likely be to take on Lindsay Graham,yet there is no indication so far that she is planning to do so.
Lindsay Graham is in perpetual “trouble” with S.C. Republicans.In 2014 he received only 56% against seven nobodies and has been “censured” for his alleged”liberalism.”(which does nothing so much as show how extreme S.C. Republicans are.I mean Lindsay Graham ,a “liberal?”) by several county parties.Maybe Gowdy challenges him?Whomever runs against him ,Graham can never be considered “safe” and such likely accounts for his new found affinity for Trump .The SC Republican Party is thoroughly “Trumpized.”