US Senate committee postpones hearing on Kavanaugh assault case
A key US Senate committee has postponed its hearing on sexual assault allegation against President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh after his accuser Christine Blasey Ford declined the committee's request to testify before it. Ford had alleged that Kavanaugh had pinned her to a bed and tried undressing her in the early 1980s. Kavanaugh, however, denied it terming it as "completely false".
Next hearing scheduled on Monday
Senator Chuck Grassley, who heads the Senate Judiciary Committee, said yesterday that both Kavanaugh and Ford had been invited for the hearing scheduled to take place on Monday. While Kavanaugh had agreed to testify, Ford, a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University, declined.
Grassley had asked Ford to respond
Grassley had asked 51-year-old Ford to respond to the request by 10 pm Friday in the absence of which the Committee would vote on the nomination of Judge Kavanaugh. "In the event that we can come to a reasonable resolution as I've been seeking all week, then I'll postpone the committee vote to accommodate her testimony. We cannot continue to delay," he stated sternly.
Have been 'extremely accommodating' to Ford: Judiciary Committee
Soon, thereafter, Grassley, a top Republican Senator, issued a notice of a committee executive business meeting, at which the committee can vote on the nomination of Kavanaugh to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. The Senate Judiciary Committee also gave a letter to Ford's lawyers, where it said that it had been "extremely accommodating" to her.
Outside counsel may not dictate how we would operate: Committee
"We want to hear Dr. Ford's testimony and are prepared to accommodate many of your demands, including further delaying a hearing that is currently scheduled for Monday. (However), We're unwilling to accommodate your unreasonable demands. Outside counsel may not dictate the terms under which Committee business will be conducted," the letter said. This comes after Ford demanded that Kavanaugh should testify first.
Accused individual is entitled to a presumption of innocence: Committee
"You (Ford) demanded that Judge Kavanaugh be the first person to testify. Accommodating this demand would be an affront to fundamental notions of due process. In the United States, an individual accused of a crime is entitled to a presumption of innocence," the committee said.
Ford's lawyer asked for an extra day to decide
"Further, the accused has the right to respond to allegations against him. Judge Kavanaugh cannot be expected to respond to allegations that have been made to the press. He's entitled to hear full, detailed testimony of Dr. Ford before he testifies," the letter said. Media reports suggest that Ford's lawyer asked late Friday for an extra day to decide if she'll testify next week.
Take lessons from Anita Hill hearings: Committee's Democratic members
Earlier, all the Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee urged Grassley to learn from mistakes made during the Anita Hill hearings and outlined steps to ensure a fair trial. Anita had in 1991 alleged that Clarence Thomas, a nominee to the SC, had sexually assaulted her. The questions and remarks made during the hearings are viewed as a low point for the Senate.
Trump continues to support Kavanaugh's nomination
Meanwhile, President Trump continues to support the nomination of Kavanaugh. While questioning the credibility of Ford, Trump contended that if the alleged attack was so bad then she would have reported it to the law enforcement when the incident happened 36 years ago. He also questioned the motives of the Democrats in raising this issue. Notably, Republicans hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate.
