The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing involving Brett Kavanaugh and accuser Christine Blasey Ford has just begun. Chairman Chuck Grassley spoke first, giving an overview of the allegations, and how Democrats have done everything they could to delay Ford’s testimony until today.
After Grassley spoke, Dianne Feinstein took the mic to try to present her narrative, and defend herself against the (true) allegations that she withheld Ford’s letter alleging sexual assault from the Senate until weeks ago. If the goal was to get to the truth of such allegations, you’d think its something Democrats would’ve led with when Feinstein learned of the alleged assault in July. Of course, if the allegations were true and derailed Kavanaugh’s confirmation, Republicans would just put forward another nominee. The reason Democrats are trying to delay anything relating to examining these allegations is a desperate attempt to push back a SCOTUS vote until past the midterms (in which Democrats will hope to pick up some seats).
During her opening testimony, Feinstein tried to suggest otherwise, claiming that she held the letter accusing Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct in confidence at the request of Ford. “She wanted this held confidential, and I held it confidential up to a point the witness was willing to come forward…How women are treated in the U.S. with this kind of concern is really wanting a lot of reform.”
But here’s the thing: it’s one of Feinstein’s staffers that made the letter public in the first place. Feinstein staffer Heather Sawyer leaked Ford’s letter to the media in violation of Senate Rule 29(5).
They didn’t inform Grassley of the Ford letter, either. Instead, according to multiple sources familiar with Judiciary’s Kavanaugh investigation, Feinstein staffer Heather Sawyer leaked Ford’s letter to the media in violation of Senate Rule 29(5). https://t.co/rPRgHVa2wZ
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) September 24, 2018
I guess Feinstein’s staff didn’t get the memo…. or maybe Feinstein is just lying.
I’d say the latter is probably the case, given that if Feinstein really cared about Ford’s allegations, she could’ve forwarded them over to the FBI when she received them. Democrats are demanding an FBI investigation now, so if they really wanted one, why wouldn’t the have tried to get on back in July?
Turning Ford’s claims to the FBI for an investigation would’ve kept them confidential, so there’s no reason not to have done so months ago by Feinstein’s reasoning.
If @SenFeinstein had turned Dr. ford’s letter over to the Judiciary Committee when she received it, the FBI would have investigated as part of background check in confidence. That Ford’s confidentiality was breached is on Feinstein and the Democrats. #KavanaughConfirmation
— Susan Fillippeli (@Fillise) September 27, 2018
Dianne Feinstein claims that she held the letter in confidence until Ford said she was ready to come forward. Her colleague, Sen. Coons, says her confidentiality was not lifted when the letter was publicly released to the FBI https://t.co/6uuYWLqamY
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) September 27, 2018
The circus is off to the start you’d expect. Let’s stay tuned and see what Feinstein and other Democrats lie about next!
