Kavanaugh accuser accepts Senate Judiciary Committee’s request to testify

Christine Blasey Ford has accepted the Senate Judiciary Committee’s request to testify next week on Ford’s allegation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in high school, Ford’s attorneys told Senate Republicans on Saturday afternoon in an email obtained by POLITICO. Ford’s lawyers indicated they have yet to reach an agreement with the committee on the specifics and asked to continue negotiations about the details of her appearance on Saturday afternoon. Senate Republicans have offered testimony on Wednesday, while Ford has pushed for Thursday. “Dr. Ford accepts the Committee's request to provide her first-hand knowledge of Brett Kavanaugh's sexual misconduct next week,” wrote Debra Katz and Lisa Banks, Ford’s attorneys. “We are hopeful that we can reach agreement on details.” Ford's legal team also now includes Michael Bromwich, according to a spokeswoman for his firm, The Bromwich Group. He is a former federal prosecutor, inspector general for the Department of Justice and is also working on the legal team for Andrew McCabe, a former deputy director of the FBI who has feuded with President Donald Trump. Ford's agreement to appear before the committee marks the most significant outcome of the high-stakes negotiations between the committee's Republicans and Ford's lawyers. But the two parties are still far apart on what day the hearing will take place and other details, and Republicans questioned whether Ford and her attorneys were merely orchestrating further hindrances to Kavanaugh's confirmation. "Our view of this latest response from Ford through her attorney is still ambiguous. She says she's willing to testify but she says she still wants negotiations," a senior White House official said. "Until there's actually an agreement, there isn't. It could be a another delay tactic." Kavanaugh is willing to testify any day of the week and is not advocating for certain conditions, a Republican senator said. But Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ford's attorneys are still wrangling over critical details. On Friday, the two parties agreed to limit the number of cameras in the hearing room, ensure Ford and Kavanaugh are not in the same room together, offer Ford breaks in her testimony and offer her security from the U.S. Capitol Police. Ford has faced death threats since coming forward and accusing Kavanaugh publicly of groping and forcing himself on her more than 30 years ago. source: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/22/kavanaugh-accuser-accepts-senate-judiciary-committees-request-to-testify-836452 #Headlines by: eschor@politico.com (Elana Schor)

Original Post: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/22/kavanaugh-accuser-accepts-senate-judiciary-committees-request-to-testify-836452