Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said Tuesday that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is exhibiting “disrespect” for sexual assault survivors by scheduling the vote on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh for Friday, less than 24 hours after one accuser is set to testify.
“Scheduling this hearing even before hearing Dr. Blasey Ford on Thursday, demonstrates exactly the disregard and disrespect for assault survivors that shames and silences so many before they come forward,” Blumenthal told CNN Tuesday evening. “The message is very clear: They are less interested in the truth, in the facts and evidence, than in putting ideological extremists on the court.”
Grassley announced Tuesday that the stalled vote would take place Friday, the day after Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford testifies before the panel. He pointed to committee rules that require a three-day notice in scheduling the vote. “Still taking this 1 step at a time,” he tweeted.
Ford went public last week with allegations that Kavanaugh groped her at a high school gathering 36 years ago. She previously stated that she would not appear before the panel until the FBI fully investigated the accusations, but both Ford and Kavanaugh will testify Thursday.
Democrats have been looking to delay the vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation until after the 2018 midterm elections, in hopes they will be able to block the nomination entirely by winning back a majority in Congress.
Although Blumenthal says that Kavanaugh deserves to have the committee, and later Congress, vote on his confirmation, he questions why the judge has not tried to do more to clear his name of the allegations.
“He deserves to have a vote, if it is concluded he’s telling the truth, if his veracity is established after this hearing,” Blumenthal said. “But even before the hearing, if he really wanted to clear his name, he would demand that the White House order an FBI investigation of these serious, credible allegations.”
[Trump: Democrats destroying Kavanaugh’s character in ‘high level CON GAME’]
