Senate Republicans Monday said new claims won’t stop the Judiciary Committee from proceeding with a planned hearing to air a decades old attempted sexual assault allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, and a vote on the nominee as early as Friday.
The GOP also will likely dodge the imagery of the Judiciary Committee’s all male panel interviewing accuser Christine Blasey Ford at Thursday’s hearing. They are likely to use an outside lawyer or a staff lawyer to question her about allegations he forced her onto a bed, covered her mouth, and attempted to sexually assault her at a high school party 36 years ago, Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, told reporters.
“We are leaning toward having a staff lawyer, an outside lawyer, do it from our side for continuity,” Cornyn said, “rather than have 11 people ask questions for five minutes each.”
He added, “I don’t know what the Democrats will decide to do.”
Republicans are also attempting to set up a way to interview a new accuser who made a claim against Kavanaugh in a Sunday New Yorker story and Cornyn said it could end up being aired at a public hearing.
Senate GOP and Democratic committee lawyers are in contact with a lawyer for Deborah Ramirez, a Yale classmate who says Kavanaugh flashed his penis at her while they attended an alcohol soaked party as freshman.
Staff lawyers are seeking to interview Ramirez and present to the committee their findings. Committee members would then decide how to handle the accusation.
“Then a discussion ensues as to what sort of process is appropriate,” Cornyn, a member of the panel, told the Washington Examiner. “Whether it’s a public hearing or not.”
Cornyn, like other Republicans, pointed to gaps in the Ramirez story, noting that “she’s not even sure she got the right guy.”
Cornyn added, “I’m not sure whether that warrants a public hearing or not.”
The New Yorker accusation could not be confirmed by first-hand witnesses.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., earlier Monday said Kavanaugh will get a Senate floor vote in the near future, suggesting he’ll override a negative Judiciary Committee vote.
Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., is undecided, leaving open the possibility the panel will end in a 10-10 tie vote.
The Judiciary panel huddled for a couple of hours Monday afternoon in McConnell’s leadership office near the Senate chamber.
Few lawmakers would say what details were hashed out.
“We are moving on with the hearing,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a panel member, said as he left McConnell’s office.
