Sen. Dianne Feinstein is facing fresh criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike as the controversy surrounding Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh — and her handling of the sexual assault allegations against him — reaches a fever pitch.
Republicans attacked the California Democrat for holding onto a letter detailing sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh by professor Christine Blasey Ford. And Democrats, led by Feinstein’s progressive challenger in her reelection bid, questioned the senator’s handling of the allegations.
Feinstein received a letter from Ford in July but did not share it with others on the Senate Judiciary Committee, in large part because Ford did not want her identity disclosed.
“What we have here is a failure of leadership,” said Kevin de Leon, the Democrat running against Feinstein. “The American people deserve to know why the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee waited nearly three months to hand this disqualifying document over to the federal authorities, and why Sen. Feinstein politely pantomimed her way through last week’s hearing without a single question about the content of Kavanaugh’s character.”
Feinstein has defended her actions, and ultimately referred the allegation to the FBI. Senate Democrats are now calling on the FBI to investigate the alleged assault, which Ford says occurred when she and Kavanaugh went to neighboring high schools in the 1980s. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.
Rep. Ro Khanna, a fellow California Democrat who has endorsed de Leon, said, “I wish Feinstein had released the letter earlier.”
“That said, I think the important issue now is to make sure there is an investigation and Dr. Ford is heard in a way and forum where she feels respected,” Khanna said. “I appreciate Sen. Feinstein’s efforts to make sure that happens.”
One member of the Los Angeles County Democratic Central Committee said the frustrations with Feinstein in her home state aren’t about her withholding the letter.
What disturbs some California Democratic party members is Feinstein’s recent comments doubting the truth of Ford’s account and Feinstein’s apologies to Republicans for protesters during Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings.
“There is definitely a sense that she puts maintaining the norms of the Senate ahead of actually representing Californians and that can’t be the case anymore,” the party member said.
Feinstein punched back at her critics Wednesday, saying others “may not respect women and the wishes of victims, but I do.” She also clarified that she’s “found every single piece of information from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford eminently credible, sincere and believable.”
President Trump, Dr. Blasey Ford did not want her story of sexual assault to be public. She requested confidentiality and I honored that. It wasn’t until the media outed her that she decided to come forward. You may not respect women and the wishes of victims, but I do.
— Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) September 19, 2018
