Christine Blasey Ford testified Thursday that Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s, D-Calif., office recommended attorneys to represent her as she accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault.
Ford told the Senate Judiciary Committee that Feinstein’s office recommended the law firm Katz, Marshall & Banks, LLP, before she went public last week with her allegation of an early-’80s assault.
[Click here for complete Kavanaugh coverage]
Two members of the firm Feinstein’s office recommended, Debra Katz and Lisa Banks, represented Ford when she came forward, and in early negotiations about Ford testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
A third attorney, Michael Bromwich, joined Ford’s legal team over the weekend. Bromwich also represents fired FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.
The timing of Feinstein’s office’s recommendation was not clear from Ford’s testimony.
Ford informed Feinstein, the most senior Democrat on the committee, of the alleged assault in July, but requested confidentiality.
Someone told the media about Ford’s claim after Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings were complete, but before the committee voted, throwing his nomination in doubt, and prompting the scheduling of testimony Thursday from both Ford and Kavanaugh.
Republicans accuse Feinstein of improperly concealing Ford’s allegation, and say Democrats essentially laid a trap for Kavanaugh, rather than present the claims early in the confirmation process.
At one point during her committee testimony, Ford appeared surprised that committee chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, had offered to send investigators to take her statement in California. Ford’s fear of flying had been cited by her legal team as a reason a hearing could not be held earlier.
Ford thanked Grassley, and said she did not know that was an option.
Maricopa County, Ariz., sex crimes prosecutor Rachel Mitchell, who represented Republicans in questioning Ford, inquired about how she picked her lawyers, and how they were being paid.
Katz and Bromwich flanked Ford during her testimony. Bromwich, who previously told the Washington Examiner through a spokesperson he was working pro bono, took the microphone to tell senators: “Both her counsel are doing this pro bono. We are not being paid and we have no expectation of being paid.”
Ford claims that Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed and attempted to remove her clothes in Montgomery County, Md., when she was 15 and he 17. He denies the allegation.
