Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to apologize to Christine Blasey Ford for calling the allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh a “smear job.”
Schumer panned McConnell’s comments from Monday, during which he called the actions by Democrats “despicable,” condemned what he said was a “shameful smear campaign” against Kavanaugh, and maintained that Democrats did not bring forth the allegations, let alone for political purposes.
[More: McConnell hammers away at ‘unsubstantiated’ claims against Kavanaugh]
“Whatever you think about the veracity of the allegations, it is shameful – shameful – to doubt these women’s sincerity, to say they’re making it up, to discredit their sincere testimony as nothing more than a partisan hit job,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.
“Leader McConnell owes an apology to Dr. Ford for labeling her allegations a ‘smear job’ … [H]e should apologize to her immediately,” Schumer said. “It is galling, galling for the Republican leader, who has done more than maybe anyone to politicize the Supreme Court nomination process, to make these trumped up, hyperbolic charges of partisanship by Democrats.
“[I]f Leader McConnell was truly concerned about these allegations being swept up in partisanship, he would join me [in] calling for an FBI background investigation – which can be performed quietly, soberly, quickly, effectively, without fuss, without muss, without a circus atmosphere,” Schumer added. “That’s the way to get this done.”
McConnell said Monday that he plans to move forward with a vote on Kavanaugh after Thursday’s hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is set to include Ford and Kavanaugh.
Kavanaugh has denied allegations brought forth by Ford and Deborah Ramirez. He told Fox News in an interview Monday that Ford may have been sexually assaulted by someone, but that it was not him.
