President Trump on Friday blamed Democrats for delaying the release of information they had about sexual assault accusations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, and called for a quick vote.
“Senator Feinstein and the Democrats held the letter for months, only to release it with a bang after the hearings were OVER,” Trump said in a tweet Friday, claiming the letter was kept private “very purposefully to Obstruct & Resist & Delay.”
“Let [Ford] testify, or not, and TAKE THE VOTE!” he added.
[Related: Trump on Kavanaugh confirmation: ‘I don’t think you can delay it any longer’]
Senator Feinstein and the Democrats held the letter for months, only to release it with a bang after the hearings were OVER – done very purposefully to Obstruct & Resist & Delay. Let her testify, or not, and TAKE THE VOTE!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018
The president’s demand followed a pair of tweets in which questioned why Christine Blasey Ford, who claims she was attacked by Kavanaugh when they were both teenagers attending Georgetown Preparatory School in Maryland, did not “immediately” report the alleged incident to law enforcement at the time.
Ford requested anonymity earlier this summer when she sent a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the ranking member on the Judiciary Committee, describing the alleged assault. She later came forward in a Washington Post story that indicated the letter was received by Feinstein’s office in July and wasn’t shared in full with colleagues on the Senate panel until after Kavanaugh concluded his confirmation hearing.
Trump’s latest comments about the controversy surrounding his Supreme Court nominee came as a surprise on Friday, and after he had received praise from Republicans earlier in the week for his measured reaction to the situation.
Kavanaugh, who has repeatedly denied Ford’s allegation, said this week he is eager to testify about the events in question so he can “clear” his name and move forward. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is working with Ford and her attorney to determine if she will appear next week in a private or open hearing.
