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Ford's lawyer: Hearing doesn't appear to be designed for 'fair', 'respectful' treatment
The Hill ^ | 09/24/18 | Jordain Carney

Posted on 09/24/2018 8:01:06 PM PDT by yesthatjallen

A lawyer for Christina Blasey Ford—the woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault—raised concerns on Monday about the setup for a public hearing where Ford will testify later this week.

Michael R. Bromwich, a lawyer for Ford, said in a letter to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, that the plan for Thursday's public hearing "does not appear designed to provide Dr. Blasey Ford with fair and respectful treatment."

The letter casts some doubt on the deal Ford's team made with Senate Judiciary leaders to appear at a hearing on Thursday.

Bromwich in the letter pointed to the hiring of "an unnamed 'experienced sex crimes prosecutor,'" warning it could help turn the Judiciary Committee hearing into a "circus."

"[It] is contrary to the Majority's repeated emphasis on the need for the Senate and this Committee's members to fulfill their constitutional obligations. It is also inconsistent with your stated wish to avoid a “circus,” as well as Dr. Blasey Ford’s repeated requests through counsel that senators conduct the questioning," Bromwich wrote.

"This is not a criminal trial for which the involvement of an experienced sex crimes prosecutor would be appropriate. Neither Dr. Blasey Ford nor Judge Kavanaugh is on trial. The goal should be to develop the relevant facts, not try a case," he continued.

He added that there was "no precedent" for the Judiciary Committee to use an outside counsel "for the sole purpose of shielding the members" from asking a witness questions when they are testifying before the committee.

Bromwich added that Grassley's staff hasn't responded "to a number of outstanding questions about the hearing," including what the role will be for the "experienced sex crimes prosecutor" during the hearing.

"Please identify this person and ask your staff to send us her resume immediately. We respectfully request to meet with her tomorrow," he added.

Republican senators have been mulling bringing in an outside counsel, potentially a woman, to question Ford and Kavanaugh during Thursday's hearing.

GOP Sen. John Cornyn (Texas) said on Monday after a meeting with Judiciary Committee Republican members that they were "leaning toward" using an outside counsel.

"I think we're leaning toward having a staff lawyer, an outside lawyer do it on our side for continuity ... rather than having 11 people for five minutes each," he told reporters.

But Ford's legal team has raised concerns during negotiations with Grassley's staff that using an outside lawyer would make the hearing too much like a trial. Democrats have said they are going to ask their own questions.

Bromwich in the letter also took aim at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who argued during a Senate floor speech that Democrats were using Ford's allegations against Kavanaugh as part of a "smear campaign."

"The Majority Leader dismissed Dr. Ford’s experience as a 'smear campaign,' claiming mistakenly that the witnesses’ statements to the Committee constitute 'a complete lack of evidence,' implying that there has been a thorough investigation," he said in the letter to Grassley.

McConnell during his Senate floor speech accused Democrats of running a "choreographed smear campaign that ignored Dr. Ford's request for confidentiality" in an attempt to hurt Kavanaugh's nomination.

"This is an allegation of misconduct which all four supposed witnesses either flatly contradict or are unable to back up. In addition to Judge Kavanaugh, the other three supposed witnesses have said they have -- quote -- ‘no knowledge,’ ‘no recollection,’ and ‘no memory’ of the alleged incident," McConnell said.

Bromwich's letter comes after Grassley sent his own letter to Ford on Monday saying both she and Kavanaugh "deserve a credible and fair process."

"I'm writing to say that I am committed to fair and respectful treatment of you, as you've requested. I've worked to make certain the committee I chair handles all individuals involved in hearings in that manner, and you deserve the same," Grassley said.


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abortion; brettkavanaugh; california; calstatefullerton; christineblaseyford; deborahramirez; ford; janemayer; kavanaugh; lyinglimolib; maga; michaelavenetti; michaelcohen; ronanfarrow; scotus; seebreakingnews; stephanieclifford; stormydaniels; thenewyorker
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To: yesthatjallen

How do they do it? How do they find ways to twist everything around - and lie, lir, lie? It truly is an art form, and not in a good way.


61 posted on 09/25/2018 3:38:30 AM PDT by MayflowerMadam (Have an A-1 day.)
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To: CaliforniaCraftBeer

Ew. She looks like she should be in a TV commercial — the “before” picture for some skin or makeup product. I think they’re buying time so she can get a makeover. A lot of time is necessary.


62 posted on 09/25/2018 3:43:15 AM PDT by MayflowerMadam (Have an A-1 day.)
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To: Parley Baer
"What are Flake and Collins going to do?"

Whatever he can avoid prosecution and jail when he's out of the office the voters laughed him out of.

63 posted on 09/25/2018 5:29:08 AM PDT by Caipirabob (Communists...Socialists...Fascists & AntiFa...Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: yesthatjallen
Her own lawyers are treating her as if she were the accused.
64 posted on 09/25/2018 5:35:25 AM PDT by Know et al ( Keep on Freepin'!!!)
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To: yesthatjallen

Since when do lying wh*res deserve ‘fair’, ‘respectful’ treatment? Not being stoned upon entry is as ‘respectful’ as she deserves.


65 posted on 09/25/2018 6:18:30 AM PDT by bigredkitty1 (Stupidity kills. Just not often enough.)
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To: MayflowerMadam

She has that typical unwashed greasy unkempt look of lefty activist loons females.


66 posted on 09/25/2018 6:25:10 AM PDT by dforest (Never let a Muslim cut your hair.)
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To: yesthatjallen

I have believed and stated so on numerous occasions on the Web that Christine Ford will not show up this coming Thursday to testify under sworn oath relative to her accusation of sexual abuse & attack by Judge, Brett Kavanaugh.

Why? Something is seriously fishy here. When a blockbuster item like this surfaces and goes on day after day, the media always makes sure that there are mega stories and tons of photos of all concerned. Not so, with Ms. Ford. There are not but a few outdated photos of this woman and no one in the Media has made an issue out of it. Is she photo shy?

My personal belief is this woman is unbalanced, declaring that she was going to move to New Zealand if Judge, Brett Kavanaugh was nominated to become an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Shucks, she does not fly..so she tells us. Now...she cannot drive a car or walk to New Zealand...so she must go by ship, a very long boring trip.

She also went to school in Hawaii which is some 2,000 miles away from the USA west coastline located in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean. Did she drive, walk or take a ship to get there and back?

Actually I really hope she shows up...I gotta see this act go forward. One more note. Senator Grassley grow a backbone and an spine...you need them both very badly!!!


67 posted on 09/25/2018 7:08:41 AM PDT by JLAGRAYFOX (Defeat both the Republican (e) & Democrat (e) political parties....Forever!!!)
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To: ak267

Well said.


68 posted on 09/25/2018 7:43:53 AM PDT by model B (attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference -- Sir Winston Churchill)
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To: Trump Girl Kit Cat

The power has always been in the hands of rank-and-file Republican voters who vote in primaries to choose conservative candidates.


69 posted on 09/25/2018 8:05:21 AM PDT by The Fop (God Bless Donald Trump, Frank Sinatra, Joan Rivers, and the Fightin' Rat Pack Wing of the GOP)
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To: irishjuggler
Lookie here. Boom!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic https://twitter.com/OnlyCyrusReport/status/1044607574681759744

70 posted on 09/25/2018 9:38:03 AM PDT by LiveFreeOrDie2001 (Good-Bye Deep State.)
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