Christine Blasey Ford‘s lawyers announced Tuesday night that their client will not testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee until the FBI investigates her allegations against Brett Kavanaugh.
Ford has accused Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump‘s nominee for the Supreme Court, of sexual assaulting her 36 years ago when the two were teenagers. Kavanaugh denies the allegation.
Her allegation derailed the planned vote to confirm Kavanaugh this Thursday, as another hearing was set up for Monday in the wake of her allegations. Ford was invited by the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify in those hearings but did not respond until Tuesday night.
In a letter sent to Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, Ford’s lawyers rejected the invitation to testify on Monday, arguing that “a full investigation by law enforcement officials will ensure that the crucial facts and witnesses in this matter are assessed in a non-partisan manner, and that the Committee is fully informed before conducting any hearing or making any decisions.”
Watch Anderson Cooper break the news above, via CNN.
UPDATE 8:36 p.m.: Sen. Diane Feinstein responded to the letter by backing Ford’s request to delay the hearing:
Feinstein says hearing must be delayed given Ford attorney’s calls for more FBI investigation. “We should honor Dr. Blasey Ford’s wishes and delay this hearing. A proper investigation must be completed, witnesses interviewed, evidence reviewed and all sides spoken to”
— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) September 19, 2018
UPDATE 8:45 p.m.: Read the full letter here:
Letter obtained by @NBCNews from Dr. Ford’s lawyers to @ChuckGrassley pic.twitter.com/8sD4bYjngt
— Jesse Rodriguez (@JesseRodriguez) September 19, 2018
[image via screengrab]
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