The woman who has accused President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee of sexual assault threw into doubt plans for an extraordinary Senate hearing to air her accusations, insisting that the F.B.I. investigate first according to The New York Times.
Speaking through her lawyers, Christine Blasey Ford did not explicitly rule out appearing next Monday before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify along with Brett Kavanaugh. But echoing Senate Democrats, she said an investigation should be “the first step” before she is put “on national television to relive this traumatic and harrowing incident.”
Republicans are unlikely to negotiate an alternative date and could go ahead with the hearing without her or cancel it altogether if Dr. Blasey refuses to appear and move quickly to a vote on Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination. They have repeatedly stressed that Monday would be her opportunity to testify, either privately or publicly, and that they then planned to move forward with the confirmation process. They have also rejected the possibility of an F.B.I. investigation.
Mark Judge, the third person identified by Ford as having been present in the room during what she alleged was a sexual assault by Kavanaugh, wants no part in next week’s Senate Judiciary Committee scheduled proceedings, Roll Call reports.
Said Judge: “I did not ask to be involved in this matter nor did anyone ask me to be involved. In fact, I have no memory of this alleged incident.”