A spokesperson for Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) asserted that some of the remaining conditions to be determined for Thursday’s hearing are “non-negotiable.”
Lawyers for Christine Blasey Ford announced earlier Sunday that she was committed to appearing in an open hearing of the committee to testify about her allegations of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
But the statement from Blasey Ford’s team noted committee Republicans’ refusal to invite other alleged witnesses of the assault to give testimony, and said it was “unresolved” whether “senators or staff attorneys” for the majority would be asking questions at the hearing.
The chairman’s spokesperson appeared to respond to that point Sunday, writing: “I have noted the issues that you raised on the call. But again, as with any witness who comes before the Senate, the Senate Judiciary Committee cannot hand over its constitutional duties to attorneys for outside witnesses.”
“The Committee determines which witnesses to call, how many witnesses to call, in what order to call them, and who will question them,” the Grassley aide wrote.
“These are non-negotiable.”
Read the whole statement below:
Grassley aide tells Ford camp that panel “cannot hand over its constitutional duties to attorneys for outside witnesses. The Committee determines which witnesses to call, how many witnesses to call, in what order to call them, and who will question them. These are non-negotiable” pic.twitter.com/zRnicd00Yw
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 23, 2018
In other words, he responded, “Wah Wah Wah! And fuck you, harlot! We’re getting our white manchild
no matter what!”
"…the Senate Judiciary Committee cannot hand over its constitutional duties to attorneys for outside witnesses.”
Apparently, however, to preserve their public personae and re-electability, they can turn questioning over to outside attorneys for the Senate.
What a load of self-serving crap.
So, Grassley thinks that coming off as a powerful old man who can push this woman around is going to help his cause? Hmmm… I’m not sure this will go over the way he planned, but we’ll see.
Hey Baghdad Rudey! There’s some backpedalling needs doing here!
Shorter Grassley: “We refuse to allow any evidence that might corroborate Dr. Blasey Ford’s allegations.”