Lisa Banks, a lawyer for professor Christine Blasey Ford, said Tuesday night that her client was “not prepared” for a hearing on Monday due to the vitriol she’s faced since coming forward with her sexual assault allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh mere days ago.
Banks stressed that delaying the hearing until an FBI investigation can be conducted is the only way to make the proceedings fair and impartial.
“No investigation — any legitimate investigation — is going to happen between now and Monday,” Banks told CNN’s Anderson Cooper. “This is going to take some time. What needs to happen is there shouldn’t be a rush to a hearing here. There’s no reason to do that.”
She added that it is a “serious situation” and that senators who profess to want to do the right thing by Blasey Ford and Kavanaugh should support a thorough investigation before a hearing.
Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) on Tuesday rejected Blasey Ford’s call to delay the hearing for an FBI probe, saying that there is no reason for “further delay” since “nothing the FBI or any other investigator does would have any bearing on what Dr. Ford tells the committee.”
Watch part of Banks’ interview below:
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) September 19, 2018
How much time has Kavanaugh spent at the WH this week being prepared by multiple lawyers and aides for his anticipated performance Monday?
Shorter Grassley: But, but if we delay things further, we may get more of this…
I graduated from Holton Arms, and knew both Brett Kavanaugh and Mark Judge. Christine Blasey Ford was a year or so behind me, I remember her. I signed this letter. The incident was spoken about for days afterwords in school. Kavanaugh should stop lying, own up to it and apologize https://t.co/Ah24yKuMpz
— Cristina King Miranda (@reinabori) September 18, 2018
If I were Ford, I would say “Screw it! I’ve said what I said. No Republican on that Committee wants to listen anyway. I’m not going to subject myself to these men who only want to commit violent political rape.”
Look back at videos of the Anita Hill hearings and you’ll see what I mean. Listen in particular to Sen. Hatch and Grassley and their disgusting role in that charade.
This is exactly what needs to get out there. Blasey Ford has now become a victim, twice it seems.
It is the GOP has pushed the vitriol and violence that Blasey Ford now experiences, sometimes by “dog whistle”, sometimes openly. And, the brusque, abbreviated approach into looking at the allegations is IMO just another dog whistle to violence.
interesting that the tweet you reference is no longer available. Dang.
cue twilight zone music.