Grassley asks Ford's legal team for records of contacts with Feinstein and Hirono 'in light of recently uncovered information'

Source: Washington Examiner | October 5, 2018 | Daniel Chaitin

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote a letter to Christine Blasey Ford’s lawyers Thursday asking for records and descriptions of communications with the offices of Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Mazie Hirono “in light of recently uncovered information.”

The new request, revealed in a late-Thursday press release sent hours after senators got a chance to read the FBI’s report on its investigation into the sexual misconduct allegations levied against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, was coupled with Grassley’s third attempt to ask Ford’s attorneys Debra Katz, Michael Bromwich, and Lisa Banks to share evidence cited as part of their client’s claim she was sexually assaulted by the judge when they were teenagers.

“I urge you once again, now for the third time in writing, to turn over the therapy notes, polygraph materials, and communications with The Washington Post that Dr. Ford has relied upon as evidence,” Grassley wrote at the end of his letter.

Some of those notes were given to the Washington Post and mentioned in the report last month in which Ford came forward as Kavanaugh’s first accuser. Ford’s lawyer refused the chairman’s request, saying in a letter Wednesday that they would only turn over her therapist’s notes and other documents to the FBI if she was interviewed by FBI investigators. Ford, however, was not interviewed, and the FBI completed it’s report this week. After speaking to 10 people, the FBI found “no corroboration of the allegations” made by two of Kavanaugh’s accusers, including Ford and Deborah Ramirez, according to an executive summary.

“In addition to the evidence I requested in my October 2 letter,” Grassley continued in his letter, “in light of recently uncovered information, please turn over records and descriptions of direct or indirect communications between Dr. Ford or her representatives and any of the following: (1) U.S. Senators or their staffs, particularly the offices of Senators Feinstein and Hirono, other than your communications with me and my staff in preparation for the September 27 hearing; (2) the alleged witnesses identified by Dr. Ford (Leland Keyser, Mark Judge, and Patrick “P.J.” Smyth); and (3) Debbie Ramirez, Julie Swetnick, or their representatives.”

He did not elaborate further on what “recently uncovered information” might be – the FBI’s file has not been released to the public.

……..

Ford testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee last week that Feinstein’s office recommended the law firm Katz, Marshall & Banks, LLP, before she went public with her allegation of an early-1980s assault. Two members of the firm Feinstein’s office recommended, Debra Katz and Lisa Banks, represent Ford. Her third attorney, Michael Bromwich, also represents fired FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

Hirono, who hails from Hawaii, has been one of Ford’s strongest supporters and Kavanaugh’s most vocal critics. It’s unclear why she was included in Grassley’s letter Thursday, but over the weekend she failed to directly answer a question about whether she was “confidant” that Democrats didn’t leak the letter. “All of these things do not focus on what we should be focusing on, which is the credibility of Judge Kavanaugh,” was her reply.

In his letter, Grassley stressed that it is still important for senators to obtain other materials Ford used to support her claims, including therapy notes, polygraph materials, and communications with the Washington Post. “Senators have a constitutional obligation to investigate and evaluate independently the President’s nominees. Our obligation is unrelated to anything the FBI does. That’s why we don’t just vote on nominees after the President loans us the FBI background investigation. We have to make our own assessment,” he wrote.

…..

Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Viewing 2 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
Viewing 2 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.