As Howard Portnoy noted here earlier today, Christine Blasey Ford has yet to offer evidence in support of her claim that Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in 1982, but Democrats have already tried and convicted Kavanaugh. Many acknowledge that Ford hasn’t yet testified, which could conceivably provide a foundation for believing her over Kavanaugh, who has denied the allegations, but that hasn’t prevented them from making up their minds about who’s telling the truth and who’s not.
Some Democratic lawmakers have made statements expressing blind faith in Ford’s assertions. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.) said in essence, “I believe her because I believe her,” a view echoed by Sens. Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) and Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), who said respectively, “I believe Dr. Ford … because she makes a very credible case” and “Let me just say right at the outset I believe Dr Ford. I believe the survivor here, there’s every reason to believe her.”
Others attempted to evince at least the appearance of fair-mindedness. Here’s Sen. Kamala Harris (Calif.): “Listen, it comes down to credibility to your point. It’s going to be about listening to what each party has to say, but I believe her.” And here’s Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.): “Well I can tell you it really does have a ring of truth to it.”
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In the meantime, Ford has issued some new demands. She now insists that Kavanaugh testify first. In addition, she does not want him in the room when she testifies. So much for the Sixth Amendment, which provides that a person accused of a crime has the right to confront a witness against him.
Ford’s attorney has also re-raised the prospect of issuing a subpoena to alleged Kavanaugh accomplice Mark Judge, who has already stated that he has no memory of the incident and has no desire to testify. On Tuesday, Judge said through his attorney:
I did not ask to be involved in this matter nor did anyone asked me to be involved. The only reason I am involved is that Dr. Christine Blasey Ford remembers me as the other person in the room during the alleged assault.
How they intend to coax an admission out of him if he is forced to appear remains to be seen.
