Kavanaugh Accuser’s Lawyers Negotiating Terms of Senate Testimony
Reports: Christine Blasey Ford doesn’t want Kavanaugh in room, wants to be questioned by senators

Christine Blasey Ford likely will not be testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, but that doesn’t mean she won’t be testifying at all.
Attorneys for Blasey Ford, the woman accusing Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her during their high school years,reportedly had a logistical conversation over the phone with Judiciary Committee staff Thursday night.
The allegations made by Blasey Ford, a college professor in California, have already disrupted the time frame Senate Republicans wanted for confirming Kavanaugh, with the Judiciary Committee having postponed a Thursday markup to send his nomination to the floor.
Lawyer Debra Katz said in a Thursday email to the committee that her client, “wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety.”
According to reports from the New York Times and the Washington Post, Blasey Ford has some conditions for the hearing — that senators, rather than third-party lawyers, ask questions, and she does not want Kavanaugh present in the room.
Under the regular order of the committee, prepared testimony was already requested for the Monday hearing, with a deadline of 10 a.m. Friday. In an email to the committee after the call, Katz called that deadline a “non-starter.”
For his part, Kavanaugh sent another letter to Judiciary Chairman Charles E. Grassley of Iowa on Thursday professing his innocence and his eagerness to testify about the allegations.
“I also appreciate the time that Committee staff took to interview me on Monday, September 17. During that interview, I twice requested a Committee hearing for the following day, Tuesday, September 18,” Kavanaigh wrote. “I continue to want a hearing as soon as possible, so that I can clear my name.”
Katz has said her client would continue to see a full investigation conducted by the FBI before offering testimony to the committee (something supported by Democrats), but it looks more and more likely that Republicans will move the Kavanaugh nomination to a committee vote well before anything like that could take place.
Watch: Schumer: ‘Professor Ford Is Telling the Truth,’ Calls for Full Hearing ‘Done Right’
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