Senator Chuck Grassley
Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) laid down the law in a letter sent to Christine Blasey Ford’s attorney on Wednesday afternoon.
Late Tuesday evening, Ford’s attorney said she wanted the FBI to conduct an investigation of the incident before Senators held a hearing on the sexual assault allegations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
Senator Grassley reiterated in his letter to Ford’s attorney that an FBI investigation is unnecessary and that the Senate doesn’t even have the power to authorize the investigation.
“It is not the FBI’s role to investigate a matter such as this,” Grassley wrote, “The FBI does not make a credibility assessment of any information it receives with respect to a nominee.”
“You have stated repeatedly that Dr. Ford wants to tell her story. I sincerely hope that Dr. Ford will accept my invitation to do so, either privately or publicly, on Monday. In the meantime, my staff would still welcome the opportunity to speak with Dr. Ford at a time and place convenient to her,” said Grassley.
“The Constitution assigns the Senate, and only the Senate, with the task of advising the President on his nominee and consenting to the nomination if the circumstances merit. The job of assessing and investigating a nominee’s qualifications in order to decide whether to consent to the nomination is ours, and ours alone”
Senator Grassley concluded his letter by giving Christine Blasey Ford a Friday morning deadline to respond.
“Dr. Ford’s prepared testimony and biography are due to the Committee by 10 a.m. on Friday September 21, if she intends to testify Monday,” Grassley said.
And that’s how it’s done.
Screenshot of letter:
Page two:
Senator Lindsey Graham said on Wednesday, “It is imperative the Judiciary committee move forward on the Kavanaugh nomination and a committee vote be taken ASAP.”
It is imperative the Judiciary committee move forward on the Kavanaugh nomination and a committee vote be taken ASAP.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) September 19, 2018
