Chairman Grassley Ignores Dr. Blasey Ford’s Reasonable Requests

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on Chairman Chuck Grassley’s disregard of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s reasonable requests for her appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh:

“Chairman Grassley’s arbitrary deadlines and unprecedented demands are unconscionable. Dr. Blasey Ford courageously offered to testify next week before the committee and requested reasonable accommodations. Grassley’s demand that the hearing be on his unjustified timetable, on having outside counsel question her, and his refusal to include outside witnesses are just a few examples of Senate Republicans bullying Dr. Blasey Ford and abdicating their responsibilities. His threat of holding a committee vote on Monday reveals his political motivations. Every senator must object to these bullying tactics immediately.

“Meanwhile, Senate Republicans and the Trump administration continue to block reopening the FBI background investigation, even though there is still ample time to do so before another hearing. Senators and their staff are no substitute for trauma-informed professionals. Their decision to plow forward without a hearing where Dr Blasey Ford can testify makes clear their intentions to rush through Kavanaugh’s nomination at any cost. Chairman Grassley and the all-male Republican members of the committee must stop their bullying tactics and treat the credible sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh seriously.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.