NEGOTIATORS have reached an agreement for the Senate Judiciary Committee to hear testimony on Thursday from Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault.
Lawyers for Ford and bipartisan representatives of the committee were said to have come to the tentative agreement after a short phone call. Sources said Kavanaugh would also appear.
Some details, such as the order of their appearance, remained in negotiation. Talks were expected to continue today.
The accord could bring to a close days of high-stakes brinkmanship that have roiled Washington ahead of midterm elections and potentially jeopardised Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the court.
Tensions have been running on overdrive since Ford, a 51-year-old college professor in California, went public with her allegation that Kavanaugh assaulted her when they were at a house party in high school.
Kavanaugh, 53, an appellate court judge, denied the allegation and said he wanted to testify as soon as possible to clear his name.
Ford initially indicated she wanted to tell her story to the committee, but talks dragged on as her lawyers negotiated the terms of her appearance.
Republicans grew frustrated as Ford’s lawyers insisted on a hearing next Thursday, rather than Monday or even Wednesday, and made other requests, some of which the committee chairman senator Chuck Grassley rejected.
On Friday, Grassley turned down Ford’s request that only senators, not lawyers, be allowed to ask questions. The committee’s 11 Republicans – all men – have been seeking an outside female attorney to interrogate Ford.
Republicans appeared to have viewed Ford’s requests as a way to delay voting on President Donald Trump’s nominee.
Democrats, against the backdrop of the #MeToo movement, countered that Ford should be shown respect and given accommodation to tell her story.
Republican leaders now hope to usher Kavanaugh on to the court by the October 1 start of its new session ahead of the November elections.
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