Warren says vote should be delayed, asks what Kavanaugh is hiding

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in demanding that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing be delayed until they can fully review the sexual misconduct allegations against him.

Christine Blasey Ford over the weekend went public with her accusation that Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed and attempted to remove her clothes her at a party in the early 1980s, roiling the confirmation process.  

“Christine Blasey Ford is brave, deserves to be heard, and treated with respect as she raises new questions about Brett Kavanaugh,” Warren tweeted. “No votes until that happens.”

Christine Blasey Ford is brave, deserves to be heard, and treated with respect as she raises new questions about Brett Kavanaugh.  No votes until that happens.

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) September 17, 2018

Ford told The Washington Post that Kavanaugh “groped her over her clothes, grinding his body against hers and clumsily attempting to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she wore over it.”

{mosads}Warren referenced Republicans’ refusal to request documents regarding Kavanaugh’s time as White House staff secretary as another knock to the nominee’s character.

“Brett Kavanaugh has played along with the Trump Administration hiding tens of thousands of pages of documents from his time in government service, and now more questions,” she added. “We need a full and fair investigation – what is he hiding?”

Brett Kavanaugh has played along with the Trump Administration hiding tens of thousands of pages of documents from his time in government service, and now more questions. We need a full and fair investigation – what is he hiding?

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) September 17, 2018

The GOP has argued that the documents are irrelevant to how Kavanaugh would rule as a justice. Others have noted that the GOP was following the precedent from former President Obama’s confirmation of Justice Elena Kagan.

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee are arguing that Kavanaugh’s confirmation, which is set for Thursday afternoon, should be delayed in light of Ford’s allegations.

“All Senators, regardless of party, should insist the FBI perform its due diligence and fully investigate the allegations as part of its review of Judge Kavanaugh’s background,” they wrote in a letter to the committee’s chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). 

Grassley has resisted any delay and is attempting to set up calls for Ford and Kavanaugh before the Thursday vote.

Ford’s lawyer said Monday that she would testify before the committee, as did Kavanaugh. 

Among the Republicans on the panel, only Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) has so far suggested delaying the vote.

“For me, we can’t vote until we hear more,” Flake told The Washington Post Sunday.