US Senate Committee to Hear Testimonies on Sexual Assault Claims against Kavanaugh

The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to hear testimonies from Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford regarding her allegation that the Supreme Court nominee sexually assaulted her when they were in high school.

 The California psychology professor, who goes by Christine Blasey professionally, was the first of multiple women in the wake of Kavanaugh’s nomination to come forward with allegations against him. Blasey told The Washington Post that he pinned her on a bed, groped her and held his hand over her mouth at a party more than 30 years ago. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who chairs the Judiciary Committee, is expected to make an opening statement with no time limit, followed by a statement from ranking Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) who also will not have a time limit.

In the first round of questioning, each senator will have five minutes to either ask Blasey questions or yield to counsel.

Rachel Mitchell, an Arizona prosecutor specializing in sex crimes, was tapped to question Blasey on behalf of Republicans in the committee to avoid the poor optics of a group of men interrogating a woman about an alleged sexual assault. Democratic senators on the Judiciary Committee, which includes several women, will conduct their own questioning.