Senior Presidential Advisor Kellyanne Conway appeared on Fox & Friends this morning and revealed possible clues about how the White House will address the current political firestorm surrounding Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
“Brett Kavanaugh accuser should be heard, ‘testify under oath’ on allegations, White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway saysâ€
Brett Kavanaugh accuser should be heard, 'testify under oath' on allegations, White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway says https://t.co/eyyR2N6MtN
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 17, 2018
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A confirmation vote set for Thursday of this week is now in question and could be delayed as a result of new allegations of sexual assault against Kavanaugh. An interview with his accuser, Dr. Christine Ford, a professor in California, was published yesterday in the Washington Post.
Conway’s fellow Republicans have been attacking Democrats who raised reasonable questions about Kavanaugh’s suitability for the Supreme Court. So it was welcome to hear her comments which offered a more sympathetic tone towards Kavanaugh’s accuser.
Conway said of Ford Monday:
“She should not be insulted. She should not be ignored. She should testify under oath and she should do it on Capitol Hill. She should be heardâ€
.@KellyannePolls: Woman who accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault “should not be insulted, and she should not be ignored†pic.twitter.com/5o49tWkQQK
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) September 17, 2018
Conway also discussed other options that the Judiciary Committee has to hear Dr. Ford’s testimony.
Conway said she had discussed the situation with President Trump. She said that she believes both Ford and Kavanaugh should testify. She said Sen. Lindsey Graham had told her it could happen as soon as tomorrow and the White House will “respect the process.â€
Pointing out that Kavanaugh has already testified before the committee, and has undergone FBI background checks, Conway added:
“I think you have to weigh this testimonial evidence from Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh along with the considerable body of evidence that is already there about the judge’s temperament and qualifications and character.â€
In television interviews on Monday morning, Ford‘s attorney Debra Katz said her client was willing to tell her story in public to the Senate Judiciary Committee, although no lawmakers or their aides had yet contacted her. Katz also denied that Ford, a Democrat, is politically motivated, saying:
“No one in their right mind regardless of their motives would want to inject themselves into this process and face the kind of violation that she will be subjected to by those who want this nominee to go though. … She was quite reluctant to come forward.â€
Kellyanne Conway speaking on television this morning is significant, but she does not set policy in either the White House or the Senate Judiciary Committee. It remains to be seen whether or not Dr. Ford will be allowed to testify under oath, in public, about her allegations of sexual assault against Brett Kavanaugh.
If she isn’t, it will be another black mark for Republicans in Congress. It will hurt them politically just 50 days before the midterm elections that will decide which party is in control of Congress.
If she is allowed to testify, however, it may change the course of the Kavanaugh nomination process. It will probably throw his eventual confirmation into doubt.
Either way it looks like Democrats are in a winning position as this debacle unfolds. In the #MeToo era the Republicans will gain nothing by promoting an accused sex offender to the U.S. Supreme Court.
I am a lifelong Democrat with a passion for social justice and progressive issues. I have degrees in writing, economics and law from the University of Iowa.
