A protester is arrested during a demonstration in opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., September 20, 2018. (Photo: Reuters/Yuri Gripas)
Sep 20, 2018
As an attorney for Christine Blasey Ford said Thursday afternoon that her client remains willing to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the sexual assault she says Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh perpetrated against her when the two were in high school, mass demonstrations resulted in arrests on Capitol Hill on Thursday as women's rights groups and Democrats intensifed their charge that Republicans are trying to 'railroad' Ford by not taking her allegations seriously and refusing to order the FBI investigation she has asked for and that experts say is entirely appropriate.
Dozens of people, mostly women, were arrested one by one in the lobby of the Hart Senate Building mid-afternoon:
\u201cWomen are getting arrested as we chant:\n\n\u201cWE BELIEVE ANITA HILL! \nWE BELIEVE CHRISTINE FORD!\u201d\u201d— Women's March (@Women's March) 1537468095
Meanwhile, as Capitol Police hauled people away, Democratic senators rallied around the demand aimed at Republican lawmakers and the White House to drop their opposition to Ford's request for an investigation into her allegations.
"Really, I would call it a railroad job," Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) told reporters at a noontime press conference. "And it's totally unfair."
Hirono and her Democratic colleague's are calling for the White House to have the FBI conduct the investigation that Ford has requested and that experts say is perfectly within their purview and capabilities.
In a post titled, "Judicial Nominee Background Investigations -- Fact vs. Fiction," Mike Zubrensky, the chief counsel at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said the GOP's spin on the investigation is hogwash:
Forging ahead with a hearing next week without allowing the FBI an opportunity to conduct additional interviews and collect evidence would be yet another abuse of power by the Republican majority during the Kavanaugh confirmation process. The Senate must honor survivors of sexual assault by taking their allegations seriously, respectfully, and on a nonpartisan basis. An FBI investigation is an important step in that direction. As Senator Hatch noted in 1991 when the FBI conducted an investigation into Anita Hill's allegations: "When they heard about this the first time, they immediately ordered the FBI investigation, which was the very right thing to do." It is the right thing to do today as well.
"You have the entire force of the presidency and all of the supporters of Judge Kavanaugh in the Senate arrayed on one side and on this other side you have Dr. Ford who doesn't even have the benefit an FBI investigation, as well all have called for," Hirono told reporters. "How unfair is that?"
Appearing on CNN, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) wanted to know why, if Kavanaugh and his GOP backers are confident he did nothing wrong, they are refusing to approve such a probe:
\u201cSen. Patrick Leahy, a senior Democrat on the judiciary committee, says Republicans should not rush Christine Blasey Ford to testify: \u201cIf they have nothing to hide, why the hurry?\u201d\u201d— CNN Politics (@CNN Politics) 1537464704
In her statements, Hirono said, "They are totally intent on getting Judge Kavanaugh onto the Supreme Court, come Hell or high water. You have to ask yourself, why?"
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
anita hillbrett kavanaughchristine blasey fordcivil disobediencedemocratic partypeople powersexual assaultus senateus supreme courtwomen
As an attorney for Christine Blasey Ford said Thursday afternoon that her client remains willing to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the sexual assault she says Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh perpetrated against her when the two were in high school, mass demonstrations resulted in arrests on Capitol Hill on Thursday as women's rights groups and Democrats intensifed their charge that Republicans are trying to 'railroad' Ford by not taking her allegations seriously and refusing to order the FBI investigation she has asked for and that experts say is entirely appropriate.
Dozens of people, mostly women, were arrested one by one in the lobby of the Hart Senate Building mid-afternoon:
\u201cWomen are getting arrested as we chant:\n\n\u201cWE BELIEVE ANITA HILL! \nWE BELIEVE CHRISTINE FORD!\u201d\u201d— Women's March (@Women's March) 1537468095
Meanwhile, as Capitol Police hauled people away, Democratic senators rallied around the demand aimed at Republican lawmakers and the White House to drop their opposition to Ford's request for an investigation into her allegations.
"Really, I would call it a railroad job," Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) told reporters at a noontime press conference. "And it's totally unfair."
Hirono and her Democratic colleague's are calling for the White House to have the FBI conduct the investigation that Ford has requested and that experts say is perfectly within their purview and capabilities.
In a post titled, "Judicial Nominee Background Investigations -- Fact vs. Fiction," Mike Zubrensky, the chief counsel at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said the GOP's spin on the investigation is hogwash:
Forging ahead with a hearing next week without allowing the FBI an opportunity to conduct additional interviews and collect evidence would be yet another abuse of power by the Republican majority during the Kavanaugh confirmation process. The Senate must honor survivors of sexual assault by taking their allegations seriously, respectfully, and on a nonpartisan basis. An FBI investigation is an important step in that direction. As Senator Hatch noted in 1991 when the FBI conducted an investigation into Anita Hill's allegations: "When they heard about this the first time, they immediately ordered the FBI investigation, which was the very right thing to do." It is the right thing to do today as well.
"You have the entire force of the presidency and all of the supporters of Judge Kavanaugh in the Senate arrayed on one side and on this other side you have Dr. Ford who doesn't even have the benefit an FBI investigation, as well all have called for," Hirono told reporters. "How unfair is that?"
Appearing on CNN, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) wanted to know why, if Kavanaugh and his GOP backers are confident he did nothing wrong, they are refusing to approve such a probe:
\u201cSen. Patrick Leahy, a senior Democrat on the judiciary committee, says Republicans should not rush Christine Blasey Ford to testify: \u201cIf they have nothing to hide, why the hurry?\u201d\u201d— CNN Politics (@CNN Politics) 1537464704
In her statements, Hirono said, "They are totally intent on getting Judge Kavanaugh onto the Supreme Court, come Hell or high water. You have to ask yourself, why?"
As an attorney for Christine Blasey Ford said Thursday afternoon that her client remains willing to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the sexual assault she says Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh perpetrated against her when the two were in high school, mass demonstrations resulted in arrests on Capitol Hill on Thursday as women's rights groups and Democrats intensifed their charge that Republicans are trying to 'railroad' Ford by not taking her allegations seriously and refusing to order the FBI investigation she has asked for and that experts say is entirely appropriate.
Dozens of people, mostly women, were arrested one by one in the lobby of the Hart Senate Building mid-afternoon:
\u201cWomen are getting arrested as we chant:\n\n\u201cWE BELIEVE ANITA HILL! \nWE BELIEVE CHRISTINE FORD!\u201d\u201d— Women's March (@Women's March) 1537468095
Meanwhile, as Capitol Police hauled people away, Democratic senators rallied around the demand aimed at Republican lawmakers and the White House to drop their opposition to Ford's request for an investigation into her allegations.
"Really, I would call it a railroad job," Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) told reporters at a noontime press conference. "And it's totally unfair."
Hirono and her Democratic colleague's are calling for the White House to have the FBI conduct the investigation that Ford has requested and that experts say is perfectly within their purview and capabilities.
In a post titled, "Judicial Nominee Background Investigations -- Fact vs. Fiction," Mike Zubrensky, the chief counsel at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said the GOP's spin on the investigation is hogwash:
Forging ahead with a hearing next week without allowing the FBI an opportunity to conduct additional interviews and collect evidence would be yet another abuse of power by the Republican majority during the Kavanaugh confirmation process. The Senate must honor survivors of sexual assault by taking their allegations seriously, respectfully, and on a nonpartisan basis. An FBI investigation is an important step in that direction. As Senator Hatch noted in 1991 when the FBI conducted an investigation into Anita Hill's allegations: "When they heard about this the first time, they immediately ordered the FBI investigation, which was the very right thing to do." It is the right thing to do today as well.
"You have the entire force of the presidency and all of the supporters of Judge Kavanaugh in the Senate arrayed on one side and on this other side you have Dr. Ford who doesn't even have the benefit an FBI investigation, as well all have called for," Hirono told reporters. "How unfair is that?"
Appearing on CNN, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) wanted to know why, if Kavanaugh and his GOP backers are confident he did nothing wrong, they are refusing to approve such a probe:
\u201cSen. Patrick Leahy, a senior Democrat on the judiciary committee, says Republicans should not rush Christine Blasey Ford to testify: \u201cIf they have nothing to hide, why the hurry?\u201d\u201d— CNN Politics (@CNN Politics) 1537464704
In her statements, Hirono said, "They are totally intent on getting Judge Kavanaugh onto the Supreme Court, come Hell or high water. You have to ask yourself, why?"
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.