Christine Blasey Ford Reaches Deal to Testify at Kavanaugh Hearing
in part:
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A few sticking points between the two sides remain, according to people familiar with the talks. One is who will testify first, Dr. Ford or Judge Kavanaugh. Republicans have rejected the idea that the judge would appear first. But perhaps the biggest sticking point is whether senators on the Judiciary Committee will question Dr. Ford themselves, or use an outside lawyer or a committee aide, most likely a woman.
All the Republicans on the panel are men. In a midterm election season where Republicans are already struggling to connect with female voters, party leaders desperately want to avoid images of an all-male panel ganging up on a woman who says she experienced a sexual assault. There are four women on the Judiciary Committee, but all are Democrats.
Lawyers for Dr. Ford have strongly opposed having an outside questioner, arguing that it could give the hearing a prosecutorial tone. And Senate Democrats have indicated that, no matter whom Republicans choose to question Dr. Ford, when she is questioned by Democrats, senators will be doing the talking.
http://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/23/us/politics/brett-kavanaugh-christine-blasey-ford-testify.html?emc=edit_na_20180923&nl=breaking-news&nlid=16112385ing-news&ref=cta
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