Will not hold me back

Ford to Grassley: ‘My fear will not hold me back from testifying’

By ELANA SCHOR

Christine Blasey Ford told Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in a personal letter penned Saturday that her sole motivation in bringing a sexual assault allegation against Brett Kavanaugh is “to tell the truth” about what the Supreme Court nominee did.

Ford’s letter to Grassley, released Monday, comes as Republicans ratchet up their defense of President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee by portraying the multiple sexual misconduct claims against him as part of a Democratic smear campaign. The 51-year-old California-based professor sought to counter any depiction of her actions as politically motivated in her note to the Judiciary chairman.

“Mr. Kavanaugh’s actions, while many years ago, were serious and have had a lasting impact on my life,” Ford wrote to Grassley. “I thought that knowledge of his actions could be useful for you and those in charge of choosing among the various candidates. My original intent was first and foremost to be a helpful citizen – in a confidential way that would minimize collateral damage to all families and friends involved.”

Grassley’s office declined to release the letter when asked on Sunday, although Ford’s legal team had consented to its release. The Iowa Republican responded directly to Ford in a letter released Monday, describing himself as "committed to fair and respectful treatment of you, as you've requested," and adding a handwritten postscript that "I look forward to your testimony."

Grassley also used his letter to Ford to renew long-running complaints about Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-Calif.) decision to keep a close hold on the professor's initial letter about Kavanaugh out of what Feinstein has described as respectfulness for Ford's interest in confidentiality.

"I take letters from individuals seriously and over a long period of time have demonstrated a commitment to handling personal or sensitive information in a confidential manner," Grassley wrote.

Republicans and Ford’s legal team conducted talks throughout the weekend on the parameters for Thursday’s remarkable scheduled hearing on her allegation that Kavanaugh tried to force himself on her when both were in high school.

The GOP expects to have the option of using staff attorneys to question Ford, a Grassley spokesman said -- a strategy that could insulate some of their members from the harmful optics of an all-male Republican membership on Judiciary grilling Kavanaugh’s accuser. Ford’s legal team, however, has not publicly commented Monday on the status of those talks.

In her letter to Grassley, however, Ford underscored her desire to testify on Thursday in what has quickly become the most consequential hearing of the Trump administration.

“While I am frightened, please know, my fear will not hold me back from testifying and you will be provided with answers to all of your questions. I ask for fair and respectful treatment,” Ford wrote.