Grassley Chastises Dems for Ignoring Committee’s Kavanaugh Probe

Senate Committee on the Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) highlighted on Thursday how Democrats have ignored the panel’s investigation into the sexual assault accusations against U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

“Every time that we received information regarding Judge Kavanaugh, we immediately sought to follow through and investigate,” Grassley said during the hearing. “The minority staff sat on Dr. Ford’s letter for weeks. Staff told us they believe it is highly inappropriate to have these follow-up calls before the FBI had finished its investigation even though the FBI had completed its background information.”

California psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford testified earlier Thursday about her claims that the nominee sexually assaulted her while both were in high school.

The committee launched an investigation and called for a hearing shortly after the accusations came to light.

But Senate Democrats argue the FBI should be looking into the matter.

Related: Feminists Attack Ashley Kavanaugh Even as They Declare, ‘Believe All Women’

Grassley made his comments right after the hearing recessed for a short break in the afternoon. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) asked before the break whether Democrats on the committee have participated with the internal investigation, with several of them constantly bring up the calls for the FBI to look into it.

“When we followed up with Judge Kavanaugh after we received Dr. Ford’s allegations, the ranking member staff didn’t join us even though these calls are usually done on a bipartisan basis,” Grassley said. “They joined other calls with the judge but didn’t ask any questions.”

Senate judiciary Democrats have also repeatedly argued that Mark Judge should be called to testify. He was named as a witness to the sexual assault back in the early ’80s, though he has denied having any memory of the incident.

Grassley responded by saying they reached out to him for an interview, but he opted to provide a written statement denying Ford’s allegations.

Related: Fiery Kavanaugh Vows He ‘Will Not Be Intimidated into Withdrawing’

Kavanaugh was quick to deny the allegations when they first started spreading. He also expressed concern that the sexual assault allegations had become weaponized for political gain in his testimony for the hearing. He declared in his statements that he will not be intimidated into withdrawing.

Ford claims the nominee sexually assaulted her while he was a high school student at Georgetown Preparatory School during the 1980s. Grassley repeatedly said in response to the controversy that she deserved to be heard, but has questioned the timing of how the information came forward.