Conservative lawmakers on Wednesday urged House and Senate Ethics Committees to investigate how Democrats have handled the sexual assault allegations against U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
“Leaking Dr. Ford’s letter was a cynically political act that is damaging to the credibility of the United States Congress,” a letter from the lawmakers states, according to The Hill.
“Deliberately outing Dr. Ford without her consent may have a lasting impact on women’s willingness to report future assaults.”
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) leads the lawmakers calling for the review. Their letter was sent to Sens. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.), along with Reps. Susan Brooks (R-Ind.) and Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), each of whom is either a chairman or ranking Democrat on the congressional ethics committees.
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Kavanaugh was within a week of his first vote when he was hit with the sexual assault allegations. The allegations first started spreading when a letter from an unnamed woman detailing the alleged sexual assault leaked September 12.
California psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford revealed herself to be the accuser a couple of days later.
Ford claims Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while both were high school students in suburban Maryland in the early 1980s. Kavanaugh was quick to deny the allegations when they first started spreading. He also declared in the testimony that he will not be intimidated into withdrawing his name for consideration for the high court.
Senate Committee on the Judiciary ranking minority member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) knew about the allegation for weeks prior to the leak but decided not to reveal it to the public or committee after Ford asked to keep it private. Ford testified during a hearing last Thursday that she sent the letter to Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), who forwarded it to Feinstein.
Feinstein later referred the matter to the FBI after it had leaked out. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the judiciary committee chairman, then launched an investigation, delayed the committee’s planned vote on moving Kavanaugh’s nomination to the full Senate, and scheduled the September 27 hearing to address the allegations.
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Reps. Rod Blum (R-Iowa), Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio), Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Steve King (R-Iowa), and Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) also signed on to the letter. They argued that it is pivotal they find out how her confidential letter was leaked and why it was kept from the panel’s Republican members and their staffs.
“Democratic members of Congress and their staffs placed political expediency above the wishes of Dr. Ford,” the letter said. “For these reasons, we are calling for an immediate ethics investigation to identify the individuals who are responsible for this breach and take appropriate action.”
Senate Democrats have called for Kavanaugh’s nomination to be delayed ever since President Donald Trump announced it July 9. They don’t have enough votes now to stop his nomination, but that could change if the November election returns them to control of the Senate.
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