Ford’s ridiculous demands

Citing “sources,” Fox News’ Shannon Bream reports on the demands Christine Blasey Ford and her legal team are making as a condition for her testifying about her allegations against Brett Kavanaugh:

Ford team wants NO questions from lawyers, only Qs from Committee members, #Kavanaugh cannot be in the room, Kavanaugh must testify FIRST – more to come …

These demands are absurd. No questions from lawyers? I guess Ford wants to be able to claim she’s being persecuted by an all-white-male panel. She doesn’t want a woman to examine her, which I imagine is what the Republicans have in mind.

But effective cross-examination is the best way to get at the truth. And in-practice lawyers, not politicians who once may have practiced law, generally make the best cross-examiners.

If Ford is telling the truth she shouldn’t be afraid of lawyers. The Committee should reject this demand.

Kavanaugh can’t be in the room? Say what? Ford is accusing Kavanaugh of a crime. Criminal defendants aren’t booted out of the courtroom when their accusers testify. As the accused, albeit not in a criminal proceeding, the interests of justice demand that Kavanaugh be confronted with the witness against him.

Kavanaugh must testify first? Give me a break. The accuser always goes first, whether in a criminal or a civil proceeding. How else can the accused defend himself against what’s actually being alleged?

I hope that the swing GOP Senators — e.g. Flake and Collins — will see the absurdity of Ford’s demands, so that Chairman Grassley confidently can reject them outright. If he does, there’s a good chance Ford will back down. If she doesn’t, the Committee can vote immediately.

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