Christine Blasey Ford Is Practically Begging to Speak to the FBI
Amidst reports that the Federal Bureau of Investigation may conclude its investigation into allegations that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted multiple women by as early as Tuesday night, Kavanaugh’s first public accuser, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, is now practically begging to speak with the FBI’s investigators, claiming that they haven’t even bothered to call her back about an interview.
In a letter sent to FBI director Christopher Wray and the bureau’s top lawyer, Ford’s attorneys Michael Bromwich and Debra Katz say that after initially reaching out to the FBI offering her testimony as part of their investigation, they still haven’t heard back from anyone involved in the probe. In fact, they say they haven’t even been told who’s supervising the case.
“Despite these efforts, we have received no response from anyone involved in this investigation, and no response to our offer for Dr. Ford to be interviewed,” Bromwich and Katz write.
They continue (emphasis mine):
This afternoon we learned of media reports that the FBI does not intend to interview Dr. Ford or Judge Kavanaugh. We hope that this reporting is inaccurate. It is inconceivable that the FBI could conduct a thorough investigation of Dr. Ford’s allegations without interviewing her, Judge Kavanaugh, or the witnesses we have identified in our letters to you.
Speaking with NBC News, two sources have said that the FBI currently has no plans to interview Ford, as the White House sees her emotional testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee as enough.
Ford’s lawyer’s claims echo those made by John Clune, an attorney representing Kavanaugh’s second accuser Deborah Ramirez, who stated on Twitter that although his client had spoken with the FBI, there is no evidence that the interviewing agents have followed up with any of the 20+ plus people Ramirez claimed might be able to corroborate her story.
At the end of their letter on behalf of Ford, Bromwich and Katz write that they are specifically requesting to speak with either Wray or the supervisory agent in charge of the Kavanaugh investigation. We’ve reached out to the FBI for comment on Bromwich and Katz’s letter and to see if they intend to interview Ford, and will update this story when and if they reply.
Whether or not Ford ends up speaking to the FBI seems like it will have little impact on some Senate Republicans, who have spent much of the investigation insisting that absent any absolute proof of sexual assault, they will confirm Kavanaugh regardless of what the FBI uncovers.