Senate Judiciary Committee postpones vote, schedules hearing for Kavanaugh accuser News
Senate Judiciary Committee postpones vote, schedules hearing for Kavanaugh accuser

The Senate Judiciary Committee [official website] announced [Twitter] on Monday that it will postpone the vote on President Donald Trump’s nominee to the US Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh [SCOTUSblog profile], and allow Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Kavanaugh of attempted sexual assault, to speak at a public hearing next Monday. 

Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley [official website] said that the Committee will give “these recent allegations a full airing” in order to give “ample transparency.” The vote was originally scheduled [press release] for Thursday.

Grassley had originally intended [press release] for his office to speak with Kavanaugh and Ford over the phone Monday, September 17.  However, the Committee’s Democrats opposed [press release] the call, saying, “In view of the enormity and seriousness of these allegations, a staff-only phone call behind closed doors is unacceptable and Democratic staff will not participate.” The Democrats also called for the FBI to investigate the allegations against Kavanaugh.

At the beginning of the month the Committee listened [JURIST report] to four days of witness testimony regarding Brett Kavanaugh. Trump nominated Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court in July after Justice Anthony Kennedy announced [JURIST reports] his retirement in June.