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Chuck Grassley strongly denies Judiciary Committee tried to ignore Kavanaugh accuser Deborah Ramirez
WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley disputed accusations from Democrats that he and his staff have tried to brush away allegations against Brett Kavanaugh from a second accuser, Deborah Ramirez.
During Friday's committee meeting, the Iowa Republican said he "acted immediately" to investigate her charges and that his staff "repeatedly" tried to accommodate Ramirez as long as she provided evidence to back up her claim.
Ramirez, 53, studied sociology and psychology and graduated from Yale University in 1987, along with Kavanaugh.
She alleged in an interview with The New Yorker posted Sunday that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at a dorm party when they were both freshmen. She said that she and Kavanaugh and a small group of other students were playing a drinking game and were both intoxicated. Kavanaugh then exposed his penis and shoved it in her face, Ramirez alleges.
Ramirez told The New Yorker that she hesitated coming forward because she was drunk when the alleged incident took place and "her memories contained gaps."
Kavanaugh has vehemently denied Ramirez' account, as well as allegations leveled by Christine Blasey Ford, who told the committee Thursday that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while they were both in high school more than 30 years ago.
A separate article in the New Yorker posted Friday morning disclosed a series of emails that showed the back-and-forth between Republican staff of the committee and Ramirez' lawyer, John Clune. Clune requested that the committee interview his client where she would discuss evidence and witnesses, and Republicans requested more evidence before they would agree to talk with her.
Speaking at Friday's committee hearing, Grassley defended his staff's conduct, giving a day-by-day account of what they did to reach out to Ramirez while accusing Democrats of hiding Ramirez' allegations until the last minute.
"My staff repeatedly made clear that it welcomed the receipt of Ms. Ramirez' or anyone else's evidence," he said. "Miss Ramirez' counsel has still not provided any evidence to committee staff. If evidence emerged, we, of course, would proceed as a appropriate."
Grassley also said his staff "acted swiftly" to interview Kavanaugh, who "unequivocally" denied the allegations.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the panel, said she's not sure whether sexual misconduct allegations leveled by Ramirez and a third accuser, Julie Swetnick, are true because there hasn't been an opportunity hear them.
"It seems the Republican strategy is no longer attack the victim. It is ignore the victim," Feinstein said at Friday's hearing. "It is, in fact, a real test for the United States Senate and for our country to see how we treat women – especially women who are survivors of sexual assault. I believe we can do better."
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