UPDATE: Ford's legal team says the therapy notes will not be turned over. He polygraph results have been published.
New letter from Ford lawyers to Judiciary: “Under no circumstances” will they hand over her medical records, including therapist notes, to committee. Did send them her polygraph test
— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) September 26, 2018
***Original post***
The attorney representing Judge Brett Kavanaugh says his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, hasn't turned over a lie detector test or therapist notes to the Senate Judiciary Committee. She has used both in media reports to bolster her accusations Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her nearly 40 years ago.
"The first time these allegations came to light as far as we know from reading the reports in the media, Dr. Blasey [Ford] told her therapist and her husband. They announced that there were notes and that there had been a lie detector test, but as I understand it, they did not turn any of those over the Senate Committee even though they were requested," attorney Beth Wilkinkson said during an interview Wednesday with CBS This Morning. "The information that would have shown at the very first time when she revealed these allegations have not been turned over to the Senate."
WATCH: Brett Kavanaugh's attorney Beth Wilkinson tells us that lawyers for Dr. Ford have not turned over the results of her lie detector test or her therapist’s notes to the Senate Judiciary Committee. pic.twitter.com/ClAUNhwReY
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) September 26, 2018
Interestingly, the therapist notes and the polygraph test results were turned over to the Washington Post.
Ford said she told no one of the incident in any detail until 2012, when she was in couples therapy with her husband. The therapist’s notes, portions of which were provided by Ford and reviewed by The Washington Post, do not mention Kavanaugh’s name but say she reported that she was attacked by students “from an elitist boys’ school” who went on to become “highly respected and high-ranking members of society in Washington.” The notes say four boys were involved, a discrepancy Ford says was an error on the therapist’s part. Ford said there were four boys at the party but only two in the room.
She [Ford] engaged Debra Katz, a Washington lawyer known for her work on sexual harassment cases. On the advice of Katz, who said she believed Ford would be attacked as a liar if she came forward, Ford took a polygraph test administered by a former FBI agent in early August. The results, which Katz provided to The Post, concluded that Ford was being truthful when she said a statement summarizing her allegations was accurate.
Wilkinson said Kavanaugh is prepared to answer any questions asked at Thursday's planned hearing. Blasey Ford is also scheduled to testify.
Late Tuesday night, Chairman Chuck Grassley announced veteran sex abuse prosecutor Rachel Mitchell has been hired by the Committee to conduct questioning of Kavanaugh and Blasey Ford before Senators have their chance to follow up.
“As I have said, I’m committed to providing a forum to both Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh on Thursday that is safe, comfortable and dignified. The majority members have followed the bipartisan recommendation to hire as staff counsel for the committee an experienced career sex-crimes prosecutor to question the witnesses at Thursday’s hearing. The goal is to de-politicize the process and get to the truth, instead of grandstanding and giving senators an opportunity to launch their presidential campaigns. I’m very appreciative that Rachel Mitchell has stepped forward to serve in this important and serious role. Ms. Mitchell has been recognized in the legal community for her experience and objectivity,” Grassley said in a statement.
“I’ve worked to give Dr. Ford an opportunity to share serious allegations with committee members in any format she’d like after learning of the allegations. I promised Dr. Ford that I would do everything in my power to avoid a repeat of the ‘circus’ atmosphere in the hearing room that we saw the week of September 4," he continued. "I’ve taken this additional step to have questions asked by expert staff counsel to establish the most fair and respectful treatment of the witnesses possible.”
Kavanaugh maintains he is innocent.
This post has been updated with additional information.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member