Staffers for Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley have received a number of serious and horrific threats in recent days as the battle over Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh rages on.
Here are a few examples of phone calls the office has received, which were provided by staff.
-“I hope you get raped so you can understand what that woman is going through.”
-“You’re a disgusting excuse for a human being, and I don’t know how you can live with yourself. I hope you never have children because they’ll be just as worthless as you are.”
-“You’re racist trash.”
-“Senator Grassley doesn’t have a spine and neither do you bitch.”
-“I just wanted to call and tell you that you are a piece of shit and Senator Grassley is a fucking piece of shit and he can’t die from a heart attack soon enough.”
-“I feel really sorry for women like you – outside of your office you’re probably disturbed by this but apparently you have a job to do.”
Grassley and his office have been working tirelessly since last week to ensure Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing Kavanaugh of sexual assault during a party in high school nearly 40 years ago, has a safe and fair venue to tell her story. That venue is being provided on Thursday morning in front of the Committee. Ford and Kavanaugh will be questioned separately by long time sex crimes prosecutor Rachel Mitchell before Senators ask their own questions.
“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.”
