Rep Joe Kennedy III (D-MA) tweeted Thursday that Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee were “prosecuting a victim” and “cross-examining a survivor,” by asking Dr. Christine Blasey Ford for basic details regarding her sexual misconduct allegations against President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
They’re prosecuting a victim. Cross-examining a survivor. Last time I checked she wasn’t the one asking our country for a job promotion.
— Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) September 27, 2018
Republican counsel Rachel Mitchell has been questioning Christine Blasey Ford about her claims that Kavanaugh pinned her down, groped her, and tried to rape her when he was drunk during a gathering in high school. Kavanaugh fully denies the allegations and is set to testify Thursday afternoon.
Thus far, Ford’s emotional account of what occurred elicited sympathy from the committee and praise from the Democrats. However, she has struggled with certain facts during questioning such as whether or not she showed therapy notes to the Washington Post, why her fear of flying was cited as a reason for not coming to the hearing despite her having traveled extensively for vacation, and what day she took a polygraph test.
Rep. Kennedy's uncle, the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, faced his own scrutiny over treatment of women due to the infamous events that occurred at Chappaquiddick when he drove Mary Jo Kopechne off of a bridge and left her there to drown. Kennedy didn't report the incident for nine hours and she died from suffocation. Investigators found that if Kennedy had called the police right away, she could have been rescued.