Some Republicans think Christine Blasey Ford was convincing. GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham is just angry about it.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
From the moment Christine Blasey Ford alleged sexual assault by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Senate Republicans have attacked her credibility and called her allegations a Democratic ploy. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations, yet some Republicans seemed more open to Ford's testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
The usually talkative Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) and Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) kept quiet after the testimony, offering "no comment" answers while Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) oddly called Ford "not un-convincing" during a lunch break.
After the hearing, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) reflected his mid-testimony comments, telling reporters he "found no reason to find [Ford] not credible." He said he's more concerned that Ford's confidential letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) was made public against her will, and that she was unaware she could've privately testified to investigators instead of ending up in "this circus-like setting."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Meanwhile, Graham was only sure that Ford is "a nice lady who's come forward to tell a hard story that's uncorroborated," he declared in a post-testimony tirade. But Graham doesn't blame Ford for this — he blames the Democrats who "betrayed her trust" and made her "just as much a victim of this as I think Brett Kavanaugh."
Watch Graham's incredibly angry statement below. Kathryn Krawczyk
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Why is the Trump administration talking about ‘Western civilization’?Talking Points Rubio says Europe, US bonded by religion and ancestry
-
Quentin Deranque: a student’s death energizes the French far rightIN THE SPOTLIGHT Reactions to the violent killing of an ultraconservative activist offer a glimpse at the culture wars roiling France ahead of next year’s elections
-
Secured vs. unsecured loans: how do they differ and which is better?the explainer They are distinguished by the level of risk and the inclusion of collateral
-
Labor secretary’s husband barred amid assault probeSpeed Read Shawn DeRemer, the husband of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, has been accused of sexual assault
-
Trump touts pledges at 1st Board of Peace meetingSpeed Read At the inaugural meeting, the president announced nine countries have agreed to pledge a combined $7 billion for a Gaza relief package
-
NIH director Bhattacharya tapped as acting CDC headSpeed Read Jay Bhattacharya, a critic of the CDC’s Covid-19 response, will now lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
-
Witkoff and Kushner tackle Ukraine, Iran in GenevaSpeed Read Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held negotiations aimed at securing a nuclear deal with Iran and an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine
-
Pentagon spokesperson forced out as DHS’s resignsSpeed Read Senior military adviser Col. David Butler was fired by Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin is resigning
-
Judge orders Washington slavery exhibit restoredSpeed Read The Trump administration took down displays about slavery at the President’s House Site in Philadelphia
-
Hyatt chair joins growing list of Epstein files losersSpeed Read Thomas Pritzker stepped down as executive chair of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
