Sen. Chuck Grassley has doubts Kavanaugh’s accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, will testify

CEDAR RAPIDS - Sen. Chuck Grassley pledged to 'do everything I can to encourage her to participate,” but has doubts a woman who accuses Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

'We have a responsibility to hear her out,” the Judiciary chairman said Wednesday of California professor Christine Blasey Ford. 'The committee needs to hear from her, and she needs to be heard.”

However, based on correspondence from Ford's lawyer Tuesday night, Grassley said 'at this point, I would say it's negative” she will appear before the committee Monday.

Ford has alleged that a drunken Kavanaugh physically and sexually assaulted her when they were in high school 36 years ago. Kavanaugh has denied the incident.

Grassley wants Ford and Kavanaugh to testify before the committee Monday, but said Ford has indicated a reluctance to appear before the committee.

'So we're trying to reach out to her lawyer to see if I can talk to her about my reputation for running a respectful and thorough hearing, so she can be protected,” the Iowa Republican said. 'I'm going to do everything I can between now and (Monday) to encourage participation. I think I'm doing that by trying to make her feel as comfortable as I can.”

He's also offering her four options for testifying: an open hearing; a closed committee hearing; and either public or private question-and-answer by transcription.

'We do all this because we want Dr. Ford to feel comfortable, and we also do this because these charges of sexual harassment are very important,” Grassley said.

'We're going to try over the next four or five days to make it come off,” he added.

Grassley declined to speculate on suggestions Ford's accusations are a case of mistaken identity and that she lacks credibility because she doesn't remember when and where the alleged assault took place.

'I have no doubt she believes what she says,” Grassley said. 'In fact, I have a responsibility to give deference to that at least until I hear and then make a determination if it's possible to make a determination.”

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