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The Senate’s Calculated March to Confirmation Ignores Christine Blasey Ford at Their Own Risk

October 4, 2018
Blog

By Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

The Republican Senate's calculated march to confirmation is turning into an insult to Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and to women in the United States. The standard Republicans are using—corroboration—had already been met: Dr. Ford's documented treatment by a therapist for the attempted sexual assault, two additional women who asked to be heard and a polygraph Dr. Ford took before coming to testify. After promising a comprehensive investigation, the White House reduced the FBI effort to a pretense. Yet, Dr. Ford's case has unique strength. Dr. Ford's remarkable memory of the most significant details of the attack after 36 years shows that it is impossible to forget that one has been sexually assaulted.

Like Anita Hill, Dr. Ford has already prevailed using the standard of credibility, as even President Trump had to admit. Kavanaugh's credibility melted when he repeatedly refused to answer when asked if he wanted an FBI investigation.

If Kavanaugh is confirmed, the damage to the Supreme Court's vaunted place above the fray will be lost. The damage to women, though, will be incalculable. Within one generation, two women, Anita Hill and Christine Blasey Ford, the best we have seen or could imagine, have risked taking the national center stage to describe serious, unwanted sexual activity against them. If Kavanaugh prevails, the lesson from Senate Republicans to women is beware. No amount of corroboration will be enough. Do not depend on your own credibility. You will not be believed.