Pelosi Remarks at Press Event in Support of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford

Leader Pelosi.  Good afternoon, everyone.  I'm honored to be joined by my colleagues.  We will be hearing from two who were there marching on the Senate in the 90s, Congresswoman Nita Lowey and Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton.  [Congressman] Jerry Nadler, the Ranking Member on Judiciary; Congresswoman DeGette, the Co-Chair of our Pro-Choice Caucus and Congresswoman Jackie Speier in terms of respecting women.

We are here to stand in support of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and to applaud her courage as she prepares to tell her story.  Again, we are joined by distinguished Members of Congress who I have mentioned, in the interest of time, you know how great they are, you will hear from them.

What's happening here has lifetime impacts.  The crimes themselves, the allegations that have been made are about offenses that have a lifetime impact and a person whose name is being put forward for a lifetime service on the Supreme Court.  It's just not right.

So, there are two equities that need to be weighed.  One equity is the integrity of the Supreme Court.  The other equity to be weighed is the respect we have for women when they come forward.  Neither of those equities is well served by the process that the Republican leadership in the Senate has put forward.  It is not in the interest of seeking the truth to promote the integrity or respect the privacy, which I mentioned.

Instead of asking questions, the Republican leadership fears the truth.  When they are having a hearing, instead of asking – an act of cowardice, an act of cowardice – the Republican – no offense – all-male committee has decided to have what they call a ‘hired woman' – is that the expression?  A hired woman to ask the questions.  Really?  They are so afraid of the truth and they are so afraid of a woman like Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and the truth she will tell.

So, right now, since we called this press conference, other allegations have come forward.  I join Leader Schumer in calling on Judge Kavanaugh to withdraw his name from consideration.  If he does not, at the very least, this hearing should be postponed because other allegations have come forth.  We insist on this investigation.  It's a vetting by the FBI – the normal vetting of a federal appointee – in this case, for life, to the Supreme Court.

Other Members will talk about the impact of all of this, but if the Republican Members of the Committee, The Judiciary Committee in the Senate, decide to go forward, they have to know that they are having a demoralizing impact and a chilling effect on the movement of courageous women who are telling their stories and demanding justice.  These men can't possibly know. They can't possibly know.

What do you call it?  ‘Female assistant.'  The term of art they used.  Instead of the Senators asking the questions, fearful of the truth in their cowardice mode, they said she will be questioned by their ‘female assistant.'  Whatever her credentials are they do not do justice, it shows their lack of respect for the person they engaged to do this.

In any event, what we are saying is they should have the same background investigation that is a matter of regular order and what Senator Hatch called for during the Anita Hill hearing showing his hypocrisy today in saying, ‘Why do we have to do that?'

In any event, we are here to show our solidary.  We are here to show our respect to all women who have a case and to have it respected, with due process, to find the truth, not fear it and also to remember the responsibility to have to the integrity of the Supreme Court.

With that, I am pleased to yield to the distinguished Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee who was a part of the march on the Senate in 1991, Congresswoman Nita Lowey.

***

We've all seen the pictures of our colleagues marching over to the Senate side in 1991.  One person was tasked to manage the floor and that was Rosa DeLauro at that time.  [Congresswoman] Rosa [DeLauro], thank you for being there then and now.  They sent me to some meeting off the campus to tell them what they were doing.

[Laughter]

But we were very proud of their courage.  Let me just say this: here's an allegation made against a person, an allegation as I've said before that has lifetime impact on a person, to be violated in that way, by a person who wants a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court and doesn't think that this should matter.  So many of the Republican colleagues have said it doesn't matter, he should be appointed anyway.  It does matter.  So, there's one violation, the physical violation that happened.

The second violation is the invasion of privacy and the assault on the person who comes forward.  This has to stop in our country.  We believe in due process, we believe in finding the truth, that's why we need an investigation.  But Dr. Blasey Ford has had two assaults: one personal and then an assault on her family's privacy.  And you know, you're aware of the fact that she's really had to move out of her home.  This is a real thing and it has a chilling effect on people coming forward.  It took great courage for her to come forward.

And then the third assault is the assault by the cowardice of the Republican Senators on the Judiciary Committee to act in a manner which they did, a process that does not serve justice, does not serve seeking truth, does not serve the integrity of the court and does not serve the respect for women in our country.  Three attacks.

So let's hope as we go forward that Judge Kavanaugh, he will withdraw his name.  Because unless he goes before that committee and tells the truth, he not only jeopardizes his appointment to the Supreme Court, he jeopardizes by lying to Congress the position he holds now.  Do the right thing for our country and for the Republicans quite frankly.  End this thing.

So, in that, I just want to acknowledge [Congresswoman] Sheila Jackson Lee who has the legislation for the real extension, the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.  I want to thank her for her leadership.

And I want to acknowledge a very special person who is here.  Ady, are you miced?  He's miced.  This is a person, Ady Barkan from the Center for Popular Democracy, has worked throughout our country to protect the Affordable Care Act.  He has been a remarkable patriot in our country. He has demonstrated great courage, but I'd rather he tell you about him than I.  Ady would you say a few words for us.  Can you come on over here?  You can come closer.  This is a very special honor for us.  We are truly in the presence of greatness anytime Ady Barkan joins us.

***

Leader Pelosi.  Thank you all.  Stay tuned.  Anything can happen at any moment.  We hope to hear that Judge Kavanaugh will withdraw his name.  We hope to hear that senators on the Judiciary Committee will postpone the hearing until there is an opportunity for an investigation by the FBI and we hope that they will listen – if this hearing goes forth that they will listen to Dr. Ford and they will listen and they will learn and they will understand what it means to our country, the women of our country, the families of our country, the men and women of our country and thank you all very much for being here.