Feinstein on Kavanaugh accusations: I don’t know if ‘everything is truthful’

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) says she can’t be sure of the veracity of everything alleged by the woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, though she later emphasized that she finds the witness “credible.”

Feinstein told reporters on Capitol Hill that Christine Blasey Ford had been “profoundly impacted” by her experience, according to National Review, but added that she “can’t say” if the allegations are “truthful.”

{mosads}”[Ford] is a woman that has been, I think, profoundly impacted,” she said, according to National Review.

“I’m the lead Democrat, so this is all up to the Republican side,” Feinstein added in a video recorded by Fox News. “I can’t say everything is truthful, I don’t know, she continues.”

Feinstein’s “I can’t say everything is truthful” quote is accurate. Just ran on Fox. pic.twitter.com/MEkrRgG8oV

— Elliott Schwartz (@elliosch) September 18, 2018

Feinstein’s office declined to comment to The Hill, pointing instead to her earlier remarks on Twitter. The senator expanded her remarks in later comments to CNN, calling Ford “credible,” and calling for an investigation.

Feinstein expands to reporters on her “truthful” comment: “Look, I believe she is credible…Based on what I know at this stage, she is credible…and I hope people will let her be and…that her lawyers will let her come back and straighten that out.” pic.twitter.com/FBg1dXctRE

— Ashley Killough (@KilloughCNN) September 18, 2018

Her remarks came just minutes after the California Democrat tweeted that she found Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University in California, to be “sincere” and “believable” in her correspondence with Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, on which Feinstein is the ranking member.

“During every step of this process, I’ve found every single piece of information from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford eminently credible, sincere and believable,” she wrote on Twitter.

“She knew this would have a huge effect on her life and she was incredibly brave to come forward,” Feinstein added Tuesday afternoon.

During every step of this process, I’ve found every single piece of information from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford eminently credible, sincere and believable. She knew this would have a huge effect on her life and she was incredibly brave to come forward.

— Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) September 18, 2018

Ford made headlines over the weekend by coming forward in a Washington Post interview and accusing Kavanaugh of holding her down, groping her and trying to remove her clothes at a party when they were both in high school. She said he muffled her screams for help with his hand.

The allegations threw a major roadblock in the way of his Supreme Court nomination, previously thought to be on track following the conclusion of hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Kavanaugh has categorically denied the allegations, and the White House has shown no sign of halting his nomination despite calls from some Republicans, including Sens. Jeff Flake (Ariz.) and Susan Collins (Maine), for Ford’s allegations to be heard.