Graham calls handling of Kavanaugh allegations ‘a drive-by shooting’
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) criticized Democrats on Tuesday over their handling of the sexual misconduct allegation levied at Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.
In a statement to The Washington Post, Graham likened the way Democrats have handled the allegation, which surfaced last week in news reports and was made public over the weekend in an interview in the Post with Kavanaugh’s accuser, to a “drive-by shooting.”
“All I can say is that we’re bringing this to a close,” Graham told the newspaper.
“They’ve had tons of time to do this. This has been a drive-by shooting when it comes to Kavanaugh,” Graham continued. “I’ll listen to the lady, but we’re going to bring this to a close.”{mosads}
Other senators expressed their own criticism of Democrats’ handling of the allegations, particularly over the revelation that the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), sat on the allegation for weeks after receiving it in a letter over the summer.
“Obviously, the process was very unfair,” said Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), who introduced Kavanaugh at his hearing before the committee. “I’m not blaming [Ford], I’m blaming the Democrats who misused this process.”
The senators’ statements follow an interview with the accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, in the Post on Sunday in which she accused Kavanaugh of forcibly groping her at a high school party while muffling her screams for help and attempting to remove her clothes.
Kavanaugh has denied the allegation, and the White House has issued statements defending Trump’s nominee in the days following the report.
On Tuesday, Feinstein said in a statement that Ford should testify after an FBI investigation into her claims is completed, despite the bureau arguing that it had no legal authority to investigate such a matter.
“We should honor Dr. Blasey Ford’s wishes and delay this hearing. A proper investigation must be completed, witnesses interviewed, evidence reviewed and all sides spoken to. Only then should the chairman set a hearing date,” she said Tuesday.