Ford's Friend Who Was Allegedly at Party Issues Statement on FBI Investigation
A statement from the attorney representing a friend of Christine Blasey Ford’s indicated once again that she has no recollection of the event that Ford testified to in the Senate on Thursday.
Ford claimed that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed and attempted to rape her at a party 36 years ago. That accusation put Kavanaugh’s confirmation vote on hold until the FBI can further investigate her claims.
Thus far, the only evidence that Ford has brought in the case is her own testimony. All of the individuals who she claimed attended the party with her and Kavanaugh deny any knowledge of the event taking place.
One of those people is Ford’s close friend Leland Keyser. Last week, Keyser said in a statement from her attorney, on penalty of a felony, that she didn’t attend such a party and didn’t even know Kavanaugh.
“Simply put, Ms. Keyser does not know Mr. Kavanaugh and she has no recollection of ever being at a party or gathering where he was present, with, or without, Dr. Ford,” attorney Howard Walsh III said.
Walsh spoke out again Saturday, saying that Keyser doesn’t have any helpful information.
In a letter sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee, he said, “Ms. Keyser asked that I communicate to the committee her willingness to cooperate fully with the FBI’s supplemental investigation of Dr. Christine Ford’s allegation against Judge Brett Kavanaugh.”
Walsh went on to stipulate that “as my client as already made clear, she does not know Judge Kavanaugh and has no recollection of ever being at a party or gathering where he was present, with, or without, Dr. Ford.”
Keyser does, however, believe Ford, she said.
“Notably Ms. Keyser does not refute Dr. Ford’s account, and she has already told the press that she believes Dr. Ford’s account,” Walsh said.
Her belief in her friend didn’t keep Keyser from conveying that “the simple and unchangeable truth is that she is unable to corroborate it because she has no recollection of the incident in question.”
BREAKING: letter to @senjudiciary Committee from atty for the female Dr. Ford says was at the 1982 party (Leland Keyser) pic.twitter.com/bq5cpgrjEs
— Shannon Bream (@ShannonBream) September 29, 2018
Keyser’s statement came in response to the decision by the Senate, which was backed by President Donald Trump, to ask the FBI to further investigate the allegations against Kavanaugh.
The president’s stamp of approval on the controversial supplemental investigation came with some limitations.
“I’ve ordered the FBI to conduct a supplemental investigation to update Judge Kavanaugh’s file,” Trump said in a statement.
“As the Senate has requested, this update must be limited in scope and completed in less than one week.”
Statement from President @realDonaldTrump:
“I’ve ordered the FBI to conduct a supplemental investigation to update Judge Kavanaugh’s file. As the Senate has requested, this update must be limited in scope and completed in less than one week.”— Kayleigh McEnany 45 Archived (@PressSec45) September 28, 2018
However, many Republicans view the way this accusation has been handled by Democrats to be little more than a stalling technique in hopes of postponing the vote until after the midterm elections.
During Thursday’s questioning, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, called out his colleagues for what he called the “charade” and for victimizing both Ford and Kavanaugh.
An earlier version of this article accidentally referred to Ms. Leland Keyser as “he” and, in one instance from her lawyer’s transcribed statement, as “Mr. Keyser.” We corrected these mistakes within a few minutes of their being pointed out by a reader, but failed to issue a correction in accordance with our own Ethics and Editorial Standards. We apologize to Ms. Keyser and our readers for these errors.
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