Ford's Lawyers Just Released Her Polygraph Report. The Internet Has Questions.
Lawyers representing a woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of decades-old sexual assault have released a polygraph report conducted as part of an effort to establish the credibility of her claim.
“On August 7, 2018, Christine Blasey reported to the Hilton Hotel, 1739 West Nursery Road, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090, for the purpose of undergoing a polygraph examination,” the report explained. “The examination was to address whether Blasey was physically assaulted by Brett Kavanaugh while attending a small party in Montgomery County, MD.”
The accusations have stalled the nomination of President Donald Trump’s second Supreme Court nominee, who had been slated to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy.
Details included in the polygraph report, which was made public the day before scheduled Senate testimony by both Kavanaugh and Ford, have led to some criticism among supporters of the nominee.
A common concern is the dearth of “relevant questions” the interviewer asked Ford while monitoring the polygraph results.
According to the report, there were only two such questions and both related directly to her statement on the alleged assault.
The interviewer asked Ford whether “any part” of her statement was false or whether she made up any detail included in her initial report.
She answered “no” to both questions.
NEW: Dr. Ford's lawyers have just released her polygraph report. pic.twitter.com/YJFXNY3W8h
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) September 26, 2018
According to the report, the results of her polygraph test were then analyzed using three different methods, each of which determined a statistically insignificant probability of deception.
Numerous critics argued that the questions posed to Ford were insufficient to form a convincing report.
“There are literally only two questions asking if she made things up,” tweeted CRTV congressional correspondent Nate Madden.
“This is even bad by the unreliable hokum standards of polygraph tests.”
There are literally only two questions asking if she made things up. This is even bad by the unreliable hokum standards of polygraph tests. https://t.co/abGyR6xLc7
— Nate Madden (@NateOnTheHill) September 26, 2018
Others, including National Review editor Charles W. Cooke, found inconsistencies in Ford’s story.
“Dr. Ford’s polygraph letter contradicts letter she sent to (Sen. Dianne) Feinstein,” Cooke wrote. “Polygraph letter says “4 boys and a couple of girls” were at party. Letter to Feinstein says “me and four others.” No way to reconcile the two—irrespective of whether she’s counting herself in polygraph letter.”
https://twitter.com/charlescwcooke/status/1045027784790298624
Feinstein letter, July 30: "Kavanaugh physically pushed me into a bedroom"
Polygraph statement, August 7: "I was pushed b̶y̶ ̶t̶w̶o̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶s̶o̶n̶s̶ into a bedroom"
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) September 26, 2018
Ford is set to appear on Capitol Hill on Thursday to answer questions related to her allegations.
Democrats on the Senate judiciary committee will question the witnesses directly while Republicans have tasked a prosecutor with asking the questions.
Grassley confirmed Tuesday in a statement that he has hired Rachel Mitchell, a career prosecutor with decades of experience prosecuting sex crimes, to question the witnesses.
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