Grassley: Committee cannot do an investigation if attorneys are stonewalling. (He is referring to attorneys for Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick.)
Made eight requests for evidence from attorneys from Deborah Ramirez and six requests from attorneys for third accuser, Julie Swetnick, to no avail.
Grassley: Witnesses can request closed session.
Grassley concludes his statement and now Feinstein, D-Calif., is speaking.
Feinstein is giving her side of the story for holding Dr. Ford's story confidential during the summer.
Feinstein: How women are treated with this kind of concern is wanting a lot of reform.
Feinstein to Ford: Thank you for coming forward and being willing to share your story with us.
Feinstein praising Ford's academic resume and work. You are also a wife, mother of two sons, and constituent from California.
Feinstein: Sexual violence is a serious problem and one that largely goes unseen.
Feinstein: Estimated that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men will experience sexual violence in their lifetimes.
Feinstein: 60% of assaults go unreported. When survivors do report, it's often years later.
Feinstein: I received a letter from a 60-year old woman who survived an attempted rape at 17 who never told anyone for 43 years. It's important to remember these realities as we hear from Dr. Ford.
Feinstein: While young women are standing up and saying "no more," our institutions have not progressed in how they treat women who come forward. Women are forced to defend themselves and re-victimized in the process.
Feinstein: I remember Anita Hill speaking before all-male committee, treated badly, accused of lying, her credibility put to the test. Today, Dr. Ford has come forward to tell her story.
Besides fewer seats for reporters, there are also fewer seats for spectators and fewer seats for staff members behind the senators than in the big Hart hearing room.
Feinstein: Ford did not want to make her story public. Then, within 36 hours of it being public, Republicans schedule a hearing right away. It took a public outcry for the majority to back down and give a few days before the hearing.
Feinstein: In 1991, Anita Hill's allegations reviewed by the FBI. But despite requests, President Trump and the Republicans have refused this step to have the FBI conduct an impartial investigation. This would clearly be the best way to ensure a fair process for Kavanaugh and Ford.
Feinstein: We believe Mark Judge should be subpoenaed so committee can hear from him directly.
Feinstein: I find inexcusable this rush to judgment.
Feinstein: These are a real question of character for someone asking for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court.
Feinstein: Republicans have made it clear that no matter what happens today, the Senate will plow right through and elevate Kavanaugh.
In 1991, the burden of proof was on Professor Hill. Now, Republicans are treating this as a "hiccup" and stating that the Senate will "plow right through" and confirm Judge Kavanaugh soon.
Feinstein: Two more women in past few days have come forward with their own allegations.
Feinstein: Debby Ramirez, Yale classmate of Kavanaugh's, also did not want to come forward but did when pressed by reporters.
Feinstein: Julie Swetnick came forward yesterday.
Feinstein: Each of these stories are troubling on their own, and each of these allegations should be investigated by the FBI. All three women have said they wanted the FBI to investigate and that they have other witnesses/evidence to corroborate their accounts.
All three women want FBI to investigate and say they have other evidence to corroborate their accounts but Republicans continue to blindly press forward.
Feinstein: Kavanaugh has claimed he was focused on schools, extracurriculars, and that he never drank so much that he could not remember what happened. People have come forward to contest these claims.
Feinstein: We are here to decide whether to elevate this nominee to the most prestigious court in the country. It's about the integrity of that institution and this institution. The entire country is watching how we handle these allegations.
Feinstein: This is not a trial for Dr. Ford; it's a job interview for Judge Kavanaugh. Is Kavanaugh who we want on the Supreme Court?
Grassley: You [Feinstein] brought up other allegations, but we are here only to address those made by Dr. Ford.
Grassley: Any time you need a break or anything else, just ask us.
Ford will have as much time for her opening statement as she wants.
Ford: After my opening statement, I anticipate needing some caffeine...
Ford: I am a professor at Palo Alto University and Stanford University.
Ford had sought to limit photographers and even limit reporters from certain outlets, but Grassley would not go along with that. Per usual practice there will be as many as seven press photographers before her during testimony.
Ford: I am here not because I want to be. I am terrified. I believe it is my civic duty to explain what happened to me with Brett Kavanaugh when we were in high school.
Ford: I grew up in suburbs of Washington, DC, and attended all-girls school Holten Arms. During my time, girls became friends with boys from all-boys school, including Georgetown Prep.
Ford: This is how I met Brett Kavanaugh, the boy who sexually assaulted me.
Ford: I had been friendly with a classmate of Brett's, it was through that connection that I attended parties Brett also attended.
Ford: In summer of 1982, spent most days at Columbia Country Club, swimming and diving.
She and Brett Kavanaugh did not know each other well, but "I knew him and he knew me."
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