‘Not a search for the truth': Kamala Harris blasts GOP on FBI's Kavanaugh investigation
WASHINGTON (KTVU) - With Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation to the Supreme Court all but certain after a long, bitter fight, Senator Kamala Harris took to the Senate floor Friday for an impassioned speech and scathing criticism of the FBI's Kavanaugh investigation.
Harris, representing the State of California, said she hoped for a legitimate investigation of the sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh by Dr. Christine Ford. But instead she characterized the process as partisan politics and the pushing forward of an unfit nominee.
Harris stated she was "deeply disturbed" with the Senate for moving forward with the nomination, but also spoke to her concern of what kind of message this sends to survivors and victims of sexual assault.
"This should have been a search for the truth. Instead, the White House did not allow it," Harris said.
She continued to address her colleagues, directly referencing her experience as a prosecutor and the hours she spent with sexual assault victims on their cases. She also said in screening prospective jurors on these types of cases that many times, potential jurors would confide in her that they had been sexually assaulted.
"63 percent of sexual assaults are not reported to police in our country. Delayed reporting is normal. Dr. Ford's ordeal is no different than the majority of sexual assault victims. She should be believed."
Harris reiterated that the investigation was not to search if a crime had occurred, but to determine if Judge Kavanaugh was fit to serve on the highest court of the land.
"We fell short. We did not do her justice. We did not do the American people justice."
Harris was critical that more than 40 people were willing to come forward with "potential relevant information" in this case, but that only nine were questioned by the FBI.
"They did not interview Dr. Ford's husband or a number of her friends who she told of the assault before Kavanaugh's nomination," Harris said. She noted the former FBI special agent who conducted Ford's polygraph test, Judge Kavanaugh's former Yale roommate and another Yale dorm neighbor and some of his past friends from around the time of the incident in question were not interviewed.
"They did not interview Dr. Ford at all. They did not give her the ability to speak her truth. They did not interview Judge Kavanaugh."
Harris' tone became sarcastic when she referred to Republicans who said they should be happy about the 400,000 documents related to Kavanaugh's record that Democrats were allowed to review at the onset of the confirmation hearings. The only problem was there was actually 6.9 million documents in total. Harris claimed GOP members were hiding Kavanaugh's past.
“This process has left the American people with more questions than answers. The minimum standard for the Supreme Court should be someone who demonstrates impartiality, integrity and truthfulness. The nominee we are voting on has not demonstrated those qualities. Every American is entitled to the benefit of the doubt. But nobody is entitled to a seat on the Supreme Court."
In conclusion, Sen. Harris compared where we are today as a society when it comes to sexual assault to where we were with domestic violence some 30 years ago.
"A black eye or busted lip is everybody's business," she said referring to how society came to awareness on domestic violence. "No one should silently suffer. Let's talk about this. Every 98 seconds someone is sexually assaulted in the U.S."
Harris said it was a painful takeaway for victims who have been building up the courage to tell or report their story, is that now they may say, "Look at what happened to Dr. Ford. It doesn’t matter. No one will believe me and why should I go through that?"
“All of the women and men out there who have experienced this. We will hear you we will see you. We will respect you. We will give you dignity. Speak your truth. Do not be afraid. Do not let this system or any aspect of it bully you into silence.”