Feinstein Statement on Blasey Ford Letter

Washington—Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today released the following statement on claims she leaked the letter from Dr. Blasey Ford:

“President Trump and Senate Republicans are trying to deflect attention from Brett Kavanaugh’s sexual assault allegations by saying my staff or I leaked the letter from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford—they’re wrong.

“The timeline is clear: I referred the un-redacted letter to the FBI on September 12. That night the FBI added a redacted version to Judge Kavanaugh’s background file, to which all 100 senators have access. The New Yorker published details on September 14, and Dr. Blasey Ford went public in the Washington Post on September 16. It wasn’t until September 17 that someone with access to the redacted version of the letter read it to CNN, where it was published online.

“I honored Dr. Blasey Ford’s request for confidentiality. It was only when reporters were knocking on her door that I referred the letter to the FBI. At no point did I or anyone on my staff divulge Dr. Blasey Ford’s name to press. She knows that and believes it, for which I’m grateful.

“I find it interesting that the same critics who last week condemned me for not releasing Dr. Blasey Ford’s letter against her wishes are now suggesting I did leak the letter.

“Throughout this process I acted in strict accordance to the wishes of the survivor.”