Republicans blocked testimony of Deborah Ramirez from being heard by Senate committee

In opening the Friday hearing proceeding a vote to send Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the full Senate, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley said that his staff “made eight requests. Yes, eight requests. For evidence from attorneys for [Deborah Ramirez].” He blamed the fact that no evidence related to Ramirez would be on “stonewalling” by her attorneys.

But Ronnan Farrow and Jane Mayer are back at the New Yorker on Friday morning with emails that show that a senior staffer for Grassley “declined to proceed” with a series of phone calls to Ramirez. Instead, Republican staffer Mike Davis insisted that any further communication be in written form. The action threw a wrench into what was then a negotiation to bring Ramirez evidence forward and proceeded a complete breakdown of the discussion.

Deborah Ramirez’s attorney, John Clune, called on the FBI to investigate. Clune also informed Davis that they were asking for an FBI investigation. Clune then made multiple attempts to set up a phone call with the staff of the Senate Judiciary Committee. As mentioned by Grassley, Davis asked if Ramirez had additional information. Clune said that she did. Davis asked if she would speak to staff investigators. Clune said that she would. 

Clune then asked how the committee intended to proceed so they could advise Ramirez on what the next steps would be. Instead of responding to that request, Davis insisted that Ramirez’s legal team provide any additional evidence they had in written form. And Davis refused to agree to a call to discuss the how the information or accusations would be until Ramirez turned over her information and agreed to talk to investigators.

What Davis did not only put the negotiations at loggerheads, it shows every sign of deliberately being set up so that Ramirez’s attorneys could not proceed. They were being asked to give up all information and agree to have Deborah Ramirez testify without being given any guarantees about the process. And multiple attempts from Clune and others did nothing to move Grassley’s staff to a position that offered any protection, or even information, to Ramirez.

Heather Sawyer, the single Democratic staffer who was being copied on these emails responded in email.