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| © Provided by Hearst Communications, Inc A note of encouragement reading, "Good luck, Dr. Ford," for Christine Blasey Ford appears on a pad in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing room on September 26, 2018, in Dirksen Building before her testimony about alleged sexual misconduct by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) |
By Dianne de Guzman, SFGATE
A brief, handwritten note left for Christine Blasey Ford in the Senate Judiciary Committee room ahead of her testimony Thursday caused some to speculate about its author and potential double meaning.
The words, "Good luck, Dr. Ford," could be seen written on Senate stationery placed on the witness table in a photo released by the media Wednesday afternoon. An article and subsequent tweet by ABC News initially attributed the note to Senate Judiciary Chairman Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) after an aide allegedly told a reporter that it was penned by the senator.
Grassley's staffers later followed up with ABC News after photos of the note were posted to social media, and corrected the news organization, saying the note was not written by Grassley.
Since that time, no one else has stepped forward to claim authorship of the note. Before Grassley's staffers sent out a correction, however, supporters of Ford took the note to be an intimidating one, given the interactions between the two before Wednesday. Last week, Ford asked for more time to decide on whether she'd testify on her allegations of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, which Grassley granted.
A brief, handwritten note left for Christine Blasey Ford in the Senate Judiciary Committee room ahead of her testimony Thursday caused some to speculate about its author and potential double meaning.
The words, "Good luck, Dr. Ford," could be seen written on Senate stationery placed on the witness table in a photo released by the media Wednesday afternoon. An article and subsequent tweet by ABC News initially attributed the note to Senate Judiciary Chairman Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) after an aide allegedly told a reporter that it was penned by the senator.
Grassley's staffers later followed up with ABC News after photos of the note were posted to social media, and corrected the news organization, saying the note was not written by Grassley.
Since that time, no one else has stepped forward to claim authorship of the note. Before Grassley's staffers sent out a correction, however, supporters of Ford took the note to be an intimidating one, given the interactions between the two before Wednesday. Last week, Ford asked for more time to decide on whether she'd testify on her allegations of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, which Grassley granted.
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| © Provided by Hearst Communications, Inc Christine Blasey Ford, the Palo Alto, Calif., professor accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, is pictured in an undated image on ResearghGate.net. ResearchGate is described as a professional network for scientists and researchers. (ResearchGate.net/Zuma Press/TNS) |
The senator then notablycomplained about the deadline extension on Twitter, writing, "Five times now we hv granted extension for Dr Ford to decide if she wants to proceed w her desire stated one wk ago that she wants to tell senate her story Dr Ford if u changed ur mind say so so we can move on I want to hear ur testimony. Come to us or we to u." On Wednesday, as new accusations against Kavanaugh came out, Grassley affirmed that the testimony by Ford would continue Thursday as scheduled.
Others took the scrawled sentence to be a note of support for Ford, who will be facing intensive questioning over an alleged sexual assault that took place when she and Kavanaugh were teenagers in the early 1980s. In her allegations, Ford stated that during a party, Kavanaugh laid on top of her and tried to undress her, while pressing his hand over her mouth, before another teen, Mark Judge, apparently jumped on them both and allowed Ford a chance to flee the house where the incident took place.
Whatever the intent of the letter was may remain a mystery, however, whether it be encouraging or intimidating: The note was later removed.
Others took the scrawled sentence to be a note of support for Ford, who will be facing intensive questioning over an alleged sexual assault that took place when she and Kavanaugh were teenagers in the early 1980s. In her allegations, Ford stated that during a party, Kavanaugh laid on top of her and tried to undress her, while pressing his hand over her mouth, before another teen, Mark Judge, apparently jumped on them both and allowed Ford a chance to flee the house where the incident took place.
Whatever the intent of the letter was may remain a mystery, however, whether it be encouraging or intimidating: The note was later removed.
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