Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., second from left, accompanied by, from left, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, July 12, 2017, during the committee’s confirmation hearing for FBI Director nominee Christopher Wray. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

The attorneys for Christine Ford, the California woman who is accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of drunkenly groping her some 37 years ago, presented the Senate Judiciary Committee with a list of demands yesterday. These demands, which seemed rather absolute in their nature, resembled a Stalinist show trial or campus Title IX sexual assault hearing (but I repeat myself) more than any proceeding known under Anglo-American legal tradition.

Wants to testify second and Kavanaugh to appear first;
Doesn’t want Kavanaugh in the room at the same time with her;
Prefers not to be questioned by outside counsel, but rather by the senators on the committee;
Would like the committee to subpoena Mark Judge, the other student Ford alleges to be in the room at the time of the assault, to testify;
Says each senator should have equal time questioning (already committee practice);
No time limit on her opening statement; and
Will appear at a public hearing but she would like to limit the number of cameras to pool coverage.

And, they refused to appear on Monday but would agree to Thursday.

Minutes ago, the Senate Judiciary responded with its counter-offer.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is giving Christine Blasey Ford attorney’s until the end of the day Friday to work out terms of next week’s proposed hearing on Ford’s allegations that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her, according to a Republican senator.

Senate GOP is offering to hold the hearing on Wednesday after Ford asked for a Thursday hearing and is meeting some of Ford’s requests but not others, the senator said.

“We’ll do it on Wednesday, we expect the accuser before the accused and we do intend to have the counsel do the questioning,” the senator said, summing up the Republicans’ stance. The party is OK with limiting the hearing to one camera as requested by Ford and has also “acquiesced” to Ford’s request that Kavanaugh not be in the same room as her, the senator said.

GOP members of the Judiciary Committee held a conference call on Friday morning to discuss how to respond to Ford’s requests on Thursday. And barring new revelations, the party plans to vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination in Judiciary Committee shortly after hearing her testimony next week.

What the Committee gave up was very little. The put-up-or-shut-up clause, that they need a response by COB today, is good. There was no word on a subpoena…but I’ve read that confirmation hearing rules do not permit witnesses to be subpoenaed (don’t know if that is true or how they could force compliance).

At least we’re bringing this clown show to a conclusion.