Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., right, accompanied by Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 13, 2007, to discuss the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act of 2007. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)

Earlier today, the Senate Judiciary Committee responded to a laundry list of demands the legal team of Christine Ford had presented as a condition of her deigning to honor us with her presence. The list was a cross between the rules for a collegiate Title IX sexual harassment investigation and a contract rider for a 1980s rock band. All that was missing was the M&Ms in the ready room with all the brown one’s removed.

Chuck Grassley responded with a counter-offer that moved the hearing from Monday to Wednesday and agreed that Kavanaugh would not be in the room at the same time, but beyond that let her know that she wasn’t in the position to make demands.

He followed that up a short while ago by stating that unless the committee terms were accepted by 10 p.m. that the committee would hold a vote on Kavanaugh on Monday.

Now the rumor is flying that Ford’s legal team has said that not only will they not make Grassley’s deadline, they probably won’t get around to responding today.

NEW, BREAKING HERE, Kavanaugh: top GOP source w knowledge tells me Prof Blasey Ford's team has told them they will not make tonight's COB deadline to respond to the GOP offer and may not respond tonight at all.

— Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) September 21, 2018

.@LisaDNews reports that Christine Blasey Ford's team has said they "will not respond" by tonight's deadline regarding Senate Republican's counter offer finalizing the terms of Ford's testimony about allegations that #BrettKavanaugh sexually assaulted her in high school. pic.twitter.com/GoYyhSS0Sy

— PBS NewsHour (@NewsHour) September 21, 2018

I suspect this has been the agenda all along. Delay the confirmation vote on the promise of Ford giving testimony and then her not testifying. Apparently, if Kavanaugh is not confirmed by the opening of the new session of the Supreme Court, he can’t join it until the next session. (If that is wrong, let me know with a link.) That makes a 4-4 court which means key decisions on ballot protection and gun rights will not happen. As it stands right now, Ford has not given any information to the Senate and so she can’t be charged with perjury should she be proven a liar. I suspect there is more strategy than happenstance involved in keeping her statement from being submitted to the Committee.