Attorneys for Deborah Ramirez repeatedly declined to say whether their client would participate with a Senate Judiciary Committee investigation into her sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, emails obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation show.
The exchanges, which in some places suggest both sides were talking past one another, create significant doubt as to whether Ramirez will ever answer questions in a formal setting about her allegations.
The emails, which were traded between Sept. 23 and Sept. 25, show that the committee’s Republican lawyers asked Ramirez’s attorneys whether their client has other pieces of evidence, including statements, about the alleged Kavanaugh assault which did not appear in The New Yorker article detailing the accusation. GOP lawyers also asked whether Ramirez would cooperate with committee investigators.
“In response to the first question, there are certainly more witnesses than in the article,” Ramirez attorney John Clune replied. “That would be the benefit of an actual investigation conducted by the FBI. We don’t see how you can get to the root of the matter without that.” (RELATED: Kavanaugh Allies Galvanized, Defiant As Second Accuser Emerges)
“As for your second question, we couldn’t answer without learning more from you about the details of whatever process you are contemplating,” Clune continued. “After hearing more, we would advise the client accordingly and she could decide.”
Republican lawyers sent subsequent emails reiterating their questions, which went unanswered. All told, the GOP aides asked if Ramirez would cooperate with their inquiry six times, but never received a definitive response.
Democratic staffers were included on the email chain, where they scheduled a 7:00 pm EST call with Ramirez’s lawyers on Sept. 25. The Democratic aides invited Republicans to participate. GOP staffers declined, however, again asking that Ramirez detail whatever additional evidence she may have and confirm her cooperation with the Committee before next steps would be discussed.
One Democratic staffer emailed that the Judiciary Committee “does not usually place preconditions on getting on the phone to discuss next steps, so I’m not sure why that is happening here.”
The Daily Caller News Foundation was not able to confirm whether that phone call took place. (RELATED: Friends Of Kavanaugh Accuser Says She’s Discussed Alleged Assault In Recent Years)
Speaking to NBC’s Today Show on Wednesday morning, Clune again declined to take a definitive position as to whether his client would appear before the committee.
“That’s a decision that I’ll certainly let [Ramirez] make,” he said. “I would be very concerned about doing that but it wouldn’t surprise me if she would agree to do that.”
Committee staff spent several days negotiating terms with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s lawyers. Blasey Ford will give her testimony on Thursday. It does not appear likely that Ramirez will join her.
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