Senator Hassan unloads on Trump on CNN: 'This is why victims of sexual assault don’t come forward'
September 21, 2018
New Hampshire Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan wasn't pulling any punches Friday on CNN, delivering a blistering indictment of the way President Trump and Senate Republicans have treated Christine Ford, the woman who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assaulting her 36 years ago. Over the past several days, Republicans and the president alike have taken swings at the alleged victim, culminating today with a tweet from the president reading in part "if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities [sic]."
"Along with the comments from President Trump this morning, what we are seeing is exactly why it's so hard for survivors of sexual assault to come forward, especially when they are traumatized teenagers as Dr. Ford was when this assault that she reports now happened," Hassan said. "These comments really reflect the way society has been treating women when they do try to come forward with these reports."
President Trump, Hassan continued "is part of the problem. He is really trying to marginalize her and attacking her and trying to shove her back into the dark. What we all need to do is make sure she is supported and respected."
Hassan had harsh words for her Republican counterparts as well, who she said "are just setting this hearing up so they can say they listened to her, but they are planning to confirm Judge Kavanaugh no matter what she says."
Hassan noted that Ford has requested an FBI investigation into her allegations, and that lying to the bureau is a crime.
"She is willing to talk to them and willing to make sure that the Senate gets the actual facts," Hassan added, slamming Senate Republicans. "When I hear the take it or leave it proposals that the Senate Republicans are putting forward, it seems to me that they think that the answer here, no matter what Dr. Ford says and no matter what an FBI investigation might reflects, they have no intention of it affecting their vote."
Watch the video below.