Brett Kavanaugh and accuser Christine Blasey Ford are expected to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday—but viewers will not see Ford questioned on her sexual assault allegations by the 11-strong, all-male Republican contingent on the committee. Instead, they have hired Rachel Mitchell, an Arizona prosecutor with experience dealing with sex crimes, the Arizona Republic reports. In a statement, committee chair Sen. Chuck Grassley said senators wanted to provide a "safe, comfortable, and dignified" forum for Ford and Kavanaugh. "The goal is to de-politicize the process and get to the truth, instead of grandstanding and giving senators an opportunity to launch their presidential campaign," he said. More:
- "She has dealt with victims in this very circumstance." Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery says Mitchell, who oversees a division of around 45 people, has a lot of experience dealing with years-old sex crimes and allegations, the Washington Post reports. "Over the course of Rachel’s career, she has dealt with victims in this very circumstance of delayed disclosure and circumstances where allegations were difficult to corroborate," he says.