Mercedes Schlapp: ‘Absolutely’ Feinstein’s Release of Dr. Ford’s Letter Is ‘Politically Motivated’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT SMITH At ░░░░░░░░ hour Brett Kavanaugh is ░░░░░░░░ the White House The ░░░░░░░░ obviously facing sexual assault ░░░░░░░░ He is set to ░░░░░░░░ before the judicial panel ░░░░░░░░ Monday to answer questions ░░░░░░░░ that His accuser has ░░░░░░░░ invited as well It ░░░░░░░░ our understanding at this ░░░░░░░░ according to Chuck Grassley ░░░░░░░░ has not yet gotten ░░░░░░░░ on that invitation so ░░░░░░░░ don t yet know ░░░░░░░░ or not she will ░░░░░░░░ on Monday Let s ░░░░░░░░ to our headliner of ░░░░░░░░ morning Mercedes Schlapp is ░░░░░░░░ at the White House ░░░░░░░░ of strategic communications Thanks ░░░░░░░░ your time this morning ░░░░░░░░ busy morning at the ░░░░░░░░ House What can you ░░░░░░░░ us Is there any ░░░░░░░░ guidance that you have ░░░░░░░░ the white House about ░░░░░░░░ or not Brett Kavanaugh ░░░░░░░░ accuser will speak publicly ░░░░░░░░ Monday SCHLAPP I don ░░░░░░░░ But I can tell ░░░░░░░░ Judge Kavanaugh is ready ░░░░░░░░ speak today He wants ░░░░░░░░ be able to clear ░░░░░░░░ name He is being ░░░░░░░░ and making sure that ░░░░░░░░ is able to talk ░░░░░░░░ this completely false allegation ░░░░░░░░ feels very strongly about ░░░░░░░░ Sandra Someone obviously in ░░░░░░░░ process in the last ░░░░░░░░ effort by the Democrats ░░░░░░░░ stall the vote to ░░░░░░░░ try to smear Judge ░░░░░░░░ s reputation and senator ░░░░░░░░ have to tell you ░░░░░░░░ ve known Judge Kavanaugh ░░░░░░░░ 17 years I worked ░░░░░░░░ him when I was ░░░░░░░░ and he was single ░░░░░░░░ worked closely together hour ░░░░░░░░ hour on important issues ░░░░░░░░ to the bush Administration ░░░░░░░░ he was a perfect ░░░░░░░░ Incredibly professional and respected ░░░░░░░░ our colleagues It is ░░░░░░░░ shame the Democrats have ░░░░░░░░ to put a halt ░░░░░░░░ this process and not ░░░░░░░░ let the vote go ░░░░░░░░ SMITH Is Judge Kavanaugh ░░░░░░░░ in the White House ░░░░░░░░ SCHLAPP Yes he is ░░░░░░░░ the White House and ░░░░░░░░ to talk with his ░░░░░░░░ here And again very ░░░░░░░░ to make sure that ░░░░░░░░ would be again he ░░░░░░░░ the opportunity to testify ░░░░░░░░ wants to insure this ░░░░░░░░ about clearing his name ░░░░░░░░ he is being transparent ░░░░░░░░ forthcoming in this process ░░░░░░░░ has nothing to hide ░░░░░░░░ this As we know ░░░░░░░░ is something that as ░░░░░░░░ mentioned about the accuser ░░░░░░░░ didn t he had ░░░░░░░░ idea who the accuser ░░░░░░░░ until she identified herself ░░░░░░░░ again we stand with ░░░░░░░░ Kavanaugh I can tell ░░░░░░░░ just working with him ░░░░░░░░ so long and knowing ░░░░░░░░ in a social setting ░░░░░░░░ he is someone beloved ░░░░░░░░ someone who just has ░░░░░░░░ high character and again ░░░░░░░░ is about insuring we ░░░░░░░░ able to defend his ░░░░░░░░ SHAWN Are you troubled ░░░░░░░░ the way this played ░░░░░░░░ Dianne Feinstein the senator ░░░░░░░░ the letter She said ░░░░░░░░ did not reveal Ms ░░░░░░░░ s professor Ford s ░░░░░░░░ because she wanted to ░░░░░░░░ it confidential But then ░░░░░░░░ it was in the ░░░░░░░░ Post splashed on Sunday ░░░░░░░░ then it came out ░░░░░░░░ the very last minute ░░░░░░░░ you think this was ░░░░░░░░ motivated or do you ░░░░░░░░ that there are legitimate ░░░░░░░░ that have to be ░░░░░░░░ SCHLAPP Oh absolutely I ░░░░░░░░ when you look at ░░░░░░░░ fact that the Democrats ░░░░░░░░ this through Senator Feinstein ░░░░░░░░ this through in the ░░░░░░░░ last minute the eve ░░░░░░░░ the committee vote when ░░░░░░░░ know that she s ░░░░░░░░ this letter since July ░░░░░░░░ Senator Feinstein met with ░░░░░░░░ Kavanaugh never even brought ░░░░░░░░ the issue They had ░░░░░░░░ closed committee meeting where ░░░░░░░░ would address sensitive topics ░░░░░░░░ brought up And then ░░░░░░░░ submitted over 1 000 ░░░░░░░░ questions to Brett Kavanaugh ░░░░░░░░ of them included this ░░░░░░░░ And now all of ░░░░░░░░ sudden at the last ░░░░░░░░ Senator Feinstein is coming ░░░░░░░░ SHAWN Do you think ░░░░░░░░ was planned SCHLAPP with ░░░░░░░░ letter It s just ░░░░░░░░ disturbing SHAWN Do you ░░░░░░░░ it was planned SCHLAPP ░░░░░░░░ I think the Democrats ░░░░░░░░ day one have made ░░░░░░░░ very clear they aren ░░░░░░░░ going to support Judge ░░░░░░░░ I have to tell ░░░░░░░░ judge Kavanaugh not only ░░░░░░░░ his credentials incredibly impressive ░░░░░░░░ the mere fact that ░░░░░░░░ has been gone through ░░░░░░░░ F B I background ░░░░░░░░ extensive background checks Obviously ░░░░░░░░ worked at the highest ░░░░░░░░ in government both in ░░░░░░░░ executive branch and judicial ░░░░░░░░ and now his reputation ░░░░░░░░ re attempting to smear ░░░░░░░░ reputation We believe the ░░░░░░░░ has to go through ░░░░░░░░ s what the president ░░░░░░░░ said as well SMITH ░░░░░░░░ should not be ignored ░░░░░░░░ accuser should be heard ░░░░░░░░ want to hear the ░░░░░░░░ from President Trump and ░░░░░░░░ he is saying this ░░░░░░░░ on that Mercedes Schlapp ░░░░░░░░ around and we ll ░░░░░░░░ back to you live ░░░░░░░░ the White House after ░░░░░░░░