Christine Blasey Ford’s ex-boyfriend has sent a letter to the Judiciary Committee contradicting her claims last week that she never coached anyone about how to take a polygraph test, Fox News reported Tuesday.
The ex-boyfriend, whose name was redacted from the letter Fox posted, said he dated Ms. Blasey Ford for roughly six years and she never mentioned a sexual assault in her past, nor did she seem afraid of flying or of enclosed spaces. Ms. Blasey Ford last week testified that she was assaulted by Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh when they were in high school — and said it left her afraid of tight spaces without escape routes.
She also testified that she had been reluctant to come to Washington to testify because she was afraid of flying.
The ex-boyfriend also said he recalled Ms. Blasey Ford, a psychologist by training, coaching a friend, Monica McLean, on how to take a polygraph test in preparation for a job interview.
“Dr. Ford explained in detail what to expect, how polygraphs worked and helped McLean become familiar and less nervous about the exam. Dr. Ford was able to help because of her background in psychology,” the man said in the letter.
During the hearing last week Ms. Blasey Ford told Rachel Mitchell, the sex-crimes prosecutor the GOP hired to question her, that she she “never” coached anyone or gave tips about how to take a polygraph.
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MITCHELL: Have you ever taken any other polygraphs in your life?
FORD: Never….
MITCHELL: Have you ever had discussions with anyone, besides your attorneys, on how to take a polygraph?
FORD: Never.
MITCHELL: And I don’t just mean countermeasures, but I mean just any sort of tips, or anything like that.
FORD: No. I was scared of the test itself, but was comfortable that I could tell the information, and the test would reveal whatever it was going to reveal. I didn’t expect it to be as long as it was going to be, so it was a little bit stressful.
MITCHELL: Have you ever given tips or advice to somebody who was looking to take a polygraph test?
FORD: Never.
Ms. McLean put out a statement, following Fox News’ report, denying she ever had help from Ms. Blasey Ford.
“I have NEVER had Christine Blasey Ford, or anybody else, prepare me, or provide any other type of assistance whatsoever in connection with any polygraph exam I have taken at anytime,” she said.
According to the New York Post, Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley contacted Ms. Blasey Ford’s lawyers once he receive the letter, saying it “raises specific concerns about the reliability of [Ford’s] polygraph-examination results.”
The committee retweeted the Fox News story Tuesday.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California Democrat, criticized Republicans for releasing the letter, which also contained details of the relationship between Ms. Blasey Ford and the unnamed man.
“Now, in the midst of an FBI investigation, Republicans are interviewing former boyfriends of both Dr. Ford and Deborah Ramirez in a transparent attempt to discredit them,” she said in a statement. “Rape shield laws and the federal rules of evidence are designed precisely to stop this sort of attack.”
No reports of the Senate Judiciary Committee interacting with a former boyfriend of Ms. Ramirez, who was the second woman to accuse Judge Kavanaugh, have been made public.
Though a former friend of Julie Swetnick, the third accuser, sent a letter to the committee on Tuesday that detailed their relationship and his experience with her.
“The terrible treatment of Dr. Ford and Ms. Ramirez tells every woman in this country to keep sexual assault to themselves,” Ms. Feinstein said. “We must send a different message, a message of support.”
• Gabriella Muñoz contributed to this article.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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