Article snippet: Republicans who were facing a politically nightmarish predicament on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh have gotten a reprieve from the most unlikely quarter: Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who has accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in the early 1980s. Ford’s refusal to testify at a special hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday has played into the hands of Republicans, who argue that her story absent congressional testimony is essentially a partisan tactic to delay Kavanaugh’s confirmation. Ford wants a full FBI investigation into her accusations. Democrats publicly back up her calls. Behind the scenes, however, some express dismay. “I think this has been a mess from start to finish,” said one Democratic strategist who was granted anonymity to speak candidly. This source questioned why Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member But the Democratic strategist added, “On top of that, then you have the situation of Democrats saying she would testify, then a couple of days later saying ‘but only if.’ That has not helped their cause.” Trump also said, regarding Ford, that he “really would want to see what she has to say.” A senior White House official reiterated to The Hill on Wednesday afternoon that Trump and his administration “fully support Judge Kavanaugh.” With much of the Senate expected to vote along party lines on Kavanaugh, the focus has been on the handful of senators in each party who might be expected to buck their leadershi... Link to the full article to read more