Anna Eshoo on Blasey Ford meeting: 'It was difficult for her to retell her experience'

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ByDavid Louie KGO logo
Friday, September 21, 2018
Anna Eshoo on Blasey Ford meeting: 'It was difficult for her to retell her experience'
Congresswoman Anna Eshoo speaks out about the conversation she had with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Imagine you were the one who heard Dr. Blasey Ford's sexual assault accusations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh for the first time. What would you do? Congresswoman Anna Eshoo faced that situation and gave insight about the hour and a half meeting she won't soon forget.

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ABC7 News Reporter David Louie: "Was this the table where you sat down with Dr. Blasey Ford?"

Congresswoman Anna Eshoo: "Yes, I was sitting right here, and she was sitting right here."

Louie: "Congresswoman, you actually had the opportunity to sit down with Blasey Ford when she came to you for the first time. What do you remember about that meeting -- did she have trepidation, was she nervous about approaching you with what she knew and wanted to tell you?"

Eshoo: "Well first of all, we'd never met before. I'd never met her, she'd never met me. She had called my office and requested an appointment so she could meet with me. And so it was the first time we'd ever met one another.=. We sat right at this table, right in this room, here in this office. I think she was probably nervous, I think you know the title is somewhat intimidating, but clearly she had every reason, she had thought it through. She made the call. She wanted to come in and meet with me. When I flew back from DC that week, the appointment was set up and we met. She was very intelligent, soft spoken. It was very apparent to me she was scarred by the experience she shared with me. We met for almost an hour and a half. I asked her many questions, she was forthcoming. It was difficult for her to retell her experience, and I promised her that privacy would be absolutely respected and that this was a safe place and all of my constituents enjoy that."

RELATED: Insight into what Dr. Blasey Ford told Rep. Eshoo about Kavanaugh allegations

See more stories, photos, and videos about Judge Kavanaugh and Blasey Ford here.