Hogan Can Stand with Trump or Dr. Blasey Ford

Annapolis, MD—Larry Hogan has a choice to make: he can stand with Donald Trump—who refuses to say if he believes Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee—or he can stand with Dr. Blasey Ford and the Maryland leaders who believe her testimony.

In the more than 72 hours since Dr. Blasey Ford testified, Hogan has refused calls to state clearly and unequivocally if he believes Dr. Blasey Ford’s earnest, convincing and credible allegations of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Hogan’s silence was joined by the White House yesterday, when Kellyanne Conway refused to say if President Trump believes Dr. Blasey Ford and questioned the veracity of Dr. Blasey Ford’s testimony.

While Hogan appears to have doubts about Dr. Blasey Ford’s testimony, Republican Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker made his position clear, telling reporters, “I believe Professor Ford.”

“Every woman in Maryland deserves to know that they have a governor who believes survivors and right now, Governor Hogan is failing that test,” said Maryland Democratic Party chair Kathleen Matthews. “Governor Hogan has an opportunity to show every survivor in Maryland that when they tell their stories, they will be supported.”

Many Maryland leaders have stated publicly that they believe Dr. Blasey Ford:

• Democratic nominee for governor Ben Jealous: Proud to stand with 1,599 other men in support of Ms. Hill and #ChristineBlasleyFord today!
• Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor Susie Turnbull: It took me almost fifty years to tell anyone that a classmate’s father once inappropriately touched me. Think about the bravery we are about to witness. I sincerely hope that today we will see the tipping point for women and girls everywhere. #MeToo  #BelieveWomen #NoMeansNo
• Senator Ben Cardin: I found her to be both deeply compelling and credible. Dr. Ford was sincere, open and forthcoming in her accounting.
• Senator Chris Van Hollen: Today we saw powerful testimony from a courageous Dr. Christine Blasey Ford—testimony that she knew would turn her life upside down, but that she felt compelled to give anyway because it was her civic duty to make sure the American people knew the truth. Thank you, Dr. Ford, for your strength and your honesty.
• Congressman Elijah Cummings:Dr. Christine Blasey Ford relived her trauma before the world with courage, clarity and conviction. #IBelieveFord
• Congressman Anthony Brown: I stand with Dr. #ChristineBlasleyFord, applaud her courage and demand my colleagues in the Senate & Americans around the country take her allegations, and stories shared by survivors over the past few weeks, seriously. I’m proud to join @RepLoisFrankel on this. #BelieveSurivors
• Congressman Jamie Raskin: I linked arms w/ colleagues on the House Judiciary Committee & @HouseDemWomen to march to the Senate to tell the Banana Republicans to stop this obscene rush to install Kavanaugh on the Court after Dr. Ford’s credible, sincere & compelling testimony yesterday. #DelayTheVote
• Congressman John Sarbanes: I believe Dr. Ford and thank her for her courageous testimony. #BelieveWomen
• Democratic nominee for Congress David Trone: I believe Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. The testimony of Judge Kavanaugh yesterday shows he does not have the impartial temperament to be on the Supreme Court.
• Senator Cheryl C. Kagan: #Kavanaugh is coming off (to me) as #belligerent and #angry.  Where’s some level of #compassion for #DrBlaseyFord, who has sacrificed her privacy and safety?? #IBelieveChristineBlaseyFord
• Delegate Brooke Lierman: #ChristineBlaseyFord is amazing. Wow, I am totally blown away by her courage and her ability to keep speaking so well in spite of how terrifying this is. #BelieveSurvivors