In a blink-and-you-miss-it moment just before the Thursday hearing in which Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her at a house party in 1982, Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee was caught on camera slipping a mysterious white envelope to Ford’s attorney, Michael Bromwich.
Bromwich, an Arizona lawyer who reportedly resigned from his law firm in order to represent Ford “pro-bono,” can be seen deftly tucking the envelope into his jacket pocket just after shaking hands with the Democratic congresswoman.
@Thomas1774Paine Sheila Jackson Lee gives something to fords lawyer pic.twitter.com/6cx8T3Z2UC
— msnicole (@NicoleLMillen) September 27, 2018
The quiet exchange launched an all-out frenzy on social media from viewers demanding to know what was in the envelope, and why the trade was done so secretly.
Jackson Lee’s office responded to questions late Thursday, telling Houston news outlet KHOU11:
Simply, what was passed were unopened stationery notes to counsel for Dr. Ford from women who wanted to enter the hearing room but were not allowed to enter the hearing room.
And look, I'm not saying they weren't.
I'm just saying we haven't seen them.