CNN commentator Angela Rye, the former executive director of Congressional Black Caucus, said on Monday night that she has "privilege" as someone who has never been sexually abused during a roundtable discussion of Judge Brett Kavanaugh and rape accusations from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.



"I am privileged," Rye said on The Lead with Jake Tapper. "I have never been subject to molestation or sexual assault. I don't know what that burden is like."



Rye also said that the questioning women and the tone he was speaking to Symone Sanders, a CNN contributor who is also a black woman and Democratic strategist, is "exactly the reason" why Anita Hill had the hearing she had. She also said that Kristol is "the reason why a lot of women refuse to speak up."











Sanders had just shared her rape story.



Transcript, via CNN:





ANGELA RYE, CNN COMMENTATOR: And so, Bill, I would say to you, someone who I enjoy being on panels with all the time, even watching your response to Symone right now, kind of this overbearing, overtalking of -- with women, is exactly the reason why Anita Hill had the kind of hearing she had when you were helping Clarence Thomas, and the reason why a lot of women refuse to speak up, because not only I think -- I do believe in the criminal justice system.



But this is not a criminal justice situation.



BILL KRISTOL, 'WEEKLY STANDARD' EDITOR: I agree, and I'm not criticizing her for speaking up. I just think we need to suspend judgment until we learn more.



(CROSSTALK)



SYMONE SANDERS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: ... believe her?



KRISTOL: I'm saying I don't know who to believe. That's correct.



RYE: And I think -- and you know what that is?



(CROSSTALK)



KRISTOL: I have tried very carefully to say that. I don't -- I'm saying I don't know who to believe.



(CROSSTALK)



RYE: I think that's OK. The reason for your -- even that doubt, that is exactly why this



hearing, this investigation, everything about their testimony needs to be in a public format.



(CROSSTALK)



KRISTOL: I agree with that. I agree with that.



TAPPER: But can we also say, like, it's very brave that you came out, and I saw you did it on Twitter also, and told your and shared your story.



RYE: Yes, absolutely.



TAPPER: We all know you. I believe you. I'm sure everybody here believes you. I don't know professor Ford.



And so I think there are a lot of people who might just be, I want to hear what she has to say. I'm not saying she didn't do it.



(CROSSTALK)



RYE: Well, she's got a polygraph, Jake. She's got therapist notes from 2012 and 2013.



And some folks would say, why did it take her to 2012 and 2013? I have a cousin who just told us that she was molested, and she's older now.



Just -- I don't know what the timing is. Thank God. I am privileged. I have never been subject to molestation or sexual assault. I don't know what that burden is like.



But I would like for us to at least give these folks the grace to be able to come forward whenever they do.



(CROSSTALK)



KRISTOL: I agree with that.