Trump defends Kavanaugh and says ‘he doesn’t deserve this’
DONALD TRUMP has jumped in to defend his embattled nominee for the US Supreme Court, saying he felt “terribly” for Brett Kavanaugh, even as senators grapple with how to deal with decades-old allegations of sexual assault.
“I feel so badly for him that he’s going through this, to be honest with you, I feel so badly for him,” said the US president during a news conference.
“This is not a man that deserves this.”
He added that he had not spoken to Mr Kavanaugh about Christine Blasey Ford’s accusation that he assaulted her at a party in 1982 but said the allegations “should’ve been brought up long ago”.
Mr Kavanaugh (53) has “categorically and unequivocally” denied the allegations.
Ms Ford has said she is willing to testify before senators but it has emerged she wanted the FBI to investigate her allegations before she appears in Congress.
“Nothing of substance and nothing legitimate can happen by Monday,” her attorney, Lisa Banks said, referring to the next judiciary committee hearing. Democrats also said they wanted more time for the FBI to investigate, and more witnesses to come forward, hoping to avoid a “he said, she said” moment.
Those witnesses would include Mr Kavanaugh’s high school friend Mark Judge, who Ford said was in the room when she was assaulted, but Mr Judge, who says he does not remember any such incident, has refused.
The jockeying over the hearing underscored the political potency so close to an election that will decide control of both the House and Senate, not to mention the confirmation of a conservative justice likely to serve on the highest US court for decades.
Democrats see their arguments about treating women fairly as the best hope for either sinking the appellate judge’s nomination or, should Mr Kavanaugh win confirmation, amplifying their appeals to female voters in November’s mid-term elections.
Republicans have been careful to be seen to be giving Ms Ford a chance to be heard, mindful that outright dismissal of her accusation could hurt on election day.