Kavanaugh vehemently denies assault allegation in hearing
WASHINGTON – Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh earnestly, tearfully and “unequivocally” denied sexually assaulting Christine Blasey Ford.
“I was not at the party described by Dr. Ford,” Kavanaugh told the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday as he tried to save his nomination in the face of public claims of sexual misconduct by three women. “This confirmation process has become a national disgrace.”
“I will not be intimidated into withdrawing from this process,” Kavanaugh said. “I am innocent of this charge.”
Kavanaugh’s testimony gave senators a stark choice. Earlier in the day, Ford said her accusation was “absolutely not” a case of mistaken identity. She said the 1982 incident -- including the “uproarious laughter” of Kavanaugh and his friend who she says witnessed the attack -was “seared into my memory” even though she didn’t remember any other details about when or where the alleged incident took place.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination Friday, and the full Senate could act as early as next week. The hearing marked the first time Ford had spoken publicly about her accusation, which could derail the confirmation, redefine the “Me Too” era and affect the fight for control of Congress in the Nov. 6 election.
“This whole two-week effort has been a calculated and orchestrated political hit, fueled with apparently pent-up anger about President Trump and the 2016 election, fear that has been unfairly stoked about my judicial record, revenge on behalf of the Clintons and millions of dollars in money from outside, leftwing opposition groups,” Kavanaugh told the committee. “This is a circus.”
“I intend no ill will to Dr. Ford and her family,” Kavanaugh said. He choked back tears while saying that his 10-year-old daughter, in saying her evening prayers recently, told Kavanaugh’s wife Ashley, “we should pray for the woman.”
The nominee was tearful through portions of his opening statement: while expressing gratitude to his friends, saying he had no sexual intercourse until well after high school, and saying he drank beer in high school.
“But I did not drink beer to the point of blacking out and I did not sexually assault anyone,” he said.
Kavanaugh said Ford’s allega- tion is “refuted by the very people she says were there,” including a female friend of Ford’s who says she doesn’t remember the party. He said his calendar for the summer of 1982 “shows all but definitely that I was not there.”
If an unproven allegation “is enough to destroy a person’s life and career we will have abandoned the basic principles of fairness and due process that define our legal system and our country,” Kavanaugh said.