Kavanaugh Continues to Pursue Nomination Despite Further Allegations
Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, has no plans to abandon his nomination despite accusations of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior. President Trump has spoken out on Kavanaugh’s behalf and hopes he will be “confirmed quickly.”
Judge Kavanaugh is a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Following Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement announcement in 2018, President Trump nominated Kavanaugh to serve as a Supreme Court Justice. Judge Kavanaugh would likely be one of the most convservative Supreme Court Justices if confirmed.
However, recent revelations have threatened Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination. Last week, Senator Dianne Feinstein gave a letter to Senator Charles Grassley, the top Republican of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Written by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, the letter describes sexual assault allegations against Judge Kavanaugh. Dr. Ford has alleged Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her as she headed to a bathroom at a high school party in the 1980s. Dr. Ford described how Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge pushed her into a bedroom, locked the door and played loud music while Kavanaugh tried to drunkenly undress Ford.
Senator Feinstein has been criticized for not handing the letter over to authorities or Congress earlier. Feinstein has responded that she was honoring Dr. Ford’s request of confidentiality.
Ford did not tell anyone about the incident until 2012, during a couples therapy session with her husband. Dr. Ford has provided the notes from therapy sessions in 2012 and 2013 in which she described experiencing an attempted rape while in high school. The notes do not name Kavanaugh specifically, but note the attackers were students from an elite boy’s school. Dr. Ford has also passed a polygraph test.
Deborah Ramirez, who attended Yale with Kavanaugh, has also accused the judge of sexual misconduct. Ramirez told the New Yorker that Kavanaugh exposed himself and thrust his penis in her face at a dorm room party when Ramirez was a freshman. Ramirez had previously hesitated to come forward because she had been drinking at the time of the incident and feared she would not be believed.
Since Ramirez and Fords’ allegations have become public, attorney Michael Avenatti has claimed he is representing a woman who has further information about Kavanaugh’s misconduct and that a third accuser will come forward in the next several days. Avenatti is known for representing Stormy Daniels, the adult film star who is suing President Trump.
Kavanaugh has denied all allegations, and promises that he won’t allow “false allegations” to kill his nomination. Recent polls have shown Kavanaugh to be the least popular Supreme Court nominee since Robert Bork in 1987, with only 34% of Americans supporting his confirmation.
Kavanaugh is scheduled to testify on Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding Dr. Ford’s allegations. Dr. Ford is also scheduled to testify. Kavanaugh’s nomination will be largely decided by senators considered to be “swing” votes, including Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins and Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski. Collins told reporters that she hasn’t made up her mind on how to vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation, and expects to make her decision after Thursday’s hearing.
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