Kavanaugh Releases New Statement Day Before Hearing. He Isn't Backing Down.
On Thursday, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee over allegations of sexual misconduct.
According to a statement prepared by Kavanaugh and released by committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, Kavanaugh remains undaunted, with an “unequivocally” and “categorically” firm denial of the allegations against him
In the statement, Kavanaugh started off by denying allegations by University of Palo Alto Professor Christine Blasey Ford that he sexually assaulted her when both Kavanaugh and Ford were still in high school.
He wrote “Eleven days ago, Dr. Ford publicly accused me of committing a serious wrong more than 36 years ago when we were both in high school. I denied the allegation immediately, unequivocally, and categorically.”
Brett Kavanaugh says he 'never sexually assaulted anyone,' in prepared hearing remarks https://t.co/E4TNaQFHYD
— Fox News Politics (@foxnewspolitics) September 26, 2018
Kavanaugh then addressed other sexual misconduct allegations from two more women saying, “Over the past few days, other false and uncorroborated accusations have been aired.”
“There has been a frenzy,” he continued, “to come up with something — anything, no matter how far-fetched or odious — that will block a vote on my nomination. These are last-minute smears, pure and simple. They debase our public discourse. And the consequences extend beyond any one nomination. Such grotesque and obvious character assassination — if allowed to succeed — will dissuade competent and good people of all political persuasions from serving our country.”
Kavanaugh added that he would not withdraw his nomination due to the allegations. He reaffirmed his belief that a judge should be “independent” and “not swayed by public or political pressure.”
He continued, saying that sexual assault is “horrific,” “wrong,” and “illegal,” and goes against his “religious faith.” “Allegations of sexual assault,” he added, “must be taken seriously. Those who make allegations deserve to be heard. The subject of allegations also deserves to be heard. Due process is a foundation of the American rule of law.”
The statement continued with Kavanaugh acknowledging he wasn’t perfect during high school. There were some things he did, he said, that make him “cringe” now. However, sexual assault is not one of them.
He says, “What I’ve been accused of is far more serious than juvenile misbehavior. I never did anything remotely resembling what Dr. Ford describes.”
Kavanaugh added that from his days in grade school up until now, he has “always promoted the equality and dignity of women.”
He concluded by reaffirming his innocence saying, “I categorically and unequivocally deny the allegation against me by Dr. Ford. I never had any sexual or physical encounter of any kind with Dr. Ford.
“I am not questioning that Dr. Ford may have been sexually assaulted by some person in some place at some time,” he continued. “But I have never done that to her or to anyone. I am innocent of this charge.”
Ford is now one of three women who have come forward with allegations against the nominee.
The most recent was identified as Julie Swetnick a client of porn star Stormy Daniels’ attorney Michael Avenatti, who released a statement Wednesday claiming that Kavanaugh engaged in drunken, abusive behavior toward girls when he was in high school, according to USA Today. She claimed she witnessed Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge get teenage girls “inebriated and disoriented so that they could then be ‘gang raped,'” USA reported.
She claimed that she was gang raped at one such party where Kavanaugh was present, according to The Wall Street Journal. She did not accuse Kavanaugh or Judge of assaulting her, the newspaper reported.
On Wednesday, according to the New York Post, Kavanaugh denied the allegation from Swetnick saying, “This is ridiculous and from the Twilight Zone. I don’t know who this is and this never happened.”
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
