Kavanaugh to Senate panel: ‘This confirmation process has become a national disgrace’

WASHINGTON – Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh told a Senate panel Thursday that allegations of sexual misconduct leveled against him over the past three weeks have made a mockery of the confirmation process.

“This confirmation process has become a national disgrace,” Kavanaugh angrily told the Senate Judiciary Committee. “The Constitution gives the Senate an important role in the confirmation process. But you have replaced advise and consent with search and destroy.”

Kavanaugh said the allegations came about as a result of “apparent pent-up anger about President Trump and the 2016 election.” He said other reasons for the allegations include “fear that has been unfairly stoked about my judicial record, revenge on behalf of the Clintons and millions of dollars in money from outside left-wing opposition groups.”

Kavanaugh’s testimony came about an hour after California psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford concluded her testimony and departed.

Earlier, Ford told the committee she is “one hundred percent” sure Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a high school party in the 1980s.

“Brett groped me and tried to take off my clothes. He had a hard time because he was so drunk, and because I was wearing a one-piece bathing suit under my clothes. I believed he was going to rape me. I tried to yell for help. When I did, Brett put his hand over my mouth to stop me from screaming,” Ford testified.

A defiant Kavanaugh reiterated that the allegation is false.

“That’s not who I am. It is not who I was. I am innocent of this charge,” he told the committee.

Kavanaugh said he believes Ford may have been sexually assaulted but insisted that he is not the perpetrator.

Kavanaugh, who frequently sipped water and sniffled as he seemed to be fighting back tears, went on to say he will be not be deterred by attacks from political opponents.

“No one can question your effort, but your coordinated and well-funded effort to destroy my good name and destroy my family will not drive me out,” he insisted. “The vile threats of violence against my family will not drive me out. You may defeat me in the final vote but you’ll never get me to quit. Never.”

Former Maricopa County, Ariz. sex crimes prosecutor Rachael Mitchell served as GOP counsel during the hearing.

She asked Kavanaugh detailed questions about Ford’s allegation.

“Have you ever been alone in a room with Dr. Ford and Mark Judge?,” Mitchell asked.

“No,” Kavanaugh replied.

“Have you ever ground or rubbed your genitals against Dr. Ford?,” Mitchell asked.

“No,” Kavanaugh responded.

Kavanaugh told Mitchell he never placed his hand over Ford’s mouth nor did he try to remove her bathing suit. Kavanaugh said he never even had any sort of consensual sexual relationship with Ford.

Kavanaugh has been hit with a second allegation of sexual misconduct brought by former Yale classmate Deborah Ramirez. She told the New Yorker in an article published Sunday that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at an on-campus party during the 1983-84 school year — when both she and Kavanaugh were freshmen.

On Wednesday, attorney Michael Avenatti released an affidavit related to a third allegation of sexual misconduct.

Julie Swetnick, 55, said she attended Gaithersburg High School in Maryland in the 1980s and knew Kavanaugh at that time, according to the affidavit. Swetnick said she saw Kavanaugh at several parties and witnessed him engage in sexually aggressive behavior toward women. Swetnick said Kavanaugh was present at a party in which she was drugged and gang-raped, according to the affidavit.

Swetnick did not accuse Kavanaugh of being involved in the rape.

Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.

This article is republished with permission from Talk Media News