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| Version 16 | Version 17 |
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| Everything on Brett Kavanaugh, the Accusations and the Fallout | Everything on Brett Kavanaugh, the Accusations and the Fallout |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Updated Sept. 27 | Updated Sept. 27 |
| President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee and the woman who accused him of sexual assault at a high school party appeared separately before a Senate committee on Thursday to share emotional and contradictory accounts of what happened decades ago. | President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee and the woman who accused him of sexual assault at a high school party appeared separately before a Senate committee on Thursday to share emotional and contradictory accounts of what happened decades ago. |
| “I believed he was going to rape me,” the woman, Christine Blasey Ford, told the committee in discussing her harrowing account of assault. | “I believed he was going to rape me,” the woman, Christine Blasey Ford, told the committee in discussing her harrowing account of assault. |
| “This is a circus,” the nominee, Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, said in denying her allegations at the hearing, which was being watched live by Americans across the country. | |
| After the hearing ended, Mr. Trump praised Judge Kavanaugh, attacked Democrats and implored the Senate to vote. | After the hearing ended, Mr. Trump praised Judge Kavanaugh, attacked Democrats and implored the Senate to vote. |
| “Judge Kavanaugh showed America exactly why I nominated him. His testimony was powerful, honest, and riveting,” the president said on Twitter. “The Senate must vote!” | “Judge Kavanaugh showed America exactly why I nominated him. His testimony was powerful, honest, and riveting,” the president said on Twitter. “The Senate must vote!” |
| Several women have made accusations of sexual misconduct against Judge Kavanaugh. Here’s a guide to the latest coverage from The Times. | |
| ____ | ____ |
| On Thursday, Dr. Blasey gave stirring testimony about the terror she felt on a summer day more than 30 years ago when, she said, a drunken teenage Kavanaugh pinned her on a bed, tried to rip her clothes off and clapped his hand over mouth as she pleaded for help. | |
| Sitting in the same seat a few hours later, Judge Kavanaugh delivered a blistering defense, denouncing a partisan “frenzy” bent on destroying his nomination, his family and his good name. | |
| The contrast between their demeanors was stark. While Dr. Blasey was at times deferential, even solicitous, Judge Kavanaugh was bristling with outrage and grievance. | |
| On the internet, donations came pouring in to a GoFundMe campaign set up on behalf of Dr. Blasey after she mentioned it in the hearing room. And on television, C-Span became an unlikely town square for everyday people to share their deeply personal reactions to the unfolding drama. | |
| We heard from dozens of readers on Thursday who identified themselves as trauma victims and said they struggled with their own memories as Dr. Blasey shared her story. | |
| Dr. Blasey was the first to accuse Judge Kavanaugh, but she was not alone. In all, three women have come forward publicly in recent days with allegations against him, while two additional anonymous accusations surfaced on Wednesday, one of which was later recanted. | Dr. Blasey was the first to accuse Judge Kavanaugh, but she was not alone. In all, three women have come forward publicly in recent days with allegations against him, while two additional anonymous accusations surfaced on Wednesday, one of which was later recanted. |
| At the hearing on Thursday, Dr. Blasey repeated her accusation that Judge Kavanaugh pinned her down at a high school party, tried to take off her clothes and covered her mouth to keep her from screaming. In telling her story, Dr. Blasey came across as an Everywoman — an Everywoman with a Ph.D. (Read our profile of her.) | At the hearing on Thursday, Dr. Blasey repeated her accusation that Judge Kavanaugh pinned her down at a high school party, tried to take off her clothes and covered her mouth to keep her from screaming. In telling her story, Dr. Blasey came across as an Everywoman — an Everywoman with a Ph.D. (Read our profile of her.) |
| This week, The New Yorker reported that Deborah Ramirez, who works for the Boulder County housing department in Colorado and sits on the board of a domestic violence organization, said that Judge Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at a drunken college party. (Here’s our profile of her.) | This week, The New Yorker reported that Deborah Ramirez, who works for the Boulder County housing department in Colorado and sits on the board of a domestic violence organization, said that Judge Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at a drunken college party. (Here’s our profile of her.) |
| Then, on Wednesday, Julie Swetnick, who has held a variety of public- and private-sector jobs, including working for federal government agencies, said that Judge Kavanaugh was “present” when she was raped at a high school party. | Then, on Wednesday, Julie Swetnick, who has held a variety of public- and private-sector jobs, including working for federal government agencies, said that Judge Kavanaugh was “present” when she was raped at a high school party. |
| One name has come up in multiple accusations: Mark Judge, one of Judge Kavanaugh’s high school friends. Dr. Blasey and Ms. Swetnick have both named Mr. Judge as being present at the time. Here’s what we know about him. | One name has come up in multiple accusations: Mark Judge, one of Judge Kavanaugh’s high school friends. Dr. Blasey and Ms. Swetnick have both named Mr. Judge as being present at the time. Here’s what we know about him. |
| In an anonymous letter sent to a Republican senator, a woman said her daughter witnessed Judge Kavanaugh drunkenly push her friend, whom he was dating, against a wall after they left a Washington bar one night in 1998. | In an anonymous letter sent to a Republican senator, a woman said her daughter witnessed Judge Kavanaugh drunkenly push her friend, whom he was dating, against a wall after they left a Washington bar one night in 1998. |
| Although he admitted on Wednesday to having regrets about his choices in high school, Judge Kavanaugh has adamantly denied the allegations. He defended himself, tearfully and angrily, again at the Thursday hearing. | Although he admitted on Wednesday to having regrets about his choices in high school, Judge Kavanaugh has adamantly denied the allegations. He defended himself, tearfully and angrily, again at the Thursday hearing. |
| Rumors have also started circulating about the accusers’ allegations. We debunk five viral ones here. | Rumors have also started circulating about the accusers’ allegations. We debunk five viral ones here. |
| [Make sense of the people, issues and ideas shaping the 2018 elections with our new politics newsletter. Here’s our latest one on Wednesday’s news.] | [Make sense of the people, issues and ideas shaping the 2018 elections with our new politics newsletter. Here’s our latest one on Wednesday’s news.] |
| ____ | ____ |
| Republicans have suggested that the claims are part of a smear campaign, with Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina telling reporters on Thursday that he felt “ambushed” by Democrats. | Republicans have suggested that the claims are part of a smear campaign, with Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina telling reporters on Thursday that he felt “ambushed” by Democrats. |
| “Their only goal, not Ms. Ford’s goal, is to delay this past the midterms so they can win the Senate and never allow Trump to fill this seat,” he said in an angry monologue. | “Their only goal, not Ms. Ford’s goal, is to delay this past the midterms so they can win the Senate and never allow Trump to fill this seat,” he said in an angry monologue. |
| Earlier in the week, Judge Kavanaugh took the extraordinary measure of defending himself in a Fox News interview, the first time in memory that a Supreme Court nominee sat for a televised interview before a confirmation vote. | Earlier in the week, Judge Kavanaugh took the extraordinary measure of defending himself in a Fox News interview, the first time in memory that a Supreme Court nominee sat for a televised interview before a confirmation vote. |
| Conservatives are divided over how to proceed. The nomination itself rests on the votes of a few Senate Republicans, and one of them, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, warned not to prejudge the allegations. | Conservatives are divided over how to proceed. The nomination itself rests on the votes of a few Senate Republicans, and one of them, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, warned not to prejudge the allegations. |
| Some Republican women running for the House have calibrated their responses to the allegations against Judge Kavanaugh to avoid alienating female voters. | Some Republican women running for the House have calibrated their responses to the allegations against Judge Kavanaugh to avoid alienating female voters. |
| For good reason, too. In battleground districts, voters are deeply divided on the nomination. | For good reason, too. In battleground districts, voters are deeply divided on the nomination. |
| As Judge Kavanaugh’s high school and college years have come under scrutiny, a common theme has emerged with respect to the accusations: heavy drinking and a culture that some describe as disrespectful to women. | As Judge Kavanaugh’s high school and college years have come under scrutiny, a common theme has emerged with respect to the accusations: heavy drinking and a culture that some describe as disrespectful to women. |
| The sensitivity of the situation, particularly in the #MeToo era, is not lost on the 11 Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, all of them white men. They retained a female prosecutor to help question one of the accusers, Dr. Blasey, at the Thursday hearing. Here’s what we know about that prosecutor, Rachel Mitchell. | The sensitivity of the situation, particularly in the #MeToo era, is not lost on the 11 Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, all of them white men. They retained a female prosecutor to help question one of the accusers, Dr. Blasey, at the Thursday hearing. Here’s what we know about that prosecutor, Rachel Mitchell. |
| ____ | ____ |
| The allegations activated liberals, who held rallies and participated in walkouts on Monday, ahead of a planned day of action on Thursday. Survivors of abuse have also rallied around a new hashtag, #WhyIDidntReport, to highlight the difficulties, fear, anger and shame that so often surround sexual harassment and assault. | The allegations activated liberals, who held rallies and participated in walkouts on Monday, ahead of a planned day of action on Thursday. Survivors of abuse have also rallied around a new hashtag, #WhyIDidntReport, to highlight the difficulties, fear, anger and shame that so often surround sexual harassment and assault. |
| “I believe her,” Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, who has emerged as a leading Democratic defender of the women who have accused Judge Kavanaugh, said of Dr. Blasey’s accusation. (She is a member of the Judiciary Committee.) | “I believe her,” Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, who has emerged as a leading Democratic defender of the women who have accused Judge Kavanaugh, said of Dr. Blasey’s accusation. (She is a member of the Judiciary Committee.) |
| The political stakes are high, with some Democrats hoping that the derailment of Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation could buy them time to win back the Senate in the November midterm elections, and, consequently, gain control over the confirmation of Mr. Trump’s next nominee. | The political stakes are high, with some Democrats hoping that the derailment of Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation could buy them time to win back the Senate in the November midterm elections, and, consequently, gain control over the confirmation of Mr. Trump’s next nominee. |
| ____ | ____ |
| Many have seen parallels between the accusations facing Judge Kavanaugh today and the ones from Anita Hill, who accused Justice Clarence Thomas of sexual misconduct during his Supreme Court confirmation process more than a quarter-century ago. | Many have seen parallels between the accusations facing Judge Kavanaugh today and the ones from Anita Hill, who accused Justice Clarence Thomas of sexual misconduct during his Supreme Court confirmation process more than a quarter-century ago. |
| Read more about her testimony and key moments from Judge Thomas’s hearings, and listen to an episode from The Daily that revisits it. Ms. Hill, now a professor at Brandeis University, weighed in herself, writing in a New York Times Op-Ed that, this time around, the Senate Judiciary Committee can “do better.” | Read more about her testimony and key moments from Judge Thomas’s hearings, and listen to an episode from The Daily that revisits it. Ms. Hill, now a professor at Brandeis University, weighed in herself, writing in a New York Times Op-Ed that, this time around, the Senate Judiciary Committee can “do better.” |
| Before the hearing advisers said that Dr. Blasey and Judge Kavanaugh faced different challenges. For Dr. Blasey, an unknown figure, details mattered. For Judge Kavanaugh, he needed to defend himself, but not attack his accuser. |