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Brett Kavanaugh launches into angry testimony and vows: 'You'll never get me to quit' – live updates | Brett Kavanaugh launches into angry testimony and vows: 'You'll never get me to quit' – live updates |
(35 minutes later) | |
Mitchell gets another five minutes. She moves onto Kavanaugh’s calendars from the summer of 1982. She asks him: “Is there anything [in the calendars] that could remotely fit Dr Ford’s allegations? | |
“No,” he responds. | |
She asks: “Are you aware that in Maryland there is no statute of limitations that would stop you from being charged?” | |
“Yes, that’s my understanding.” | |
Mitchell’s five minutes are up again. | |
We’re back on now. And Democratic senator Patrick Leahy begins by asking whether Kavanaugh wants Mark Judge called as a witness. | |
Kavanaugh says he has already provided sworn testimony and then the two get into a shouting match. | |
Leahy then asks whether a character in one of Judge’s books, who is portrayed passing out after excessive drinking, is based on Kavanaugh. | |
Kavanaugh says: “You’d have to ask him.” | |
“I agree with you there,” Leahy says. | |
Leahy then asks Kavanaugh about his his school yearbook. The two then get into another shouting match before Grassley intervenes. | |
Kavanaugh then defends his time in high school, without talking about the yearbook. | |
“I busted my butt in academics,” he says, before going into details about his participation in sports and other activities. | |
“If we want to sit here and discuss whether a supreme court nomination should be based on a high school year book, I think that takes us to new levels of absurdity,” Kavanugh says. | |
Leahy runs out of time, ands concludes: “We got a filibuster but no answer.” | |
A number of White House reporters are suggesting that Donald Trump was enthralled with Kavanaugh’s fierce, combative defence. | |
President Trump is "riveted" and telling people, "This is why I nominated him," in a positive way, per person close to him. Talking to lots of people inside WH about how he likes how Kavanaugh is fighting back. Admires the defiance. | |
He is already calling senators and demanding a vote. Confirmed. First one is Saturday at noon. https://t.co/ct810UpIjI | |
According to some reports, this form of aggressive testimony is exactly what Trump had called for. | |
From the NYT last night -- Trump has some advice for Kavanaugh: Be more aggressive, show more outrage, push back more. In other words, be more like Mr. Trump. https://t.co/RZy5UPltRN | |
While we’re on this break, it’s worth revisiting some of my colleagues’ reporting on Kavanaugh’s record with law clerks. | |
As part of his full-throated defense of his record promoting the careers and ambitions of women, both personally and professionally, Kavanaugh boasted of his record of selecting female clerks to work in his office. | |
“If confirmed, I’ll be the first justice in the history of the Supreme Court to have a group of all women law clerks. That is who I am,” he said. | |
But as the Guardian’s Stephanie Kirchgaessner and Jessica Glenza have reported, some of clerks were told by a Yale professor that their physical looks could help win a coveted spot in Kavanaugh’s legal chambers. | |
Mitchell then asks Kavanaugh about his drinking. He again concedes that he drank beer in his high school days, but says it was never to the point of “blacking out”. | |
Mitchell then asks about the specifics of Dr Ford’s allegations. He denies every one of them, ranging from being present in a room with and Judge, to him allegedly assaulting her, with a simple “no”. | |
Kavanaugh then requests a 15-minute break, and the committee accepts. | |
Feinstein immediately asks why Kavanaugh has not voiced a request to have the allegations investigated by the FBI. | Feinstein immediately asks why Kavanaugh has not voiced a request to have the allegations investigated by the FBI. |
He responds instantly by saying he wanted to come before the committee the day after Ford’s allegations were made public. | |
Feinstein presses him further about not submitting to an interview with the FBI. He interrupts and says: “You’re interviewing me. There’s no conclusions reached.” | Feinstein presses him further about not submitting to an interview with the FBI. He interrupts and says: “You’re interviewing me. There’s no conclusions reached.” |
He then instantly denies allegations made against him by three women: Ford, Ramierz and Swetnik. | |
He labels Swetnik’s allegations as “a joke. It’s a farce.” And declines to elaborate. | |
In that exchange, Kavanaugh confirms he knows all of the people Dr Ford suggests were present at the time of the assault. | In that exchange, Kavanaugh confirms he knows all of the people Dr Ford suggests were present at the time of the assault. |
Once again, Mitchell’s questions last just five minutes and she hands over to Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein. | Once again, Mitchell’s questions last just five minutes and she hands over to Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein. |
Senator Grassley straight away hands over to Rachel Mitchell. | Senator Grassley straight away hands over to Rachel Mitchell. |
She asks instantly about his relationship with Mark Judge. | She asks instantly about his relationship with Mark Judge. |
He describes him as a “great, funny guy” he describes his battles with additction and says he hasn’t spoken to Judge “in a couple of years”. | He describes him as a “great, funny guy” he describes his battles with additction and says he hasn’t spoken to Judge “in a couple of years”. |
Kavanaugh now goes on criticise Democrats on the committee. He points to other ways he claims they have destroyed his life. | Kavanaugh now goes on criticise Democrats on the committee. He points to other ways he claims they have destroyed his life. |
“I love teaching law. But thanks to what some of you on this side of the committee I may never be able to teach again,” he says. | “I love teaching law. But thanks to what some of you on this side of the committee I may never be able to teach again,” he says. |
Of his coaching of his daughter’s basketball team, he says: “I love coaching more than anything more than anything I‘ve ever done in my whole life. But thanks to what some of you on this side of the committee have unleashed, I may never be able to coach again.” | Of his coaching of his daughter’s basketball team, he says: “I love coaching more than anything more than anything I‘ve ever done in my whole life. But thanks to what some of you on this side of the committee have unleashed, I may never be able to coach again.” |
He concludes his remarks by arguing: “We live in a country devoted to due process and the rule of law. That means taking allegations seriously. But if an allegation … from 36 years ago, is enough to destroy a persons career we will have abandoned … due process.” | He concludes his remarks by arguing: “We live in a country devoted to due process and the rule of law. That means taking allegations seriously. But if an allegation … from 36 years ago, is enough to destroy a persons career we will have abandoned … due process.” |
He adds: “My family and I intend no ill will to Dr Ford and her family. I swear before the nation and God I am innocent of this charge.” | He adds: “My family and I intend no ill will to Dr Ford and her family. I swear before the nation and God I am innocent of this charge.” |
Kavanugh’s opening remarks are still going. He now talks about his character as a high school student. | Kavanugh’s opening remarks are still going. He now talks about his character as a high school student. |
He acknowledges his drinking in youth but adds: “There is a bright line between drinking beer - which I gladly do and fully embrace, and sexual assault. I never committed sexual assault.” | He acknowledges his drinking in youth but adds: “There is a bright line between drinking beer - which I gladly do and fully embrace, and sexual assault. I never committed sexual assault.” |
He concedes: “As high school students we sometimes did goofy and stupid things.” And he talks about his high school yearbook: “This past week, my friends and I have cringed when we read about it and talked to each other.” | He concedes: “As high school students we sometimes did goofy and stupid things.” And he talks about his high school yearbook: “This past week, my friends and I have cringed when we read about it and talked to each other.” |
He refers to one high school friend who was referred to crudely in the book as an “alumnus” of a number of male pupils. “The media has interpreted this as related to sex,” he says, saying they are incorrect. “I’m so sorry to her for that yearbook reference.” | He refers to one high school friend who was referred to crudely in the book as an “alumnus” of a number of male pupils. “The media has interpreted this as related to sex,” he says, saying they are incorrect. “I’m so sorry to her for that yearbook reference.” |
He then moves on to talk about his sexual history: “As to sex, this is not a topic I ever imagined would ever come up at a judicial hearing.” | He then moves on to talk about his sexual history: “As to sex, this is not a topic I ever imagined would ever come up at a judicial hearing.” |
He reiterates that he did not have sex until “many years after” he left college. | He reiterates that he did not have sex until “many years after” he left college. |
He concedes: “In some crowds I was a little outwardly shy of my experience, at the time I was inwardly proud of it.” | He concedes: “In some crowds I was a little outwardly shy of my experience, at the time I was inwardly proud of it.” |