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| 'You'll never get me to quit': Kavanaugh delivers angry rebuke to Senate panel | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| In an angry and emotional opening statement, embattled US supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has delivered an extraordinary rebuke of the sexual assault allegations against him while defiantly stating: “You’ll never get me to quit.” | |
| Testifying under oath at an historic Senate hearing on Thursday, Kavanaugh forcefully denied the allegations against him made by Dr Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of attempted rape in powerful testimony at the same hearing just hours earlier, and denied claims of sexual misconduct by two other women. | |
| “This confirmation process has become a national disgrace,” Kavanaugh told lawmakers on the Senate judiciary committee, vacillating between shouting and breaking down in tears. “You have replaced advise and consent with search and destroy.” | |
| “I’m here today to tell the truth: I’ve never sexually assaulted anyone: not in high school, not in college, never.” | |
| The federal judge’s remarks, which clocked in at roughly 45 minutes, followed Ford’s testimony and first public appearance since coming forward with the allegation that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when the two were teenagers more than three decades ago. | |
| With Kavanaugh’s confirmation to America’s highest bench hanging in the balance, Ford recounted in detail how she was allegedly forced into a bedroom by Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge, when they were teenagers in the early 1980s. | |
| Ford told of the agony of having to “relive this trauma in front of the world” at a hearing that resembled the saga that took place almost 30 years ago involving supreme court justice Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill, the woman who accused him of sexual harassment during his confirmation process. | |
| “I am here today not because I want to be. I am terrified,” said Ford, her voice cracking with emotion, in her appearance before the committee. | |
| “I am here because I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me while Brett Kavanaugh and I were in high school.” | “I am here because I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me while Brett Kavanaugh and I were in high school.” |
| Kavanaugh, Trump’s hardline conservative pick for the vacant seat on the supreme court, had been expected to sail through the confirmation process until Ford came forward earlier this month, followed by two other women who publicly accused him of sexual misconduct. | |
| Kavanaugh’s aggressive tone while appearing before the committee was remarkable for a nominee to the reputationally independent and nonpartisan supreme court. In addition to reiterating his previous denials, Kavanaugh spent much of his statement lambasting Democrats for trying to derail his nomination – echoing the defense put forth by the White House and Republicans in Congress. | |
| “This is a circus!” Kavanaugh shouted, adding: “The consequences will extend long past my nomination.” | |
| “This grotesque and coordinated character assassination will dissuade competence in good people of all political persuasions from serving our country.” | |
| Kavanaugh broke down at several turns in his testimony, namely while discussing the impact of the allegations on his family. | |
| “I am not questioning that Dr Ford may have been sexually assaulted by some person in some place at some time. But I have never done that to her or to anyone,” Kavanaugh said. | |
| Ford, a research psychologist from northern California, was the only woman called to testify. She recounted how Kavanaugh had allegedly groped her, tried to remove her clothes and covered her mouth to block her screams. | Ford, a research psychologist from northern California, was the only woman called to testify. She recounted how Kavanaugh had allegedly groped her, tried to remove her clothes and covered her mouth to block her screams. |
| “This was what terrified me the most, and has had the most lasting impact on my life,” Ford said. Several people in the room were moved to tears by Ford’s testimony, which was delivered with raw emotion and precision. | “This was what terrified me the most, and has had the most lasting impact on my life,” Ford said. Several people in the room were moved to tears by Ford’s testimony, which was delivered with raw emotion and precision. |
| At one stage, Ford was asked by Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat of Illinois, with what degree of certainty she could state that it was Kavanaugh who attacked her. | At one stage, Ford was asked by Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat of Illinois, with what degree of certainty she could state that it was Kavanaugh who attacked her. |
| “100%,” Ford replied. | “100%,” Ford replied. |
| When asked about her strongest memory of the incident, Ford replied: “The laughter, the uproarious laughter between the two, and their having fun at my expense.” | When asked about her strongest memory of the incident, Ford replied: “The laughter, the uproarious laughter between the two, and their having fun at my expense.” |
| In an indication of how closely Trump was watching the hearing, the White House confirmed that a crucial scheduled meeting between the president and deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, was postponed. | In an indication of how closely Trump was watching the hearing, the White House confirmed that a crucial scheduled meeting between the president and deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, was postponed. |
| “They do not want to do anything to interfere with the hearing,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said. | “They do not want to do anything to interfere with the hearing,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said. |
| The high stakes were further underscored by the tense atmosphere in the small hearing room. | |
| Acknowledging the threats received by both Ford, Kavanaugh, and their families since the allegations surfaced, the committee’s Republican chairman Chuck Grassley said the backlash was “unacceptable and a poor reflection on the state of civility in our democracy”. | |
| “I want to apologize to both of you for the treatment you’ve received,” he said. | “I want to apologize to both of you for the treatment you’ve received,” he said. |
| The partisan undertones of the hearing were nonetheless swiftly put on display, as Grassley chastised the process by which Ford’s allegations were brought to light. He accused his Democratic counterpart on the committee, California senator Dianne Feinstein, of withholding Ford’s account as “secret evidence”. | |
| Pointing out that the FBI had conducted several background checks on Kavanaugh to date, Grassley said: “Nowhere in any of these six FBI reports, which committee investigators have reviewed on a bipartisan basis, was there ever a whiff of any issue – at all – related in any way to inappropriate sexual behavior.” | Pointing out that the FBI had conducted several background checks on Kavanaugh to date, Grassley said: “Nowhere in any of these six FBI reports, which committee investigators have reviewed on a bipartisan basis, was there ever a whiff of any issue – at all – related in any way to inappropriate sexual behavior.” |
| Feinstein disputed Grassley’s version of events, stating she had sought to handle Ford’s allegations in a manner that would honor her initial request for confidentiality. | Feinstein disputed Grassley’s version of events, stating she had sought to handle Ford’s allegations in a manner that would honor her initial request for confidentiality. |
| If confirmed to the supreme court, Kavanaugh will shift the nine-justice bench in a decisively conservative direction, potentially reshaping social and cultural issues such as abortion, LGBT rights and immigration for decades to come. | |
| The Republicans on the committee, all of whom are men, delegated their questioning of Ford to an outside female prosecutor from Arizona, Rachel Mitchell. Four women serve on the committee on the Democratic side. | The Republicans on the committee, all of whom are men, delegated their questioning of Ford to an outside female prosecutor from Arizona, Rachel Mitchell. Four women serve on the committee on the Democratic side. |
| While Democrats focused on the impact the alleged assault had on Ford’s life, Mitchell instead conducted her line of questioning as though Ford was on trial in a court of law. The contrast raised doubts over the Republican strategy of bringing in an outside lawyer, whose emphasis at times appeared to be on unearthing potential inconsistencies in Ford’s account. | While Democrats focused on the impact the alleged assault had on Ford’s life, Mitchell instead conducted her line of questioning as though Ford was on trial in a court of law. The contrast raised doubts over the Republican strategy of bringing in an outside lawyer, whose emphasis at times appeared to be on unearthing potential inconsistencies in Ford’s account. |
| Even Fox News, the conservative network favored by Trump, was critical of the way the hearing had been handled during Ford’s testimony. | |
| “This is a disaster for the Republicans,” Fox host Chris Wallace said, while adding of Ford’s testimony: “This was extremely emotional, extremely raw and extremely credible.” | “This is a disaster for the Republicans,” Fox host Chris Wallace said, while adding of Ford’s testimony: “This was extremely emotional, extremely raw and extremely credible.” |
| Another Fox host, Brit Hume, said Ford came across as a “very sympathetic witness”. | Another Fox host, Brit Hume, said Ford came across as a “very sympathetic witness”. |
| Before the hearing, Republicans had cast doubt on Ford’s account and dismissed the allegations against Kavanaugh as part of a “smear campaign” orchestrated by Democrats to obstruct his nomination. Democrats have meanwhile said Kavanaugh should withdraw his nomination and called for an FBI investigation into the allegations. | Before the hearing, Republicans had cast doubt on Ford’s account and dismissed the allegations against Kavanaugh as part of a “smear campaign” orchestrated by Democrats to obstruct his nomination. Democrats have meanwhile said Kavanaugh should withdraw his nomination and called for an FBI investigation into the allegations. |
| Trump told reporters on Wednesday he believed the accusations against Kavanaugh were false, likening them to the sexual assault allegations made against him by as many as 19 women. | Trump told reporters on Wednesday he believed the accusations against Kavanaugh were false, likening them to the sexual assault allegations made against him by as many as 19 women. |
| “You have a man who is great, outstanding, but he has charges against him,” Trump said, adding: “It has happened to me many times.” | “You have a man who is great, outstanding, but he has charges against him,” Trump said, adding: “It has happened to me many times.” |
| In her testimony, Ford rebuked the notion that she was “acting out of political motivations”. | In her testimony, Ford rebuked the notion that she was “acting out of political motivations”. |
| “Those who say that do not know me. I am a fiercely independent person and I am no one’s pawn,” she said. | “Those who say that do not know me. I am a fiercely independent person and I am no one’s pawn,” she said. |
| “It is not my responsibility to determine whether Mr Kavanaugh deserves to sit on the supreme court. My responsibility is to tell the truth.” | “It is not my responsibility to determine whether Mr Kavanaugh deserves to sit on the supreme court. My responsibility is to tell the truth.” |
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