High-stakes hearing set for Kavanaugh amid new accusation

WASHINGTON — A high-stakes hearing into the character of U.S. Supreme Court pick Brett Kavanaugh will unfold Thursday, a day after fresh allegations of sexual misconduct were leveled by a third woman, prompting immediate denials by the nominee.

The new allegations rocked the already circus-like atmosphere surrounding the confirmation of Kavanaugh, whose nomination now teeters on the votes of several moderate senators who will play an outsized role in the final vote that could come in just days.

As the new allegations were unveiled, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee asked President Donald Trump to withdraw Kavanaugh’s nomination, or call for a full background investigation into the accusations before the process moves forward.

Trump scoffed at the Democrats’ demand, and doubled down on his support for Kavanaugh, an appellate judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District Columbia. He called the allegations a “con game” that is ruining the reputation of an honorable man.

“These are all false, to me, these are false accusations in certain cases,” Trump said during a news conference in New York where he attended meetings at the United Nations. “I can only say that what they’ve done to this man is incredible.”

At one point, the president said that Democrats would “100 percent” not vote for George Washington if Trump nominated him for the Supreme Court.

The president claimed to have an open mind about Ford’s charges, even as he spoke skeptically about two other women who launched similar accusations this week.

“When you’re guilty until proven innocent, it’s not supposed to be that way,” Trump lamented.

Trump, however, said he would watch the hearing and is open to “changing my mind” if Ford’s testimony is credible.

Allegations against Kavanaugh

The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing called by Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, will focus only on the claims made by Christine Blasey Ford, a university research psychologist who said a drunken Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her during a Washington suburb house party when they were teenagers.

Kavanaugh denied the Ford charges and those by another woman, Deborah Ramirez, a classmate at Yale University, who claimed he exposed himself to her while the two were drunk at a dorm party.

In a bold step, Kavanaugh agreed to a Fox television interview to deny the charges, claiming he remained a virgin through high school and many years thereafter. Kavanaugh was interviewed with his wife, Ashley, sitting next to him.

Following the TV appearance, a third woman, Julie Swetnick, a client of lawyer Michael Avenatti, who also represents adult film star Stormy Daniels, came forward Wednesday with claims that Kavanaugh and a high school friend were present when teenaged girls were gang raped.

Below is my correspondence to Mr. Davis of moments ago, together with a sworn declaration from my client. We demand an immediate FBI investigation into the allegations. Under no circumstances should Brett Kavanaugh be confirmed absent a full and complete investigation. pic.twitter.com/QHbHBbbfbE

— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) September 26, 2018

The charges leveled by Swetnick included the use of drugs and alcohol to lure girls into gang-rape situations — an allegation immediately denied by Kavanaugh.

“This is ridiculous and from the Twilight Zone. I don’t know who this is and this never happened,” Kavanaugh said in a statement issued through the White House.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a member of the committee, said that “just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, it just did.”

“The lawyer to porn stars has just taken this debacle to an even lower level,” Graham said.

In New York, Trump also attacked Avenatti, calling him a third-rate lawyer to Democrats. “A total low-life.”

Avenatti called Trump “an habitual liar and complete narcissist who also is a disgrace as president and an embarrassment to our nation.” The lawyer noted that Trump’s denial of an affair with Daniels and hush money led to the downfall of private attorney Michael Cohen.

‘Not a political sideshow’

Despite the swirling charges and countercharges, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the hearing would go forward Thursday and that a woman lawyer has been retained by the all white male GOP majority of the committee to question Ford.

“We have hired a female assistant to go on staff and ask these questions in a respectful way,” McConnell said.

The Republican leader said he wanted the hearing to be handled “professionally, not a political sideshow.”

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., speaking on CNN, said it was up to senators, not lawyers, to ask questions in their role to advise and consent on presidential nominations to the high court.

“It is our role to ask the questions,” Cortez Masto said.

Grassley said committee lawyers were looking into the new allegations. He has called for a committee vote on the nomination on Friday, setting up a potential full Senate vote on the confirmation as early as this weekend.

Ironically, Thursday’s hearing will be held on the 27th anniversary of the committee’s vote on the nomination of Clarence Thomas, who had been accused of sexual harassment by a former subordinate, Anita Hill.

Republicans hold a slim 51-49 majority in the Senate. They can afford to lose only one Republican lawmaker to win a tie-breaker with Vice President Mike Pence if Democrats vote as a bloc, which also is in question.

Most lawmakers in the Senate, including Cortez Masto and Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., have lined up along party lines.

Heller praised Kavanaugh for his judicial record following a meeting with the jurist in July. Cortez Masto announced her opposition last week, citing judicial philosophy.

Neither sit on the Judiciary Committee.

Senate moderates hold the key to the nomination. Two Republicans, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, have called on the committee and the Senate to hear out the allegations made by Ford.

And Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., a frequent critic of Trump and a lawmaker not seeking re-election, went to the Senate floor Wednesday to admonish his colleagues for turning the confirmation process into political game that encourages harsh divisive actions. He said he was still undecided on the nomination.

While the focus remains on the Republicans, several Democrats in states won by Trump in 2016 have yet to come out against the Kavanaugh nomination. Those include Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Joe Donnelly of Indiana and Bill Nelson of Florida.

Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7390. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter. Staff writer Debra J. Saunders contributed to this report.