Judge Brett Kavanaugh says he’s “not going anywhere,” in a very unusual public defense of his fitness to serve on the Supreme Court. He strongly denied allegations of sexual misconduct from Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez during a TV interview Monday night. He’s also facing new claims from a client of Stormy Daniels’ attorney, Michael Avenatti.
Avenatti says that he has a client who knew Kavanaugh in high school and accused him of setting up girls to be raped.
“When the American people hear from her, they will determine, as I have, that she is to be believed,” Avenatti said during a press conference Monday evening. Kavanaugh called that claim outrageous.
He has not identified the accuser yet but said that her name will be revealed within the next 48 hours. He offered some details on her background, including that she worked for the U.S. Mint, Justice Department and State Department.
President Trump accused Democrats of trying to “destroy” Kavanaugh with, “an array of False Accusations, the likes of which have never been seen before.” GOP leaders say they intend to continue with Thursday’s hearing as they investigate the allegations and despite the new accusations throwing the hearing in limbo, some Republicans said a vote could happen as early as Friday.
With his wife by his side, Kavanaugh pledged to clear his name Monday night, discussing for the first time whether he knew Ford.
“I may have met her, we did not travel in the same social circle, she was not a friend, not someone I knew,” Kavanaugh said.
He denied forcing himself on her or anyone and also denied Deborah Ramirez’s claim that he exposed himself to her at a Yale University party.
“I’ve never sexually assaulted anyone, not in high school, not ever,” Kavanaugh said.
Kavanaugh insisted that he was not a rowdy teen and claimed he was a virgin during the years in question.
“I was focused on academics and athletics and going to church every Sunday at Little Flower, working on my service projects and friendship,” Kavanaugh saud.
But his yearbook page repeatedly referenced drinking and in a statement, his former Yale roommate reportedly described Kavanaugh as “a notably heavy drinker” who “became aggressive and belligerent when he was very drunk.” The former Yale roommate James Roche admits he “did not observe” Ramirez’s account firsthand but that he believes her.
Kavanaugh’s wife Ashley said she has struggled to explain all of this to her kids.
“It’s really hard to believe….This is not consistent with Brett,” she said. “We told them at the very beginning of this process, this will be not be fun sometimes and just remember, you know your dad.”
President Trump is standing by his pick and top Republicans suggested Ford is part of a conspiracy.
“This shameful, shameful, smear campaign has hit a new low,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said.
Ford’s lawyers responded to McConnell’s remarks, saying they were “inconsistent” with the Senate Judiciary Committee’s pledge to provide Ford a “fair and credible” process.
© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
