Brett Kavanaugh hearing: Trump tweets support for nominee as hearing ends after Christine Ford says she is '100%' sure judge assaulted her
Dr Christine Ford tells senate she thought Brett Kavanaugh was 'going to rape and accidentally kill' her as Supreme Court judge says his wife and family have been left 'destroyed' by false allegations
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
Christine Ford has told Congress that she believed Brett Kavanaugh was "going to rape her" in dramatic testimony over her sexual assault allegation against Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee.
Dr Ford said she was "100 per cent" sure it was Mr Kavanaugh who assaulted her.
Later, Mr Kavanaugh appeared in front of the same Senate panel, the judiciary committee, and denied the allegations calling the hearing a "circus". He said he believed Dr Ford had been assaulted at some point, but not by him.
Dr Ford said she was "terrified" of testifying, but that she believes it is her "civic duty". Before she began Senator Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, commended her on coming forward.
The clash pitted her word against his. Members of the Senate, controlled 51-49 by Trump's fellow Republicans, must now decide whether to vote to confirm him after the extraordinary nearly nine-hour-long hearing. Senate Republicans planned to meet on Thursday night to discuss the next steps on the nomination.
“I swear today, under oath, before the Senate and the nation, before my family and God, I am innocent of this charge,” Mr Kavanaugh told the Judiciary Committee later.
Calling himself a victim of “grotesque and obvious character assassination,” Mr Kavanaugh, speaking passionately, said he “unequivocally and categorically” denied Dr Ford's allegation.
“I will not be intimidated into withdrawing from this process,” Mr Kavanaugh added.
Writing on Twitter after the hearing, President Donald Trump said of Mr Kavanaugh, “His testimony was powerful, honest, and riveting. Democrats' search and destroy strategy is disgraceful and this process has been a total sham and effort to delay, obstruct, and resist. The Senate must vote!”
"I'm not questioning that Dr Ford may have been sexually assaulted by some person, in some place, at some time," Mr Kavanaugh asserts, adding "I am innocent of this charge."
He chokes up speaking about his ten-year old daughter Liza as he described her saying "we should pray" for Dr Ford.
He takes a moment to pause and gather himself.
Mr Kavanaugh mentions the "six separate" background investigations over the last 26 years of his career
He has worked for Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, special prosecutor Ken Starr who investigated Monica Lewinsky's allegations about President Bill Clinton, and in the White House under George W Bush.
Mr Kavanaugh called the confirmation process a "national disgrace"
Mr Kavanaugh details his entire career in public service.
"I have been a good judge...31 hours of meetings, 65 meetings with Senators, 1200 written questions," Mr Kavanaugh said of what he has gone through in his confirmation process.
"There was never a hint of anything of this kind...that's because of this kind has ever happened"
He once again "categorically, unequivocally" denies being the person who assaulted Dr Ford.
It is possible someone had accused Mr Kavanaugh aside from Dr Ford, but may not have done that publicly.
Again he referenced Ms Kayser and his "two male friends who were allegedly there," saying they said he "would never do anything like this".
He denies being at the house Dr Ford described because "none of those people nor I lived near the" Columbia Country Club.
Mr Kavanaugh said Dr Ford could not drive in the summer of 1982 and noted she did not know how she had come to be at the house in question or how she had gotten home that night.
"The event described by Dr Ford presumably happened on a weekend" and he referenced calendars he had kept of his life at the time and said he was "out of town" most of the weekends that summer due to "football training camp" and a golf outing with his father.
Mr Kavanaugh again pauses to gather himself.
"There was no room for parties" during the "brutal" football training schedule, Mr Kavanaugh said. d
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments