September 27, 2018
Hearing to consider the nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh (Judge, US Court of Appeals, DC Circuit) to be an Associate Justice, Supreme Court. Focuses on allegations by Christine B. Ford that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in 1982 when both were high school students. WITNESS STATEMENTS AND DISCUSSION: Adverse personal experiences concerning 1982 alleged sexual assault by Kavanaugh. Refutation of Ford allegations of sexual assault.
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT: In early July 2018, after Judge Kavanaugh was reported to be on President Trump's short list to become a Supreme Court Associate Justice, Ford contacted both The Washington Post and her Representative, Anna Eshoo, and alleged that Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her years earlier. On July 9, the same day that Kavanaugh was announced as the Supreme Court nominee, Eshoo contacted Ford to arrange a meeting to discuss the allegations. After reviewing the situation with Ford, Eshoo contacted Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif), who is one of Ford's Senators in California and the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which would deliberate Kavanaugh's nomination. In a letter sent to Sen. Feinstein, Ford stated that Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her when both were high school students, and she requested that the letter be kept confidential. On Sept. 13, following Kavanaugh's Sept. 4-7 nomination hearings but prior to his confirmation vote, Feinstein announced that she was referring certain information received about Kavanaugh to the FBI. After the media began reporting the existence of the letter and reporters started to track down her identity, Ford decided to speak out publicly about her claims. The Senate Judiciary Committee subsequently invited Ford to testify at a Committee hearing regarding her allegations against Kavanaugh, with Kavanaugh also invited to respond to the allegations.
