Brett Kavanaugh testimony: Defiant supreme court nominee launches defence to sexual misconduct allegations

Brett Kavanaugh has denied all allegations against him
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Jacob Jarvis27 September 2018

Brett Kavanaugh said his reputation had been “totally and permanently destroyed” as he defended himself against allegations of sexual misconduct on Thursday.

The Supreme Court nominee, who was put forward for a vacant position by Donald Trump, spoke to the senate judiciary committee after his accuser Christine Blasey Ford.

He said he had "never had any sexual or physical encounter of any kind" with Dr Ford and the process of his confirmation had become a “national disgrace”.

In addition to this, he said that he is not questioning whether Dr Ford was sexually assaulted but that he did not do that to her.

Mr Kavanaugh called himself a victim of "grotesque and obvious character assassination" and said he "unequivocally and categorically" denied Ford's allegation.

Dr Ford has alleged that a drunken Mr Kavanaugh attacked her and tried to remove her clothing at a gathering of teenagers in Maryland, stating she was "100 per cent" sure it was him.

Brett Kavanaugh is speaking to the Senate Judiciary Committee
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This was when he was 17 years old and she was 15 in 1982.

As well as denying this Mr Kavanaugh labelled other accusations of sexual misconduct also from the 1980s made by two additional women "vicious and false".

"I will not be intimidated into withdrawing from this process," Mr Kavanaugh said.

"I have never done this to her or to anyone.

"You may defeat me in the final vote, but you'll never get me to quit, never."

The judge said he never imagined the topic of sex would come up in a confirmation hearing and told lawmakers he never had sexual intercourse during high school or for many years after that.

As well as this, he said the committee has a letter from 65 women who knew him in high school.

In this, he stated they said he always treated them with dignity and respect.

He said that letter came together in one night 35 years after graduation and those who wrote in it knew they would be vilified if they defended him.

 Martha Kavanaugh listens to her son, Brett Kavanaugh testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee
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His wife, Ashley, and mother, Martha, watched Mr Kavanaugh testify.

The latter had tears in her eyes.

Mr Kavanaugh himself was close to tears when he mentioned his mother and daughter and, later, his father.

He also told the panel that he feels part of the reason for the allegations is anger by some about Mr Trump and the 2016 US presidential election.

He also feels they could have been made out of revenge on "behalf of the Clintons"

US Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh is sworn in before testifying 
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In the 1990s, Mr Kavanaugh, was a member of the team that investigated President Bill Clinton as part of special prosecutor Kenneth Starr's investigation.

The report led to Mr Clinton's impeachment process, though he was not removed from office.

Continuing on political talk, he took aim at the Democrats and blamed them for the fraught environment stemming from the allegations of sexual misconduct made.

The 53-year-old nominee gestured to the Democrats seated to his right when he said: "Thanks to what some of you on this side of the committee have unleashed, I may never be able to teach again."

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