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Kavanaugh: “I Will Not Be Intimidated”
Brett Kavanaugh sent a letter to the Republican and Democrat leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday. In it, he calls the allegations against him “smears, pure and simple” and “grotesque and obvious character assassination.”
He also restated his intention to follow through on his nomination. “I will not be intimidated into withdrawing from this process,” Kavanaugh writes. “The coordinated effort to destroy my good name will not drive me out. The vile threats of violence against my family will not drive me out. The last-minute character assassination will not succeed.” Below is the text in full.
Published in GeneralDear Chairman Grassley and Ranking Member Feinstein:
When I testified in front of the Senate three weeks ago, I explained my belief that fair process is foundational to justice and to our democracy.
At that time, I sat before the Senate Judiciary Committee for more than 31 hours and answered questions under oath. I then answered more questions at a confidential session. The following week, I responded to more than 1,200 written questions, more than have been submitted to all previous Supreme Court nominees combined.
Only after that exhaustive process was complete did I learn, through the news media, about a 36-year-old allegation from high school that had been asserted months earlier and withheld from me throughout the hearing process. First it was an anonymous allegation that I categorically and unequivocally denied. Soon after the accuser was identified, I repeated my denial on the record and made clear that I wished to appear before the Committee. I then repeated my denial to Committee investigators—under criminal penalties for false statements. All of the witnesses identified by Dr. Ford as being present at the party she describes are on the record to the Committee saying they have no recollection of any such party happening. I asked to testify before the Committee again under oath as soon as possible, so that both Dr. Ford and I could both be heard. I thank Chairman Grassley for scheduling that hearing for Thursday.
Last night, another false and uncorroborated accusation from 35 years ago was published. Once again, those alleged to have been witnesses to the event deny it ever happened. There is now a frenzy to come up with something—anything—that will block this process and a vote on my confirmation from occurring.
These are smears, pure and simple. And they debase our public discourse. But they are also a threat to any man or woman who wishes to serve our country. Such grotesque and obvious character assassination—if allowed to succeed—will dissuade competent and good people of all political persuasions from service.
As I told the Committee during my hearing, a federal judge must be independent, not swayed by public or political pressure. That is the kind of judge I will always be. I will not be intimidated into withdrawing from this process. The coordinated effort to destroy my good name will not drive me out. The vile threats of violence against my family will not drive me out. The last-minute character assassination will not succeed.
I have devoted my career to serving the public and the cause of justice, and particularly to promoting the equality and dignity of women. Women from every phase of my life have come forward to attest to my character. I am grateful to them. I owe it to them, and to my family, to defend my integrity and my name. I look forward to answering questions from the Senate on Thursday.
Sincerely,
Brett M. Kavanaugh
Brett Kavanaugh was really great on Fox News tonight.
I think that he is going to pull this off.
I couldn’t be happier.
Kavanaugh’s letter is excellent. He said everything he needed to say, and he did so eloquently.
If the Republicans get him across the finish line, and I believe they will, we can look forward to very well written and clear opinions.
We all recall how Mike Pence’s failure to be a womanizer made him a woman-hater, to the left. That being said, the abstinence thing can’t really hurt Kavanaugh at this point, except for those who will take it as proof of his dishonesty. There are an awful lot of people who just flat-out won’t believe that a man would contain himself for that long.
I think the real analysis is that there is only One Big Money Party. Most Dems are part of that party, and so are most Republicans. Once in a while, you encounter a few players that want to do the right thing. A lot of Republican Senators are on the fence regarding the Kavanaugh issue, as
One) they are politicians and are probably being told by staffers that the #MeToo movement is a real thing, and if they value their careers, they shouldn’t get on those lovely women’s wrong side
and
Two) They don’t care for Trump at all, and only by Trump getting Kavanaugh on the bench will the President have someone who can cast a deciding vote to save his Presidency should the Dems succeed in getting the US House come November.
Trump’s very existence is an insult to those in the One Big Money Party. After all, he abhors the trade agreements; he wants to keep immigration new arrivals at record lows; he also has no fondness for the US Federal Reserve. Even younger voters are catching on that he might be doing good thing for Middle America: this past Saturday, Greg Gutfield was mentioning that they like his policies but not his style. (Although I forget the polling org that came up with that fact.)
All my leftist and semi-leftist friends are flooding the zone with “believe all women” tripe. None of them seem to care about Kavanaugh being railroaded. As far as they’re concerned, it’s not about him, it’s about her. They really don’t care if he’s destroyed in the process.
Sadly, I was correct about at least one thing.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/36277/creepy-porn-lawyer-lives-his-label-during-ryan-saavedra
The guy is not only smart, he’s a mensch!
I believe Jackie Coakley.
I believe Tawana Brawley.
I believe Emma Sulkowitz.
I believe Cristal Gail Mangum.
I believe Mayella Ewell.
I believe they were all full of it.
Seems like part of the tactic is from the “Ted Cruz is the Zodiac Killer” school: no matter how absurd something is, say it enough that it forever gets connected to its target. Avenatti is running through a dictionary of sex acts, hoping that they will not only get subconsciously attached to Kavanaugh in the process but that he’ll have to answer questions about them. The goal is not to prove that he did or didn’t do anything, but to humiliate him.
It is getting to the point where the Republicans are obligated to confirm Kavanaugh as a matter of civic hygiene and personal honor.
I used to have a client who kept getting into all kinds of bad situations after “only one beer.” It finally came out that one beer to her was one 40-ounce bottle.
That point was Monday, if not sooner. Take the damn vote!!