Live coverage #3: Kavanaugh confronted on claims of sexual assault

Daily Kos Staff

Thursday September 27, 2018 · 7:57 AM PDT

2018/09/27 · 07:57

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 27: Christine Blasey Ford (L) talks with her attorney Michael Bromwich as she prepares to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill September 27, 2018 in Washington, DC. A professor at Palo Alto University and a research psychologist at the Stanford University School of Medicine, Ford has accused Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her during a party in 1982 when they were high school students in suburban Maryland. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing into Christine Blasey Ford’s sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh continues.

Thursday, Sep 27, 2018 · 2:59:29 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Ford reviews her letter to Feinstein, and is making a few clarifications. That there were “at least four others” at the party. Also can’t promise that it was Kavanaugh alone who pushed her into the room, Judge might have helped. Grassley interrupts to stop and give Feinstein her five minutes.

Thursday, Sep 27, 2018 · 3:01:29 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Feinstein puts 140 letters from Ford friends and family, 1,000 physicians across the country into the record. Asks Ford why she held it in all these years. Ford says she didn’t, spoke about it in therapy where appropriate. Says she’s coped with claustrophobia, panic, PTSD. Needed the second front door because of claustrophobia, anxiety.

Thursday, Sep 27, 2018 · 3:02:59 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Says she suffered most in first few years after attack. Had difficulties academically.

Thursday, Sep 27, 2018 · 3:04:07 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Felt like she would be personally annihilated if she came forward. Had to come forward, “enough was enough” when a reporter showed up in her grad school class, reporters were outside her house, contacting her colleagues.

Thursday, Sep 27, 2018 · 3:05:18 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Feinstein asks about attack. How can you be so sure it was Kavanaugh. Answers like the professor she is—how memory acts physically, it had to be him. She knew him. Not a case of mistaken identity.

Thursday, Sep 27, 2018 · 3:06:50 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Back to prosecutor, asks for third correction—she says clarification, that if they could find out a detail, when she ran into Judge at the store he worked, they could find the date. A nice way of saying do a damned investigation.

Thursday, Sep 27, 2018 · 3:10:06 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Mitchell asks about the day of the gathering—did you have anything to drink before? “No” Were you on any drugs. “No” Did you expect Kavanaugh to be there. “No.” Asks about atmosphere at the gathering prior to the attack. Ford: Kavanaugh and Judge were clearly drunk, had been drinking before they got there. Sparsely furnished living room, not fancy. Smaller gathering that would probably lead to a larger party. Pre-gathering. It was not loud in the living room.

Thursday, Sep 27, 2018 · 3:12:11 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Now to Leahy. This five minutes for the prosecutor then back to Democrats is not working. It was a bad idea for Republicans to land on this format. Anyway, Leahy again blasts Grassley for not having the investigation, for not listening to others. Thanks Ford for coming forward, for standing up for so many women.

Thursday, Sep 27, 2018 · 3:14:21 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Leahy asks about ridiculous mistaken identity—ask if she’s sure. She says absolutely. She can’t forget the laughter, the laughter between the two. “They’re laughing at my expense, with each other.” “I was underneath one of them while they laughed. Two friend having a really good time with each other.”

Thursday, Sep 27, 2018 · 3:15:57 PM +00:00 · Laura Clawson

Leahy introduces scientific evidence that memory lapses are consistent with trauma, but establishes that Ford does have some clear memories even if there are also lapses.

Thursday, Sep 27, 2018 · 3:17:42 PM +00:00 · Laura Clawson

Back to Rachel Mitchell’s attempts to make it seem like Ford’s occasional haziness on details of the day of the assault and the party at which it happened are signs that she’s making stuff up, when in fact, as Leahy just established, memory lapses are consistent with trauma.

Thursday, Sep 27, 2018 · 3:20:31 PM +00:00 · Laura Clawson

Mitchell now asks Ford a series of detailed questions about the volume of the music playing in the room in which she was assaulted. When Kavanaugh and Judge went downstairs, did she hear them talking to other people in the house? Nits, picked.

Thursday, Sep 27, 2018 · 3:21:31 PM +00:00 · Laura Clawson

Mitchell shows Ford a map of people’s homes at the time of the attack. Sen. Kamala Harris asks for a copy of a map.

Thursday, Sep 27, 2018 · 3:24:19 PM +00:00 · Barbara Morrill

New thread here.

Live coverage #3: Kavanaugh confronted on claims of sexual assault

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