Elizabeth Warren
September 27 at 5:43 PM ·
I believe Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. My heart broke watching her testify. She’s a hero – brave, compelling, credible – and she made it clear: Brett Kavanaugh doesn’t belong anywhere near the Supreme Court.
Based on the multiple, credible accusations against him from Dr. Ford, Deborah Ramirez, and Julie Swetnick – and based on his unhinged, dishonest performance in the hearing – it’s even more clear today that Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination must be withdrawn.
He whined, ranted, raved, and spun conspiracy theories about “revenge on behalf of the Clintons.” This guy showed his true stripes as a partisan political animal. He doesn’t have the temperament, the character, or the judgment to serve on the Supreme Court.
I’ll say it again: I believe Dr. Ford. She’s had to relocate her family, upend her life, and endure death threats – with nothing to gain and everything to lose. After surviving a traumatic attack, she re-lived her trauma in front of men who want to put her attacker on the Supreme Court.
We can’t trust Brett Kavanaugh. He doesn’t deserve a promotion to the highest court in the land. That would make a mockery of the rule of law. After his display at the hearing, how can anyone trust him to be even-keeled and impartial? Anyone who’s capable of this display is unfit to serve as a Supreme Court justice.
I want to share some of what Dr. Ford said at the hearing:
“I am terrified.”
“This was an extremely hard thing for me to do. But I felt that I couldn’t not do it.”
“Apart from the assault itself, these last couple of weeks have been the hardest of my life.”
“I’ve had to relive this trauma in front of the world. And I’ve seen my life picked apart by people on television, on Twitter, other social media, other media and in this body, who have never met me or spoken with me.”
“My motivation in coming forward was to be helpful.”
“I have never been questioned by a prosecutor, and I will do my best.”
“Indelible in the hippocampus is the laughter. The uproarious laughter between the two and their having fun at my expense.”
I can’t stop thinking about how, 27 years ago, Anita Hill was torn apart by the Senate Judiciary Committee. She helped so many people in the country wake up to the reality of sexual harassment. And since then, with the #MeToo movement, so many brave survivors have come out of the shadows to tell the stories of their sexual assault – demanding justice and accountability.
So today, when Dr. Ford appeared before the committee, she wasn’t alone. Millions of Americans have her back, and we’ll fight for her – and fight for everyone’s right to be treated with dignity and respect.
Dr. Ford’s conduct during the hearing was as commendable as the Republicans’ behavior was appalling. She was brave enough to share her story, but the all-male Republican panel was too chicken to question her directly. Apparently, they didn’t trust themselves to not look like jerks. Maybe that’s because, afterwards, one called Dr. Ford an “attractive woman” and a “pleasing” witness, whatever that’s supposed to mean.
So, they hired a prosecutor – Mitch McConnell called her a “female assistant” – to interrogate Dr. Ford, to try (and fail) to poke holes in her story, and even – bizarrely – to insinuate that she’s pretending to be afraid to fly. But the Republican Senators were perfectly happy to question Brett Kavanaugh directly. And by “question,” I mean “throw softballs at.”
Republicans tried to put a survivor of sexual assault on trial. They treated Dr. Ford like a roadblock and Brett Kavanaugh like a victim.
This whole process has been rotten from the beginning. If Brett Kavanaugh is innocent – if Republicans in the Senate and the administration believe him – why don’t they want the FBI to investigate? Why don’t they require Mark Judge, the key eyewitness, to testify and answer questions under oath?
It’s clear: Republicans are rattled, and their instinct is to protect Brett Kavanaugh. Maybe it’s because Brett Kavanaugh is part of their club. After all, he went to fancy schools, worked in a Republican White House, and shows every sign that if he makes it to the Supreme Court, he’ll keep on catering to the rich and powerful.
Donald Trump told reporters that he identifies with Brett Kavanaugh. He said the multiple allegations against Brett Kavanaugh are a “con job” and “false accusations”perpetuated by “very evil people.” Birds of a feather stick together.
But remember: Donald Trump is not king. He can’t just stick Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court. He has to get through the Senate first – and the Senate works for you. We won’t let people who already have power and privilege keep getting their way. They can’t take whatever they want.
I hope my Republican colleagues will believe Dr. Ford like I do. But if they don’t, it will take a grassroots army – this grassroots army – to stop the Kavanaugh nomination.
Warren, in short, parallels the view posted earlier here that Kavanaugh was evasive and lying, with a stronger opening view expressed about live testimony allowing the review of demeanor evidence. Warren's post is more detailed than anything written here. Well reasoned. Well stated.
LAST: Readers are urged to note updating in the Crabgrass post noted in the paragraph above; meaning follow and read the analyses given in the linked EmptyWheel postings.