Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh Monday denied sexually assaulting anyone – “not in high school, not ever” – and labeled the allegations against him “false.”
Kavanaugh is scheduled to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday along with Christine Blasey Ford, who says he sexually assaulted her in high school when he was 17 and she was 15.
“I want a fair process where I can defend my integrity,” Kavanaugh told Fox News in an interview. “And I know I’m telling the truth. I know my life-long record, and I’m not going to let false accusations drive me out of this process. I have faith in God, and I have faith in the fairness of the American people. America’s about fairness and hearing from both sides. And I didn’t do this or anything resembling this. This is wrong.”
Pushing back against allegations he was involved in sexually charged parties, Kavanaugh said he was a virgin.
“I did not have sexual intercourse or anything close to sexual intercourse in high school or for many years thereafter,” he said.
Kavanaugh said he’s not “questioning” and has “not questioned that perhaps Dr. Ford at some point in her life was sexually assaulted by someone in some place.” Kavanaugh, though, says it was not him.
“I have never sexually assaulted anyone, not in high school, not ever,” he said. “I’ve always treated women with dignity and respect. Listen to the people who’ve known me best through my whole life, the women who have known me since high school, the 65 who overnight signed a letter from high school saying I always treated them with dignity and respect.”
Further, Kavanaugh said, he has never been at any party like the one Ford describes.
“This is an allegation about a party in the summer of 1982 at a house near Connecticut Avenue and East-West highway with five people present,” he said. “I was never at any such party. The other people who are alleged to be present have said they do not remember any such party. … Another woman who was present who is Dr. Ford’s lifelong friend has said she doesn’t know me and never remembers being at a party with me at any time in her life.”
Kavanaugh also said he was ready to testify last week.
“I want a fair process where I can defend my integrity and clear my name as quickly as I can,” he said.
In a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, Kavanaugh said he won’t withdraw.
“These are smears, pure and simple,” Kavanaugh’s letter says. “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.”
Michael Foust is a freelance writer. Visit his blog, MichaelFoust.com.
Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla/Staff
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