Brett Kavanaugh sexual assault accuser outs herself

The woman who accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct more than 30 years ago revealed her identity.

A recent picture of Christine Blasey Ford. Picture: Heavy.com

The confirmation of Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has been thrown into turmoil after the woman who accused him of sexual misconduct more than 30 years ago revealed her identity.

The decision by Californian academic Christine Blasey Ford to come forward publicly and give an interview about the ­alleged assault has already led at least one Republican to call for a delay in the confirmation process.

“I’ve made it clear that I’m not comfortable moving ahead with the vote on Thursday if we have not heard her side of the story or explored this further,” Republican senator Jeff Flake said.

A spokesman for the Senate ­judiciary committee said Republican committee chairman Chuck Grassley was trying to arrange separate calls with Judge Kavanaugh and Professor Ford, a Democrat voter, before the vote on Friday (AEST) on whether to recommend the full Senate confirm the 53-year-old’s appointment.

A picture of Ford from her year book. Picture: Heavy.com

Republican committee member Lindsey Graham said he was willing to hear from Professor Ford provided that it was “done immediately” so the confirmation process could continue as scheduled. Republicans hold an 11 to 10 majority on the committee, raising the possibility that if any Republicans defect then the committee may not recommend Judge ­Kavanaugh’s nomination. Democrats called for the confirmation process of the federal appeals court judge to be delayed until the claims can be examined.

The 51-year-old Professor Ford, a clinical psychologist at Palo Alto University, alleges that at a party in Maryland in the early 1980s Judge Kavanaugh tried to sexually assault her when both were at high school.

She alleges Judge Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge, who were “stumbling drunk”, corralled her into a room as she was making her way to the bathroom.

She alleges Mr Judge watched while Judge Kavanaugh fumbled at removing her clothes and that when she tried to scream he put his hand over her mouth. “I thought he might inadvertently kill me,” she told The Washington Post. “He was trying to attack me and ­remove my clothing.”

She says she escaped when Mr Judge jumped on top of them, sending them falling to the floor.

Brett Kavanaugh is sworn in by the Senate judiciary committee earlier this month. Picture: AFP

Judge Kavanaugh ­denied the allegations, saying: “I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time”.

Mr Judge also denied it. “It’s just absolutely nuts. I never saw Brett act that way,” he said. Mr Judge said Judge Kavanaugh was a “brilliant student” who was not “into anything crazy or illegal”.

Professor Ford’s lawyer, Debra Katz, told NBC yesterday that her client was willing to tell her story to the Senate committee, while White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway said: “She should testify under oath and she should do it on Capitol Hill.”

She said Senator Graham had told her it could happen as soon as tomorrow.

Professor Ford’s decision to ­reveal her identity comes at a sensitive time for Republicans who had been hoping to secure Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination by early October. If the nomination were delayed until after the November mid-term elections there is a chance that the Democrats could retake the Senate and kill Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation.

The confirmation of Judge ­Kavanaugh would tilt the ideological balance of the nation’s highest court five-four in favour of conservative judges.

Professor Ford says she did not tell anyone of her alleged experience with Judge Kavanaugh until she told a couples’ therapist with her husband in 2012. In July she sent a letter to Democrat senator Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the judiciary committee.

The letter told of the alleged ­attack but Professor Ford wanted the incident kept confidential. When details of it leaked late last week to The New Yorker without her consent, she decided to reveal her identity.

Cameron Stewart is also US contributor for Sky News Australia