Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh hit by third claimant
Stormy Daniels’ lawyer claims a third woman has information about Brett Kavanaugh after two women made claims of sexual misconduct.
Michael Avenatti, the lawyer representing porn star Stormy Daniels in her legal fight with Donald Trump, has inserted himself into the maelstrom over Mr Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, claiming to represent a third woman with information about high-school parties attended by Judge Kavanaugh.
Mr Avenatti’s intervention came shortly after a second woman accused Mr Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, injecting fresh turmoil into his already troubled confirmation process.
Mr Avenatti tweeted today: “I represent a woman with credible information regarding Judge Kavanaugh and Mark Judge. We will be demanding the opportunity to present testimony to the committee....”
I represent a woman with credible information regarding Judge Kavanaugh and Mark Judge. We will be demanding the opportunity to present testimony to the committee and will likewise be demanding that Judge and others be subpoenaed to testify. The nomination must be withdrawn.
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) September 23, 2018
Mr Avenatti told The Associated Press he would disclose his client’s identity within days and she was prepared to testify before the committee and name corroborating witnesses.
The new claims come days before Judge Kavanaugh and his first accuser Christine Blasey Ford are to appear before the Senate judiciary committee.
The New Yorker has reported allegations by Deborah Ramirez, who attended Yale University at the same time as Judge Kavanaugh in the early 1980s.
Ms Ramirez, 53, claims she attended a college party with an 18-year-old Judge Kavanaugh and that he exposed himself to her and thrust his penis in her face, causing her to push it away.
“I would think an FBI investigation would be warranted,” she told The New Yorker.
According to the magazine, she has admitted her memories contained gaps because she had been drinking heavily and was initially reluctant to say with certainty the assailant was Judge Kavanaugh.
“After six days of carefully assessing her memories and consulting with her attorney, Ramirez said that she felt confident enough of her recollections to say that she remembers Kavanaugh had exposed himself,” The New Yorker wrote.
Judge Kavanaugh strongly denied Ms Ramirez’s accusation. Mr Avenatti tweeted: “My client is not DeborahRamirez.”
“This alleged event from 35 years ago did not happen,” he said. “The people who knew me then know that this did not happen, and have said so. This is a smear, plain and simple. I look forward to testifying on Thursday about the truth, and defending my good name — and the reputation for character and integrity I have spent a lifetime building — against these last-minute allegations.”
The White House also defended Judge Kavanaugh. “This 35-year-old, uncorroborated claim is the latest in a co-ordinated smear campaign by the Democrats designed to tear down a good man,” a spokesman said. “This claim is denied by all who were said to be present and is wholly inconsistent with what many women and men who knew Judge Kavanaugh at the time in college say. The White House stands firmly behind Judge Kavanaugh.”
At least four Democratic Senators were previously aware of the Ramirez claims and two are said to have begun investigating them.
“This is another serious, credible, and disturbing allegation against Brett Kavanaugh. It should be fully investigated,” senator Mazie Hirono said.
Ms Ramirez told The New Yorker she was playing a drinking game at the party to the point where she was on the floor, foggy and slurring her words. Then she says she realised someone had pulled their pants down in front of her. “I remember a penis being in front of my face,” she said. “I knew that’s not what I wanted, even in that state of mind.”
She remembered Judge Kavanaugh standing near her and laughing, pulling up his pants. “Brett was laughing,” she said. “I can still see his face, and his hips coming forward, like when you pull up your pants.”
She claims she remembers another student shouting out: “Brett Kavanaugh just put his penis in Debbie’s face.”
The Senate hearing, at which Judge Kavanaugh and Professor Ford will appear, is scheduled for Thursday (Friday AEST).
Democrats yesterday called for a further delay in the process following the new accusations.
“I am writing to request an immediate postponement of any further proceedings related to the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh,” the committee’s ranking Democrat, Dianne Feinstein, wrote in a letter to Republican committee chairman Chuck Grassley.
Before the new allegations, it had been agreed Professor Ford and Judge Kavanaugh would testify in public. Republicans had hoped the hearing would clear the air and allow for a vote on Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination.
The stakes are high for both parties, especially with the mid-term elections in November. The nomination of Judge Kavanaugh would tilt the ideological balance of the nation’s highest court five-four in favour of conservatives.
Cameron Stewart is also US contributor for Sky News Australia.
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