WASHINGTON (AP) In a clash along a polarized nations political and cultural fault lines, the Senate Judiciary Committee began its historic hearing today in which Brett Kavanaugh hoped to salvage his Supreme Court nomination by fending off allegations by Christine Blasey Ford that hed molested her when both were in high school.
Ford sat impassively at the witness table as committee chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa began his opening remarks, defending the Republicans handling of the confirmation proceedings so far.
Kavanaugh and Ford were the only witnesses invited to testify before the panel of 11 Republicans all men and 10 Democrats. But the conservative jurist is facing allegations of sexual misconduct from other women as well, forcing Republican leaders to struggle to keep support for him from eroding.
The committee was to hear first from Christine Blasey Ford, a California psychology professor who accuses him of attempting to rape her when they were teens.
Republicans have derided Fords allegation as part of a smear campaign and a Democratic plot to sink Kavanaughs nomination. But after more allegations have emerged, some GOP senators have allowed that much is riding on his performance. Even President Donald Trump, who nominated Kavanaugh and fiercely defends him, said he was open to changing my mind.
I want to watch, I want to see, he said at a news conference Wednesday in New York.
Kavanaugh, a federal appeals court judge who has long been eyed for the Supreme Court, has repeatedly denied all the allegations, saying hed never heard of the latest accuser and calling her accusations ridiculous and from the Twilight Zone.
His teetering grasp on winning confirmation was evident when Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, expressed concern, in a private meeting with senators Wednesday, about the third accuser, according to a person with knowledge of the gathering. Republicans control the Senate 51-49 and can lose only one vote for Kavanaugh to prevail if all Democrats vote no. Collins is among the few senators whove not made clear how theyll vote.
Collins walked into that meeting carrying a copy of Julie Swetnicks signed declaration, which included new accusations of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh and his high school friend Mark Judge.
Collins said senators should hear from Judge. After being told Judge has said he doesnt want to appear before the committee, Collins reminded her colleagues that the Senate has subpoena power, according to a person who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The hearing was the first time the country saw the 51-year-old Ford beyond the grainy photo that has been flashed on television in the 10 days since she came forward with her contention. In testimony released beforehand, she said she was appearing only because she felt it was her duty, was frankly terrified and has been the target of vile harassment and even death threats.
It is not my responsibility to determine whether Mr. Kavanaugh deserves to sit on the Supreme Court, she was to tell the senators. My responsibility is to tell the truth.
Republicans are pushing to seat Kavanaugh before the November midterms, when Senate control could fall to the Democrats and a replacement Trump nominee could have even greater difficulty.
Kavanaughs ascendance to the high court could help lock in a conservative majority for a generation, shaping dozens of rulings on abortion, regulation, the environment and more.
Republicans also risk rejection by female voters in November if they are seen as not fully respecting women and their allegations.
In a sworn statement, Swetnick said she witnessed Kavanaugh consistently engage in excessive drinking and inappropriate contact of a sexual nature with women in the early 1980s. Her attorney, Michael Avenatti, who also represents a porn actress who is suing Trump, provided her sworn declaration to the Judiciary panel.
