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Brett Kavanaugh 'sexual assault victim' speaks Brett Kavanaugh 'sexual assault victim' speaks out
(35 minutes later)
The woman alleging she was sexually assaulted by US President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, has identified herself in an interview with the Washington Post.The woman alleging she was sexually assaulted by US President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, has identified herself in an interview with the Washington Post.
Christine Blasey Ford says Mr Kavanaugh was drunk when he pinned her to a bed and tried to remove her clothing when they were both teenagers.Christine Blasey Ford says Mr Kavanaugh was drunk when he pinned her to a bed and tried to remove her clothing when they were both teenagers.
Mr Kavanaugh denied the allegations when they first surfaced last week.Mr Kavanaugh denied the allegations when they first surfaced last week.
Top Democrat Dianne Feinstein called for his nomination to be put on hold.Top Democrat Dianne Feinstein called for his nomination to be put on hold.
When did the alleged assault take place?When did the alleged assault take place?
Christine Ford, a professor of psychology at Palo Alto University, told the Post she decided to go public as her privacy was "being chipped away". Christine Ford, a professor of psychology at Palo Alto University, told the Post she had decided to go public as her privacy was "being chipped away".
She believed the incident happened in 1982, when she was 15 and Mr Kavanaugh was 17.She believed the incident happened in 1982, when she was 15 and Mr Kavanaugh was 17.
He was a student at Georgetown Preparatory School in Bethesda, Maryland, and she was studying at a nearby high school.He was a student at Georgetown Preparatory School in Bethesda, Maryland, and she was studying at a nearby high school.
At a gathering of teenagers at a house, she alleges that he pinned her to a bed on her back and groped her over her clothes, grinding his body against hers and clumsily attempting to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she wore over it. The incident allegedly happened at a gathering of teenagers at a house, when Mr Kavanaugh and a friend allegedly "corralled" her into a bedroom. Mr Kavanaugh and his friend were both drunk, she says.
She goes on to say he put his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream, but she managed to break free when a friend of Mr Kavanaugh's jumped on top of them both. In the words of the Washington Post, "While his friend watched, she said, Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed on her back and groped her over her clothes, grinding his body against hers and clumsily attempting to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she wore over it.
"I thought he might inadvertently kill me," she told the Post. Mr Kavanaugh and his friend were both drunk, she says. "When she tried to scream, she said, he put his hand over her mouth."
She is further quoted as saying that she managed to break free when a friend of Mr Kavanaugh's jumped on top of them.
"I thought he might inadvertently kill me," she told the Post.
Mr Kavanaugh issued his denial last week: "I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time".
How did Mrs Ford's account first emerge?How did Mrs Ford's account first emerge?
She first approached Democratic lawmakers in July, shortly after Mr Trump's nomination of Mr Kavanaugh revived the pain of the memory.She first approached Democratic lawmakers in July, shortly after Mr Trump's nomination of Mr Kavanaugh revived the pain of the memory.
She says she sent a letter to her local congresswoman, Democrat Anna Eshoo, and Senator Dianne Feinstein, the Senate Judiciary Committee's top Democrat. She says she sent a letter to her local congresswoman, Democrat Anna Eshoo, and Senator Feinstein, the Senate Judiciary Committee's senior Democrat.
Mrs Ford says she believes Ms Feinstein honoured her request to keep the letter confidential, but "others did not". Mrs Ford says she believes Ms Feinstein honoured her request to keep the letter confidential but "others did not".
Ms Feinstein said in a statement after seeing the Washington Post article: "I support Mrs Ford's decision to share her story, and now that she has, it is in the hands of the FBI to conduct an investigation. This should happen before the Senate moves forward on this nominee."Ms Feinstein said in a statement after seeing the Washington Post article: "I support Mrs Ford's decision to share her story, and now that she has, it is in the hands of the FBI to conduct an investigation. This should happen before the Senate moves forward on this nominee."
Who is Judge Kavanaugh?
The 53-year-old was questioned during four days of hearings at the Senate Judiciary Committee last week.
It had planned to vote this week on whether his nomination should go forward to a full vote in the Senate.
Mr Kavanaugh is President Trump's choice to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy and he is strongly opposed by some Democrats for his views, such as on abortion.
If chosen for the lifetime appointment, the conservative appeals court judge would be expected to tilt the Supreme Court's balance to the right.