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Trump Says if Attack on Kavanaugh Accuser Was ‘as Bad as She Says,’ Charges Would Have Been Filed Trump Says if Attack on Kavanaugh Accuser Was ‘as Bad as She Says,’ Charges Would Have Been Filed
(about 2 hours later)
WASHINGTON — President Trump directly questioned for the first time on Friday the veracity of the accusations levied by a woman who has said Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while they were both teenagers. WASHINGTON — President Trump on Friday questioned the credibility of the woman who has said Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while they were both teenagers. The president said that if the attack “was as bad as she says,” it would have been reported to the authorities.
Mr. Trump said in a Twitter post that if the alleged attack “was as bad as she says,” charges would have been filed by the woman, Christine Blasey Ford, or her parents. Attacking the woman, Christine Blasey Ford, directly for the first time after days of atypical restraint, the president challenged her to produce contemporaneous law enforcement reports “so that we can learn date, time, and place!”
He asked her to produce contemporaneous law enforcement reports “so that we can learn date, time, and place!” Dr. Blasey, who was around 15 at the time of the alleged assault, has said publicly that she did not report the episode to the authorities, and that she does not recall exactly when it took place. Many women are reluctant to come forward and report sexual assaults, in part because they fear they will not be believed.
Many women are reluctant to come forward and report sexual assaults to authorities, in part because they fear they will not be believed. In taking to Twitter, Mr. Trump did what his aides had feared most: Before hearing her full account, he questioned the veracity of a woman who alleged a sexual assault. In doing so, he may have further complicated Judge Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation process just weeks before the midterm elections.
In suggesting that Dr. Blasey’s version of events from a high school party in the early 1980s lacked credibility, Mr. Trump ended his dayslong restraint from commenting on the accusations — a move that aides have feared could further complicate the confirmation process just weeks before the midterm elections. Until Friday, Mr. Trump — who himself has faced sexual misconduct allegations — had largely left it to senators on the Judiciary Committee to handle Dr. Blasey’s allegations. She has said that at a high school party in the early 1980s, Mr. Kavanaugh pushed her onto a bed, groped her, tried to take off her clothes and covered her mouth to prevent her from crying for help. Judge Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied the accusations.
Questioning the credibility of a woman who says she was sexually assaulted could jeopardize the support of key Republican senators for Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination. It could also further energize female voters in the midterms who are opposed to Mr. Trump. But by questioning Dr. Blasey’s version of events, Mr. Trump may have helped turn a Senate vote on Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination into a referendum on supporting women and trauma victims.
Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, assured an audience of conservative Christians on Friday that Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation would go through. “The president doesn’t even try to understand trauma survivors — he’d rather use their pain for political purposes,” Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, said in a tweet.
“Keep the faith. Don’t get rattled by all of this. We’re gonna plow right through it and do our job,” Mr. McConnell said at the Values Voter Summit. “In the very near future, Judge Kavanaugh will be on the United States Supreme Court.”
Until Friday, the president’s public comments about the matter had been limited to praise for Judge Kavanaugh and blame lobbed at Democrats for slowing the judge’s Supreme Court confirmation process.
At the time of the incident, Dr. Blasey was about 15 years old. She said she was at a small gathering of teenagers in suburban Maryland when Mr. Kavanaugh assaulted her. She said he and a friend pushed her into a bedroom, and Mr. Kavanaugh pushed her onto a bed. She said he jumped on her, groped her and tried to take off her clothes while covering her mouth with his hand to keep her from crying for help.
Dr. Blasey has not been able to recall the date of the party where she says Mr. Kavanaugh assaulted her. He has denied the accusations. Both have said they are willing to provide sworn testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
[Experts say long delays in reporting or a foggy recall are hallmarks of sexual assault.][Experts say long delays in reporting or a foggy recall are hallmarks of sexual assault.]
Previously, Mr. Trump, who has been the subject of more than a dozen sexual misconduct allegations, had said he felt terribly for Judge Kavanaugh and encouraged senators to hear from both parties before they vote on the judge’s confirmation. Both Dr. Blasey and Judge Kavanaugh have said they are willing to provide sworn testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Dr. Blasey was in negotiations over the conditions for an appearance by her.
Some of the president’s aides had implored Mr. Trump not to publicly attack Dr. Blasey, reminding him how important it was to the Republican Party that the judge’s confirmation go through. But before she had provided any testimony, Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, assured an audience of conservative Christians on Friday that Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation would go through.
For days, Mr. Trump had shown uncharacteristic restraint and even acknowledged in a Twitter post how important this vote was for his party. “Keep the faith. Don’t get rattled by all of this. We’re going to plow right through it and do our job,” Mr. McConnell said at the Values Voter Summit. “In the very near future, Judge Kavanaugh will be on the United States Supreme Court.”
“The Supreme Court is one of the main reasons I got elected President,” Mr. Trump said on Tuesday. Some of the president’s aides had implored Mr. Trump not to publicly attack Dr. Blasey, reminding him how important it was to the Republican Party that the judge’s confirmation go through. On Tuesday, Mr. Trump acknowledged as much in a Twitter post, saying, “The Supreme Court is one of the main reasons I got elected President.”
Lara M. Brown, an associate professor at the graduate school of political management at George Washington University, said the president should have followed the advice of his aides. Following his own judgment and publicly questioning Dr. Blasey’s credibility was “not a wise move” politically, she said.
“Many people in the country are still trying to understand what happened here, and they’re trying to make up their own minds about what Dr. Ford’s account is, how it kind of aligns with their recollections and their understandings of what can happen in high school,” Professor Brown said.
The president’s comments could not only jeopardize the support of key Republican senators for Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination, but it could also further energize female voters in the midterms who are opposed to Mr. Trump.
Democrats were quick to criticize Mr. Trump for questioning Dr. Blasey.Democrats were quick to criticize Mr. Trump for questioning Dr. Blasey.
“This is EXACTLY why Dr. Ford didn’t want to come forward,” Senator Tammy Duckworth, Democrat of Illinois, said in a tweet.“This is EXACTLY why Dr. Ford didn’t want to come forward,” Senator Tammy Duckworth, Democrat of Illinois, said in a tweet.
Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, called Mr. Trump’s comments “unacceptable and beneath the presidency of the United States.”Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, called Mr. Trump’s comments “unacceptable and beneath the presidency of the United States.”
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire, said the president should call for the F.B.I. to investigate if he wants to “get to the bottom” of Dr. Blasey’s account.Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire, said the president should call for the F.B.I. to investigate if he wants to “get to the bottom” of Dr. Blasey’s account.
The president and his aides have criticized the Democrats for waiting so long to raise the issue of Dr. Blasey’s accusation. Senator Dianne Feinstein, of California, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, learned of Dr. Blasey’s allegations in July, but said she did not raise the issue sooner because was respecting Dr. Blasey’s wish to remain anonymous. After the president tweeted about Dr. Blasey, he returned to criticizing Democrats for slowing the judge’s Supreme Court confirmation process, particularly for waiting so long to raise the issue of Dr. Blasey’s accusation. Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, learned of Dr. Blasey’s allegations in July, but said she did not raise the issue sooner because she was respecting Dr. Blasey’s wish to remain anonymous.
“I hope this woman is not being used by the Democrats,” Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, said in an interview with CNN on Friday.“I hope this woman is not being used by the Democrats,” Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, said in an interview with CNN on Friday.
The Senate had planned to vote on Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation on Sept. 20, but the Judiciary Committee agreed to delay the decision until Dr. Blasey and Judge Kavanaugh could testify. The Senate had planned to vote on Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation on Sept. 20, but the Judiciary Committee agreed to delay the vote until Dr. Blasey and Judge Kavanaugh could testify.
Dr. Blasey declined an invitation to testify on Monday, but through her lawyer, said she was open to testifying later under several conditions. She said she would be willing to speak with senators on the committee later next week as long as she is questioned by lawmakers — not outside counsel — and as long as Judge Kavanaugh is not in the hearing room while she speaks. She also asked for steps to be taken to ensure her safety — she has received death threats. Dr. Blasey declined an invitation to testify on Monday, but through her lawyer, she said she was open to testifying later under several conditions. She said she would be willing to speak with senators on the committee later next week as long as she is questioned by lawmakers — not outside counsel — and as long as Judge Kavanaugh is not in the hearing room while she speaks. She also asked for steps to be taken to ensure her safety — she has received death threats.
Ms. Conway called her requests a “laundry list of demands.”Ms. Conway called her requests a “laundry list of demands.”
Dr. Blasey will be meeting with the F.B.I. in San Francisco this afternoon about the online and phone death threats against her, according to her lawyer, Lisa Banks. Dr. Blasey was to meet with the F.B.I. in San Francisco on Friday afternoon about the online and phone death threats against her, according to her lawyer, Lisa Banks.
Ms. Banks declined to address Mr. Trump’s tweets, or the negotiations over Dr. Blasey’s offer to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.Ms. Banks declined to address Mr. Trump’s tweets, or the negotiations over Dr. Blasey’s offer to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.