People Are In Tears After Christine Blasey Ford's Extraordinary Account Of Alleged Assault By Brett Kavanaugh
Article originally published 27/09/2018: due to a technical issue this article may have resurfaced for some readers, and the original publish date may not have been visible.
The powerful testimony by Christine Blasey Ford, detailing allegations that Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee sexually assaulted her 36 years ago, has prompted an emotional outpouring of support and solidarity across the world.
The university professor was close to tears as she spoke of how she was “terrified” speaking at the momentous Senate hearing on Thursday that could determine whether Brett Kavanaugh will be confirmed to the lifetime job in the highest court in the country.
Ford told the Senate Judiciary Committee that during the alleged incident at a gathering of teenagers when she and Kavanaugh were high school students in Maryland she thought Kavanaugh was going to rape her and perhaps accidentally kill her.
Reading from her prepared testimony, her voice breaking with emotion, she said: “I am here today not because I want to be. I am terrified. I am here because I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me while Brett Kavanaugh and I were in high school.”
Ford, a psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California, said a drunken Kavanaugh attacked her and tried to remove her clothing at a gathering of teenagers in Maryland when he was 17 years old and she was 15.
“Brett groped me and tried to take off my clothes. He had a hard time because he was very inebriated and because I was wearing a one-piece bathing suit under my clothing. I believed he was going to rape me. I tried to yell for help,” Ford said, adding that Kavanaugh and a friend of his were “drunkenly laughing during the attack”.
“I am an independent person and I am no pawn,” Ford told the committee, a reference to claims from some Republicans and Trump that she is part of a smear campaign.
Her remarks ahead of facing questions from a prosecutor hired by Republicans caused many to express empathy for Ford.
I can't imagine how many thousands of women, around the world, are in tears as they listen to Christine Blasey Ford's voice cracking.
— Margaret Sullivan (@Sulliview) September 27, 2018
Just about every woman I know is weeping right now, if my group texts are any indication. https://t.co/UJluUaIcE8
— Lydia Polgreen (@lpolgreen) September 27, 2018
Fully sobbing now. Narrow set of stairs. This is a horror movie. #Kavanaugh
— Alissa Quart (@lisquart) September 27, 2018
Says every woman in my feed. https://t.co/6LbWQw0kgU
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) September 27, 2018
The reaction inside and outside the committee room appeared to be the same.
As Blasey Ford emotionally describes the alleged assault, crying, you can also hear crying and see tears throughout the audience in the room.
— MJ Lee (@mj_lee) September 27, 2018
People are weeping in the committee room.
— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) September 27, 2018
Outside the hearing, there are groups of women, huddled over phones streaming Dr. Ford’s testimony, crying.
— Elaina Plott (@elainaplott) September 27, 2018
Groups of women huddled outside of the hearing, crying as they streamed Dr. Ford’s testimony on their phones, according to reporter Elaina Plott. #KavanaughHearingshttps://t.co/8XXvN1jgCB
📸: Getty Images pic.twitter.com/5txnzcjNQI— HuffPost Politics (@HuffPostPol) September 27, 2018
Democratic congresswoman Carolyn Maloney was seen wiping away tears in the audience.
In the audience, tears streaming down the face of Rep Carolyn Maloney D-NY as she listens to Ford pic.twitter.com/nIezV2CW6N
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) September 27, 2018
Others noted Blasey Ford’s bravery.
I’m sitting on the bus and crying while watching Dr. Christine Blasey Ford on my phone. I’m in awe of her strength and courage.
We see you.
We believe you.— Ida Skibenes ❄️ (@ida_skibenes) September 27, 2018
There's brave, and then there's "reliving the worst moment of your life in front of a bunch of men who have publicly doubted you" brave. pic.twitter.com/iIaOwqeU05
— Alana Horowitz Satlin (@achorowitz) September 27, 2018
Journalists had read the text before the hearing, but it still appeared to shock when delivered in person.
I'd read this before.
I wasn't prepared to hear the words.— Tim Dickinson (@7im) September 27, 2018
same. this is a real person now. https://t.co/IvDbajXif2
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) September 27, 2018
Her statement was all the more extraordinary given the make-up of the committee room.
This is what Christine Blasey Ford is looking at as she describes her sexual assault. pic.twitter.com/GGxmuHnNpZ
— Osita Nwanevu (@OsitaNwanevu) September 27, 2018
Reminder: there is not a single woman Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee as we listen to this. And there never has been in the committee's history. Not one. https://t.co/5CYeafRZf3
— Susan Glasser (@sbg1) September 27, 2018
In his prepared testimony, Kavanaugh again “unequivocally and categorically” denied her allegation, as well as “other false and uncorroborated accusations” by his other accusers.
“Sexual assault is horrific. It is morally wrong. It is illegal. It is contrary to my religious faith. And it contradicts the core promise of this nation that all people are created equal and entitled to be treated with dignity and respect,” Kavanaugh said.
The committee could vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation on Friday, with a final Senate vote early next week.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost UK and has been updated.
