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Supreme Court JusticeBrett Kavanaughwas accused last year of exposing his penis to a classmate at Yale — and now, nearly a year after his confirmation, two reporters forTheNew York Timeshave published a book citing a new group of people who had previously heard of the allegation, as well as an individual who reportedly claimed to have seen a similar incident.
Ramirez, Kavanaugh’s classmate at Yale University, told the magazine that he exposed his penis, put it in her face, “caused her to touch it without her consent as she pushed him away” and laughed about it during a dorm room party when they were both freshmen in the 1983 to 1984 school year.
Kavanaugh, 54, denied Ramirez’s claims under oath before he was confirmed to the Supreme Court, saying at the time that if he had done what she claimed he did, “that would have been the talk of campus.”
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TheNew York Timesnews analysis, published on Saturday and amended from the forthcoming book,The Education of Brett Kavanaugh: An Investigation, alleges that at least seven people, including Ramirez’s mother, heard about the incident before Kavanaugh became a federal judge.
Two of the seven were classmates who told theTimesreporters they had heard about Kavanaugh’s alleged behavior at the party in the days after it occurred.
Ramirez’s legal team also reportedly gave the FBI a list of at least 25 people who could potentially corroborate her story, but none of them were ever interviewed, despite the fact that many claimed to have made attempts to contact the FBI on their own.
“I wasn’t going to touch a penis until I was married … I was embarrassed and ashamed and humiliated,” Ramirez previously toldThe New Yorker. “I can still see his face, and his hips coming forward, like when you pull up your pants.”
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The woman said to have been the victim in that alleged incident declined to be interviewed, and her friends told the reporters that she does not remember the alleged incident, though Stier reportedly pushed FBI officials to investigate.
A Supreme Court spokesperson did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
When she first came forward, Ramirez received support from more than 3,000 Yale women who signed an open letter praising her for sharing her story. Days later, 1,500 Yale men did the same.
Kavanaugh’s freshman year roommate, James Roche, released astatement of his ownsupporting Ramirez and detailing Kavanaugh’s alleged “notably heavy” drinking habits and troubling behavior.
“Based on my time with Brett, I believe that he and his social circle were capable of the actions that Debbie described,” Roche’s statement read.
TheTimes’ report published this weekend ignited a fiery response from PresidentDonald Trump, who launched the hashtag “Protect Kavanaugh” in the justice’s defense.
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“Brett Kavanaugh should start suing people for libel, or the Justice Department should come to his rescue. The lies being told about him are unbelievable. False Accusations without recrimination. When does it stop? They are trying to influence his opinions. Can’t let that happen!” he wrote.
He continued, “Can’t let Brett Kavanaugh give Radical Left Democrat (Liberal Plus) Opinions based on threats of Impeaching him over made up stories (sound familiar?), false allegations, and lies. This is the game they play. Fake and Corrupt News is working overtime! #ProtectKavanaugh.”
Democratic politicians had the opposite reaction, with presidential hopefulsElizabeth Warren,Beto O’Rourke, andKamala Harris, among others, calling for Kavanaugh’s impeachment on Twitter.
source: people.com
