A top Republican spoke with Judge Brett Kavanaugh Monday and said he denies any knowledge of sexual assault allegations — and doesn’t even remember being at a party where the attempted assault purportedly happened.
Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, the senior Republican in the Senate, said they spoke by phone and Judge Kavanaugh reiterated his firm denials.
“If I recall him correctly, he wasn’t even there,” Mr. Hatch said. “I believe him. He’s a person of immense integrity. I’ve known him for a long time — he’s always been straightforward, honest, truthful, and a very, very decent man.”
Christine Blasey Ford, a California professor, has come forward to accuse Judge Kavanaugh of attempting to force himself on her at a high school party in the 1980s. She says the judge and another man had her in a room, where Judge Kavanaugh attempted to strip her clothing.
The judge has flatly denied the allegations, and said until the woman finally publicly identified herself on Sunday he had no idea who she could have been, based on the events described.
Senators are searching for a way to give both Ms. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh a chance to talk — but can’t yet agree on how.
Mr. Hatch said even if the allegations are true, he’s not sure it should derail the nomination.
“If that was true, I think it’d be hard for senators to not consider who the judge is today. [Because] that’s the issue — is this judge a really good man? And he is. And by any measure he is, and everybody who knows him says he is,” Mr. Hatch said.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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