An online fundraiser has begun for Leland Keyser, one of the key figures in last year’s confirmation battle for Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, as she’s still suffering the effects of standing up for the judge and contradicting accuser Christine Blasey Ford.
Ms. Keyser was a friend of Ms. Blasey Ford, but didn’t back up her claims of a high school sexual assault against Justice Kavanaugh.
Alex Beckel, her son from her marriage to Democratic operative Bob Beckel, has launched a GoFundMe page asking for $100,000 to help with medical and legal bills.
“The harsh glare of the public eye has taken a tremendous physical, emotional, and financial toll on her,” Mr. Beckel said in his note explaining the fundraiser. “The purpose of this GoFundMe is to help her deal with mounting medical and legal bills and to help redress the many grievances she faces as a result of her commitment to principle and the law.”
Mr. Beckel did not return a message seeking comment.
The fund collected about $5,000 over its first two days.
Ms. Blasey Ford, whose allegations of assault were never corroborated but did delay Justice Kavanaugh’s confirmation, was the beneficiary of several GoFundMe efforts last year that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Ms. Blasey Ford said Ms. Keyser was a high school friend who was present at the party the night she says Justice Kavanaugh and a friend, at the time students at another high school, tackled her on a bed and attempted to force themselves on her.
Ms. Keyser, while saying she supported her friend and opposed Justice Kavanaugh’s confirmation, said she could not remember ever meeting Justice Kavanaugh when they were in high school, nor did she have a recollection of the night Ms. Blasey Ford described.
According to Mr. Beckel’s post, she is continuing to struggle after resisting “immense personal pressure” to back up Ms. Blasey Ford.
Once her name was made public, press showed up at her house, forcing Ms. Keyser to move to a hotel.
She has also battled health issues for the past five years, dealing with chronic pain and addiction, according to a recently published book, “Justice on Trial: The Kavanaugh Confirmation and the Future of the Supreme Court,” which dives into the confirmation battle.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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