Statement by David Blasey Ford on the GoFundMe page

Christine Blasey Ford remained largely silent after appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in September over her alleged sexual assault of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh when she was a teenager. But last week, she issued a statement on a crowdfunding page, thanking her supporters and expressing her gratitude for "the opportunity to fulfill my civic duty."

The GoFundMe campaign aimed to cover Ford's security costs since it accused Kavanaugh of being shut down on November 21, after raising $ 648,000 in two months, far exceeding the goal of $ 150,000.

According to Ford's statement on the site, the donations were used to finance a security service for Ford and his family, as well as other general security measures and housing during the period when she and her family had not been able to afford it. stay at home. Ford received death threats as a result of his charges and another GoFundMe account, which had raised funds to cover his security costs, stopped accepting donations on September 20 after raising nearly $ 210,000.

"Your tremendous support and good letters have helped us cope with the immeasurable stress, especially the attacks on our security and privacy," she wrote. "With your support, I am hopeful that our lives will return to normal."

Ford's conservative critics have tried to question Ford's motives by criticizing the wealthy professor for accepting donations, as Christina Cauterucci pointed out in Slate. However, Ford said in last week's statement that any funds not used to cover security costs would be donated to "organizations that support trauma victims."

"Although presenting itself as terrifying and disrupting our lives, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to fulfill my civic duty," she wrote. "That done, I am impressed by the many women and men who have written to share similar life experiences. They now bravely share their experience with their friends and family, many for the first time. I send you my sincere love and support. "