NBC reporter tackles controversy at Avenatti, but questions remain



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  • The NBC channel has been closely scrutinized for weeks listening to an article that discredits the accuser, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Julie Swetnick.
  • Michael Avenatti, a Swetnick lawyer, contacted NBC journalist Kate Snow at the end of September with a woman who he said would support Swetnick's allegations against Kavanaugh.
  • The woman challenged Swetnick's allegations by claiming that "Avenatti" was distorting [her] words. "
  • The snow retained these details until Thursday. Under fire, she says she's sticking to her reporting.

An NBC News reporter accused of retaining an article that refutes allegations that Judge Brett Kavanaugh allegedly drugged girls at high school parties defends his reporting, although questions remain as to why the network remains on this article more than three weeks.

"An important context in my story and @ annaschecter about a second woman put forward by Michael Avenatti to corroborate Julie Swetnick's claims about Brett Kavanaugh," wrote journalist Kate Snow in a Twitter feed .

Snow was referring to an article published on Thursday that revealed that an alleged witness who, according to Avenatti, reportedly told NBC that Swetnick's alleged sexual misconduct of Kavanaugh would contradict him. (RELATED: NBC sits on a story that has hurt Avenatti, Swetnick)

Snow then defended an October 1 interview with Swetnick regarding her allegations in an affidavit that she had seen Kavanaugh give a drink to girls at parties where gang rapes had taken place.

For a report on Swetnick, Avenatti put Snow in touch with a woman on September 30 which, according to the anti-Trump lawyer, would support Swetnick's story that Kavanaugh allegedly abused girls in high school.

President Donald Trump (right) lays his hand on the shoulder of Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his solemn inauguration in the White House Hall on October 8, 2018 in Washington, DC (Photo of Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

Instead, the woman stated that she had never seen Kavanaugh behaving badly or drinking drugs to girls.

"I did not think it was Brett," said the unidentified woman on NBC television when asked if Kavanaugh was having drinks at parties. The woman, who said she knew Kavanaugh in high school, also said that she never saw him behaving inappropriately with girls.

In their interview the next day, Snow challenged Swetnick about the inconsistencies in his story. But the reporter did not reveal the interaction with the so-called witness provided by Avenatti.

Avenatti issued a statement of the woman on October 2.

"In the years 1981-1982, I witnessed Brett Kavanaugh's life, along with others," poking "the" punch "at home parties I attended, with Quaaludes and / or grain alcohol. I understood that it was done in order to make girls more likely to engage in sexual acts and less likely to say "no", reads in the statement that Avenatti posted on Twitter and submitted to the Committee of the Senate.

Snow said on Twitter that she understood that the statement contradicted what the woman had told her on the phone a few days ago. She reported Thursday that Avenatti had initially confirmed that the statement came from the same woman who had spoken to NBC. But when asked what the discrepancies were in his statement, Avenatti said that it was a different person.

Snow reported Thursday that NBC was able to contact the woman just after the release of the statement by Avenatti. They exchanged from October 2 to 5, the day before Kavanaugh's confirmation vote.

"It's not true that I saw Brett punch. I did not see anyone punching hard in the punch … I was very clear with Michael Avenatti from the first day, "she told NBC on October 4th.

The woman told NBC News on October 5 that she would no longer communicate with Avenatti.

"I will certainly speak to you again and no longer Avenatti. I do not like him bending my words, "she said.

But Snow said Saturday that NBC had been able to contact the woman only after Kavanaugh's confirmation.

"By the time we were able to find the woman regardless of Mr. Avenatti, who refused to give us his legal name and phone number, and to report on his story and verify it, Kavanaugh's confirmation process was completed and the value of the information was limited. She tweeted.

Snow did not explain the gap in the timeline when we asked him about social media.

Snow said NBC had recounted Thursday's story because it was "once again worthy of news" after Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley referred Avenatti and Swetnick to the Justice Department for that he investigates the false statements made in Congress.

GOP Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa is photographed during an audience on June 19, 2018 in Washington, DC (photo from Win McNamee / Getty Images)

Grassley issued a second referral against Avenatti on Friday in response to the NBC report.

NBC's interactions with Avenatti would also seem relevant, given the lawyer's plan to run for president in 2020.

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