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John Wagner
National Journalist Leading the Post's New Politics Team
President Trump Tuesday attacked the second woman who accused Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, who had dismissed her account because she was "totally intoxicated and all messed up" and accused the Democrats of playing a "con game" in an attempt to derail his Supreme Court candidate.
In the comments to reporters after a speech at the UN, Trump aims to Deborah Ramirez, a classmate of Kavanaugh at Yale University, who told New Yorker magazine that he says himself exposed to her at a party when they were both freshman students.
"The second accuser has nothing," Trump told reporters. "She admits that she was drunk."
The president rejected the idea that the allegation could be disqualifying, saying sarcastically, "Oh, damn it, do not make him a Supreme Court judge because of that.
Kavanaugh denied the allegation and the accusation of Christine Blasey Ford that he sexually assaulted her while they were high school students in Maryland.
Trump accused the Democrats of these accusations, which were late in the confirmation process.
Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies during the second day of the confirmation hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee that he will be associate judge at the US Supreme Court earlier this month. (Saul Loeb / AFP / Getty Images)
"It's a role play played by the Democrats," he said.
Trump's latest comments came amidst new acrimonies among Democratic and Republican senators as they prepared for a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday, with testimony from Ford, a professor in California and Kavanaugh.
Earlier Tuesday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the White House was open to hearing Ramirez 's testimony at the hearing.
[[[[Kavanaugh swears to fight allegations of misconduct while Trump and Republicans dig]
"Certainly, we would be open to that, and this process could take place on Thursday," Sanders said at an appearance in ABC's "Good Morning America". She also reiterated Trump's opinion that the confirmation process should soon be over.
In an interview with Fox News on Monday night, Kavanaugh vigorously rejected Ramirez and Ford's allegations and said he would "not let false accusations take us out of this process."
It is still unclear whether Ramirez will testify and how quickly that might happen, given his more recent accusations. Several Republicans on the committee said they wanted to vote on Kavanaugh's appointment shortly after Thursday's hearing.
Although Sanders said the White House was open to Ramirez's testimony, she also said Tuesday that the confirmation process should end.
"I think it's unfair to keep dragging the process and keep putting the right people to the political games that the Democrats want to play," Sanders said in an interview on Fox News.
In a speech delivered Tuesday in the Senate, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Caste Kavanaugh as a victim of "ill-founded smear", arguing that Democrats have scuttled any presumption of innocence for an eminent jurist.
"Justice counts. The proof counts. The facts are important, "said McConnell, who, like other Republicans, rejected democratic calls to the FBI to investigate the allegations.
During his remarks, McConnell did not mention Ramirez.
"I look forward to hearing from Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh on oath Thursday morning," he said. "I'm glad we can hear the testimony of both. And then I look forward and vote up and down on this nomination here in the Senate. "
In his remarks later, the Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer accused (D-N.Y ..) Republicans of trying to rush the appointment and adjusted McConnell especially for a recent pledge "plow" procedure.
"Does this sound like someone who wants to get the real facts no matter where they fall?" Schumer asked. "Certainly not for me. Not to the American people.
Schumer also said McConnell had brought the process to a "new low" with a speech Monday in which he called the allegations against Kavanaugh a demeaning work of democrat.
"They were not," Schumer said. "It does not matter that Chief McConnell has no evidence – no evidence whatsoever – that the events in question took place or did not occur."
The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), has contacted Ramirez through the intermediary of his lawyer, but there is no indication that he is preparing for the event. invite to testify publicly at this stage.
Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), considered a key vote on Kavanaugh's candidacy, said she would like to see Ramirez speak under oath to the committee but did not say when she would like it to happen. occurs.
Some members of the judicial committee have already questioned Ramirez's claims.
"Phony" Sen. Orrin Hatch G. (R-Utah), among those who are pushing for a swift vote on Kavanaugh's nomination, on Monday refers to Ramirez's allegation. Pressed why he qualified this way, Hatch replied, "Because I know it's what's why."
By the time the Judiciary Committee holds its hearings on Thursday, there could be a third Kavanaugh accuser.
Attorney Michael Avenatti said he represented a woman accused of Kavanaugh's behavior in high school. In a tweet released Tuesday morning, Avenatti said the woman would only come forward when she was ready, but said she hoped it would happen within 36 hours.
Avenatti also represents Stormy Daniels, the adult movie actress who has been paid by a personal attorney for Trump to remain silent on an alleged case ten years old.
Asked Tuesday whether he could consider a scenario in which the White House would withdraw the appointment of Kavanaugh, said deputy press officer Raj Shah: "Absolutely not".
"We firmly believe in Judge Kavanaugh," Shah said during an appearance on MSNBC. "We believe in his appointment. We think it will create a fantastic Supreme Court court. .. we are going from the front. "
Seung Min Kim contributed to this report.
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