Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., cast doubt on the latest allegation of sexual misconduct concerning Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, after a woman alleged in an sworn affidavit she was gang raped in high school parties where Kavanaugh was present.
“I have a difficult time believing any person would continue to go to — according to the affidavit — ten parties over a two-year period where women were routinely gang raped and not report it,” Graham said in a statement. “I also find it curious these charges were not brought forward until 2018, two days before a confirmation vote.”
Julie Swetnick, who graduated from Gaithersburg High School in Maryland and has several active government clearances, came forward Wednesday alleging that she saw Kavanaugh behave inappropriately toward women in high school at various parties, and claimed he spiked their drinks and touched them inappropriately without their consent. She also claimed Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge tried to drug girls so they could “then be ‘gang raped’” by multiple boys.
Swetnick says she was gang raped at one of these parties and Kavanaugh was present, according to the affidavit which was made public Wednesday morning by her lawyer, Michael Avenatti.
“Why would any reasonable person continue to hang around people like this?” Graham said. “Why would any person continue to put their friends and themselves in danger? Isn’t there some duty to warn others?”
Graham said that it was “outrageous” to believe Kavanaugh behaved in such a manner and that he hoped the Senate “will see this for the smear campaign that it is.” He pointed to the “dozens” of women who have come forward recently to advocate for Kavanaugh’s character.
He also called into question Avenatti’s motives. Avenatti is also representing porn star Stormy Daniels, who claims she had an affair with President Trump, and is a potential 2020 presidential candidate.
“From my view, just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, it just did. The lawyer to porn stars has just taken this debacle to an even lower level,” Graham said. “I hope people will be highly suspicious of this allegation presented by Michael Avenatti.”
“If Republicans bail out on this good man because of the smear and character assassination perpetrated by Michael Avenatti, we deserve our fate,” Graham said.
Two other women have also accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct. Christine Blasey Ford, who is testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday along with Kavanaugh, claims Kavanaugh forced himself onto her at a high school party in the 1980s.
Deborah Ramirez also accused Kavanaugh of exposing himself to her at a college party in the 1980s at Yale University when they were students.
Kavanaugh has rejected all allegations leveled against him. He claimed the most recent allegations were “ridiculous” and denied they ever occured.
“This is ridiculous and from the Twilight Zone. I don’t know who this is and this never happened,” Kavanaugh said in a statement the White House released Wednesday.
