Hirono fundraises off Kavanaugh, ‘he knows he is guilty’

“My question is: What are they trying to hide? What are they so afraid of? If Kavanaugh is innocent, why isn’t he calling for a full investigation to prove it unequivocally? I worry that the answer is that he knows he is guilty. And if that’s the case, we absolutely must do everything we can to stop him.”

[Related: Female Senate Democrats tell male GOP colleagues to ‘shut up’ and ‘do the right thing’]

Hirono has won acclaim from liberals for her forceful assault on Kavanaugh, Republican senators, and her support for accuser Christine Blasey Ford.

A Thursday Senate Judiciary Committee hearing is set for both Ford and Kavanaugh to speak publicly about her charges that he assaulted her while the two were teens at a boozy party in Washington’s suburbs. He has forcefully and repeatedly denied her charges and those she identified at the alleged party deny her story.

Her memo is below:

Dear MoveOn member,

This is Senator Mazie Hirono from the great state of Hawaii. I’m one of four women on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

I’m writing to you today because I am angry. I am angry at the way Senate Republicans and Donald Trump’s administration are treating Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who last week bravely came forward to share her story about Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

I am angry that Trump and his cronies will do absolutely anything to take over the Court—even if it means putting an alleged sexual predator on the bench.

I am angry that some of the very same senators who smeared and humiliated Anita Hill 27 years ago are trying to get away with it again.

And I am angry that Dr. Blasey Ford is being forced to endure this patently unfair process while facing ruthless intimidation and even threats to her life.

What is happening to Dr. Blasey Ford is disgusting and unacceptable, and I would expect that when the Senate hearings start again, my male colleagues will finally shut up, step up, and do the right thing—for once—and listen to and respect survivors.

Will you stand with me and chip in $3 to help power MoveOn’s campaign to support Dr. Blasey Ford and stop Brett Kavanaugh?

Yes, I’m in! I’ll chip in right now.

Let’s be clear: Trump and his Republican allies have no interest in finding the truth.

They have no interest in hearing from Dr. Blasey Ford, or from any witness that would corroborate her story. They have no interest in conducting a fair investigation. Anything that gets in the way of fast-tracking Kavanaugh’s ascent to the Court is unacceptable for them.

That’s because they know that when Kavanaugh is on the Court, he will defend Trump from any civil or criminal case brought against him. And making sure that Trump is protected before Democrats take back Congress is more important to them than anything else.

That’s why they have been making it so hard for Dr. Blasey Ford to participate in additional hearings, even though she has already gone above and beyond what any person should be forced to do.

My question is: What are they trying to hide? What are they so afraid of? If Kavanaugh is innocent, why isn’t he calling for a full investigation to prove it unequivocally?

I worry that the answer is that he knows he is guilty. And if that’s the case, we absolutely must do everything we can to stop him.

That is why any additional hearings must be fair and thorough, and why it is crucial that we keep raising our voices to demand it.

MoveOn members have been raising their voices since the very start of this nomination process, and I am so grateful to have you with me. MoveOn has driven tens of thousands of calls to Congress—I certainly got some!—hosted events outside the Capitol Building, created videos, run ads, and more. Trust me, this work is critical. This is exactly the kind of pressure that helped us stop the repeated efforts by Republicans last year to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and it is what can help us stop Kavanaugh now. But MoveOn needs your help to keep up the fight.

Can we count on you to chip in $3—or whatever you can afford?

Yes, Mazie, I’ll chip in.

The efforts of MoveOn members and countless fellow Americans have turned this “sure thing” nomination into a battle. Kavanaugh is the least popular nominee in decades, and we have been emboldened by the constituent pressure that’s been constant for the past two and a half months—and all of this is thanks to people-powered activism from folks like all of you.

I know that MoveOn is going to keep up this pressure throughout this week’s kangaroo court and every day after—fighting to ensure that women and survivors are heard, that the powerful are held to account, and that we all take steps to strengthen our democracy and protect our rights, together.

Before I end this message, I want to talk about what happens if Republicans do go forward with their plan to railroad Dr. Blasey Ford and to fast-track Kavanaugh’s confirmation.

If Republicans ram this through, it’s our job to band together and say, “Enough!” Our job to make this an electoral issue. To make sure this costs Republicans extra seats this fall (and I say extra seats, because I believe that the way things are going already, if enough of us step up, we can take back the House and maybe even the Senate).

I’ll tell you: If Republicans force this, they will have to face women (and their allies) back in their home districts. And at the voting booths this November, these constituents will make it clear to them that this was the last straw—the issue that cost Republicans the Senate.

If you are ready to fight with me and MoveOn until the last vote is cast, and then work to defeat the incredibly disrespectful Republicans who are trying to ram Kavanaugh’s nomination through, will you chip in $3 right now?

Yes, I’m ready to help make sure that Republicans shut up, step up, and do the right thing—or pay for it by losing extra seats in this fall’s election.

Thanks for all you do.

Mahalo.

Senator Mazie Hirono