The legal team for Deborah Ramirez, who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of exposing himself to her when they were undergraduates at Yale University, condemned the FBI for its “failure” to interview additional witnesses that could corroborate their client’s allegations.
In a Thursday letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray and FBI general counsel Dana Boente, one of Ramirez’s attorneys William Pittard acknowledged that the FBI had interviewed Ramirez on Sunday and noted that a list of more than 20 witnesses whom Ramirez “suspected” could back up her allegations.
[Click here for complete Kavanaugh coverage]
“Fewer than four days later, however, the FBI apparently has concluded its investigation — without permitting its agents to investigate,” the letter read. “We are deeply disappointed by this failure. We can only conclude that the FBI — or those controlling its investigation — did not want to learn the truth behind Ms. Ramirez’s allegations.”
Pittard also pointed to “substantial corroboration” that was unveiled in a piece published by the New Yorker on Wednesday, which said Kenneth Appold, a student at Yale and a suitemate of Kavanaugh at the time of the alleged incident, became aware of what happened shortly after it occurred. Although the FBI was given his contact information, he was never contacted.
Furthermore, Pittard pointed to Richard Oh, who also attended Yale when Kavanaugh and Ramirez did. Pittard said that Oh remembers during his freshman year “a female student ‘emotionally reporting’ what can only have been the same incident as described by Ms. Ramirez.”
“There may be many additional witnesses who could offer still further corroboration (if any additional corroboration were needed, which it is not). But we likely will never know, given that your agents were barred from investigating,” the letter concluded. “What we do know, despite that lack of investigation, is that multiple witnesses have corroborated Ms. Ramirez’s allegations. Respectfully, your agents should have been permitted to develop that information.”
[Dianne Feinstein: FBI report is ‘product of an incomplete investigation’]
John Clune, another attorney for Ramirez, tweeted earlier this week that he had “great concern” that the FBI is “not conducting — or not being permitted to conduct — a serious investigation.”
White House spokesperson Raj Shah said in an interview Thursday morning with CNN that the FBI had interviewed nine witnesses.
The White House has submitted the FBI’s report to the Senate. A procedural vote for Kavanaugh’s confirmation is slated for Friday, paving the way for a final vote as early as Saturday.
Kavanaugh has been accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct, all of which he has denied.
