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September 23, 2018 08:30 PM UTC

BREAKING: Second Kavanaugh Accuser, From Colorado, Blows SCOTUS Nomination Sky High

  • 28 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

MONDAY UPDATE:

—–

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh (left) meeting with Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Yuma) in late July.

Investigative journalist Ronan Farrow, whose exposure of ex-Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein’s chronic sexual harassment, alleged sexual assault, and acknowledged stomach-churning exploitation of women helped spawn a worldwide movement demanding accountability for misogynist domination of culture writ large, breaks news today with a local connection that could spell the end of President Donald Trump’s latest nomination to the U.S Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh.

As Senate Republicans press for a swift vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court, Senate Democrats are investigating a new allegation of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh. The claim dates to the 1983-84 academic school year, when Kavanaugh was a freshman at Yale University. The offices of at least four Democratic senators have received information about the allegation, and at least two have begun investigating it. Senior Republican staffers also learned of the allegation last week and, in conversations with The New Yorker, expressed concern about its potential impact on Kavanaugh’s nomination. Soon after, Senate Republicans issued renewed calls to accelerate the timing of a committee vote. The Democratic Senate offices reviewing the allegations believe that they merit further investigation. “This is another serious, credible, and disturbing allegation against Brett Kavanaugh. It should be fully investigated,” Senator Mazie Hirono, of Hawaii, said. An aide in one of the other Senate offices added, “These allegations seem credible, and we’re taking them very seriously. If established, they’re clearly disqualifying.”

The woman at the center of the story, Deborah Ramirez, who is fifty-three, attended Yale with Kavanaugh, where she studied sociology and psychology. Later, she spent years working for an organization that supports victims of domestic violence. The New Yorker contacted Ramirez after learning of her possible involvement in an incident involving Kavanaugh. The allegation was conveyed to Democratic senators by a civil-rights lawyer. For Ramirez, the sudden attention has been unwelcome, and prompted difficult choices. She was at first hesitant to speak publicly, partly because her memories contained gaps because she had been drinking at the time of the alleged incident. In her initial conversations with The New Yorker, she was reluctant to characterize Kavanaugh’s role in the alleged incident with certainty. After six days of carefully assessing her memories and consulting with her attorney, Ramirez said that she felt confident enough of her recollections to say that she remembers Kavanaugh had exposed himself at a drunken dormitory party, thrust his penis in her face, and caused her to touch it without her consent as she pushed him away. Ramirez is now calling for the F.B.I. to investigate Kavanaugh’s role in the incident. “I would think an F.B.I. investigation would be warranted,” she said.

In a statement, Kavanaugh wrote, “This alleged event from 35 years ago did not happen. The people who knew me then know that this did not happen, and have said so. This is a smear, plain and simple. I look forward to testifying on Thursday about the truth, and defending my good name—and the reputation for character and integrity I have spent a lifetime building—against these last-minute allegations.”

FOX 31 Denver reports that former Boulder County DA Stan Garnett is representing the alleged victim in these latest allegations, who happens to be one of your neighbors:

“Senate aides from Ramirez’s home state of Colorado alerted a lawyer, Stanley Garnett, a former Democratic district attorney in Boulder, who currently represents her,” the report reads.

In an email to FOX31 and Channel 2 News, Laurie Cipriano, press secretary for Senator Michael Bennet, said the following:

“Judiciary staff reached out to our office and asked for a connection to someone who might be helpful should Deborah Ramirez decide to come forward with an allegation related to that made by Dr. Ford. We reached out to Stan Garnett who then met with Ramirez to work through how to analyze and present her allegations.”

These new accusations against Kavanaugh from a fellow classmate at Yale University greatly complicate plans to hold a swift vote after testimony over the alleged sexual assault by Kavanaugh against Dr. Christine Blasey Ford now set for next Thursday. It’s going to be necessary to accommodate this latest case with the same due diligence, which is going to inevitably further delay the vote to confirm Kavanaugh. To not afford this new allegation the same opportunity to be considered would be politically disastrous for Republicans, who are already under intense pressure to undo Donald Trump’s damage and take Dr. Ford’s allegations seriously.

Prior to this second set of allegations surfacing today, local Indivisible groups were already organizing a protest action outside Sen. Cory Gardner’s 19th Street office in downtown Denver for tomorrow against Kavanaugh’s confirmation. It’s a safe bet that the crowd in front of Gardner’s office will be boosted significantly by the morning news–and just as we were when Coloradan Neil Gorsuch was nominated to the Court early last year, Colorado is once again at the center of U.S. Supreme Court nomination battle.

This time, the outcome may be very different.

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28 thoughts on “BREAKING: Second Kavanaugh Accuser, From Colorado, Blows SCOTUS Nomination Sky High”

  2. And Michael Avenatti claims he's representing another woman with relevant information.

    In the old movie, the standard was "With six, you get eggroll."  I'm thinking if there are six women who emerge, Kavanaugh will be too hot to handle and he'll slink off to the Circuit Court offices on his own.

    With ten, I'm thinking he'd certainly be toast.  Perhaps it could be commemorated by "free toast" offered at IHOP nationwide, since I think they are still the leading breakfast chain in Montgomery County, MD.

  3. MJ call this right……….

    She predicted more would come forward. It makes sense. If the others were afraid of what they would face by coming forward, once the first one came forward, it became easier for the others. Strength in numbers.

    I wonder if our junior senator will host a courtesy visit from his constituent, Deborah Ramirez, he she travels to DC to testify on Thursday.

    1. cook called it first….I'm glad that Kavanaugh's nomination is doomed, but not glad that it comes at the cost of women reliving that trauma.

      I've been in some conversations recently with women, smart, experienced activist moms and grandmas, who are having to deal with resurfacing memories of being or feeling powerless and used. That we call ourselves "survivors" and not "victims" of sexual assaults these days doesn't really lessen the hurt of those memories. It does help that others are coming forward.

      There is a buried lake of hidden anger out there, and it is going to burst out and sweep a lot of Republican hypocrites' feet out from under them.

      Next: male survivors will start talking. It's going to get uglier before it gets better.

      1. So agree. The perps have gotten away with their behaviors for centuries because there's so much shame and horror for those they victimized. But the anger is coming forward, bursting out as you say, and there is strength in numbers. The shame is finally going to be turned around on the perps, and repeated denials will no longer work.

      2. I did indeed, M.J. I went back into last week's comments and: 

        notaskinnycook says:

        September 15, 2018 at 12:39 AM MDT

        Who wants to bet me that there will be more women speaking up about Kavanaugh? Like men who hit women, men who impose their attention on women tend to make a habit of it. 

        ***
        It does suck for the women who are having nightmares featuring this jerk, but I’m glad they’re talking. He mustn’t be allowed to harm any more women from the highest bench in the land.

  5. Because ETOH or drugs are so often a part of the circumstance a woman's ability to defend herself is reduced as is her ability to recall precise detail years later. So, the right, the GOP, will forever be saying 'it was never proven'. And, of course, victims go to great difficulty to try to forget so they can have their life back.

  6. Numero cuatro?

    Supreme Court nominee Kavanaugh faces more allegations

    Investigators in Montgomery County confirmed Monday they’re aware of a potential second sexual assault complaint in the county against former Georgetown Prep student and Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

    While investigators weren’t specific and spoke on background, they said they are looking at allegations against Kavanaugh during his senior year in high school after an anonymous witness came forward this weekend.

    1. Don't you get it? It's a dog pile! They'll be lining up now, and it's all a lie for publicity. The only people who believe this never wanted to give Brett Kavanaugh a chance anyway.

      1. 1) Proven by whom?

        2) So what if she is a committed Democratic activist?  That does not mean Kavanaugh did not try to sexually assault her.  You can't prove that just because she is a committed Democratic activist that she's lying about being sexually assaulted by Kavanaugh.

        Your remark was crass and vile.  Not that I would stand in your way to speak your mind.  Please proceed Nutter.  You help our side more than you help yours.

        1. Careful on these sanctimonious demands for proof somebody may request that burden be put upon the accuser. Nobody has to prove she is lying. 

          And I personally believe her. 

           

           

           

           

  8. Some of the GOP senators are getting a slight case of the shakes.  Of course, they could all fall in line if Kavanaugh provides just the wispiest of fig leaf defenses.

    But even Susan Collins is calling for both women to testify before any vote.  That's an encouraging sign.

    GOP Sens. Jeff Flake of Arizona, Bob Corker of Tennessee, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska are all preaching a thorough process and saying they have an open mind. Collins said the Judiciary Committee needs to interview Ramirez “under oath.”

    “I’m eager for the hearing to take place this Thursday and hear from both Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford,” Collins said. “I have not made a decision.”

    "As with any allegation out there, it is our responsibility to look into it and treat allegations with the serious consideration they deserve,” Murkowski said.

    And it’s not just those four Republicans who are open to being convinced either way. Several other GOP senators said on Monday that their votes will be determined by how Ford and Kavanaugh perform before the committee.

    That raises the stakes even more: While Kavanaugh could win over undecided senators with strong performance, he could also experience more defections if he stumbles.

    They've got to be asking themselves, "Why do we need this shit?  There are plenty of other RWNJ hacks with Yale law degrees out there that kept their dicks in their pants to choose from".

     

    1. True enough, D… but a Yale-educated RWNJ who is willing to proactively declare that the President is above the law – that guy may be more difficult to find.

       

       

      1. When Nixon's RWNJs, Clement Haynesworth and G. Harold Carswell, were rejected, he came out with Harry Blackmun who was considered to be a solid but presentable conservative. He turned out to be something much better.

        When Reagan's nomination of Robert Bork went down in flames, he turned to Douglas Ginsberg who was considered something of a libertarian. After Ginsberg withdrew, he turned to Anthony Kennedy who was a solid but presentable conservative. Kennedy also turned out to be something much better.

        My prediction:  Assuming there are at least 50 Republicans in the Senate come January, Trump will double down and turn someone more extreme than Kavanaugh but who comes without the allegations of sexual abuse. Think Amy Barrett who almost certainly has no sexual peccadilloes about which to worry and will arouse the base.

         

      2. Yes, Trump definitely will do everything he can to get Kavanaugh confirmed to be his "Get out of jail free" card.

        But the calculus that Flake, Murkowski and Collins are using is more subtle — loyalty to Trump is pretty close to the bottom of their considerations.  Will it help or hurt the Party?  What cost to their future bucking McConnell will there be?

        If just one of them decides Kavanaugh has got to go, then it will be easier for the red state Dems to agree, and stick with our caucus.  Unless McConnell signals defeat, this will be a 1 vote contest either way.

        1. Notice McConnell has changed his tune very slightly. Last week it was that they bulldoze the nomination through. Now, it will be brought up for a vote one way or the other. 

          They must really fear their base because otherwise, they may be putting their less fanatical and more endangered members at great risk (i.e., Dean Heller, Ted Cruz). There are Republican women in Texas who abandoned Trump and voted for HRC in some of the suburbs who have no great love for Cruz and can be persuaded to support O'Roarke if Teddy goes to bat for Brett.

  9. The GOP only picks the best of the best:

    Let’s start with Kavanaugh’s high school, Georgetown Prep, also the alma mater of Neil Gorsuch, Trump’s first Supreme Court pick. There’s now a wealth of reporting painting the private school as a bastion of heedless male entitlement. Kavanaugh’s high school friend Mark Judge — who Christine Blasey Ford, Kavanaugh’s first accuser, says was in the room when Kavanaugh allegedly assaulted her — has written extensively of his drunken teenage debauchery. According to The New Yorker, Judge confided in an ex-girlfriend, Elizabeth Rasor, about an incident where he and other boys took turns having sex with a drunken woman. (Judge denies this.)

    From Georgetown Prep, Kavanaugh went to Yale. There he joined the fraternity Delta Kappa Epsilon, or DKE, which was, according to The Yale Daily News, “notorious for disrespecting women.” (Long after Kavanaugh graduated, the fraternity, once headed by George W. Bush, was banned from campus after video emerged of pledges chanting, “No Means Yes! Yes Means Anal!”) Kavanaugh was also a member of an all-male secret society called Truth and Courage, which had an obscene nickname affirming its dedication to womanizing.

    Sexual predators aren't born, they are cultivated.

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