GRASSLEY: This morning we continue our hearing on the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to serve as associate justice on our Supreme Court. We will hear from two witnesses, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Judge Kavanaugh. Thanks, of course, to Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh for accepting our committee’s invitation to testify and also thank them for their volunteering to testify before we even invited.

GRASSLEY: Both Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh have been through a terrible couple weeks. They and their families have received vile threats. What they have endured ought to be considered by all of us as unacceptable and a poor reflection on the state of civility in our democracy.

So I want to apologize to you both for the way you’ve been treated. And I intend, hopefully, for today’s hearing to be safe, comfortable and dignified for both of our witnesses. I hope my colleagues will join me in this effort of a show of civility.

With that said, I lament that this hearing — how this hearing has come about.

On July the 9th, 2018, the president announced Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination to serve on the Supreme Court. Judge Kavanaugh has served on the most important federal appellate court for 12 years. Before that, he held some of the most sensitive positions in the federal government. The president added Judge Kavanaugh to his short list of Supreme Court more than nine months ago, in November 2017.

GRASSLEY: As part of judge Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, the FBI conducted its sixth full field background investigation of Judge Kavanaugh since 1993, 25 years ago. Nowhere in any of these six FBI reports, which committee investigators have reviewed on a bipartisan basis, was there a whiff of any issue — any issue at all related in any way to inappropriate sexual behavior.

Dr. Ford first raised her allegations in a secret letter to the ranking member nearly two months ago in July. This letter was secret from July 30th, September 13th to — no, July 30th until September 13th when I first heard about it.

The ranking member took no action. The letter wasn’t shared with me or colleagues or my staff. These allegations could have been investigated in a way that maintained the confidentiality that Dr. Ford requested.

Before his hearing, Judge Kavanaugh met privately with 65 senators, including the ranking member. But the ranking member didn’t ask Judge Kavanaugh about the allegations when she met with him privately in August.

The Senate Judiciary Committee held its four-day public hearing from September 4th to September 7th. Judge Kavanaugh testified for more than 32 hours in public. We held a closed session for members to ask sensitive on that — on the last evening, which the ranking member did not attend.

Judge Kavanaugh answered nearly 1,300 written questions submitted by senators after the hearing, more than all prior Supreme Court nominees.

Throughout this period, we did not know about the ranking member’s secret evidence.

Then, only at an 11th hour, on the eve of Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation vote, did the ranking member refer the allegations to the FBI. And then, sadly, the allegations were leaked to the press. And that’s where Dr. Ford was mistreated.

This is a shameful way to treat our witness, who insisted on confidentiality, and — and, of course, Judge Kavanaugh, who has had to address these allegations in the midst of a media circus.

When I received Dr. Ford’s letter on September the 13th, my staff and I recognized the seriousness of these allegations and immediately began our committee’s investigation, consistent with the way the committee has handled such allegations in the past.

Every step of the way the Democratic side refused to participate in what should have been a bipartisan investigation. And as far as I know on all of our judgeships throughout at least the last four years — or three years, that’s been the way it’s been handled.

After Dr. Ford’s identity became public, my staff contacted all the individuals she said attended the 1982 party described in the Washington Post article.

Judge Kavanaugh immediately submitted to an interview under penalty of felony for any knowingly false statements. He denied the allegations categorically.

GRASSLEY: Democratic staff was invited to participate and could have asked any questions they wanted to, but they declined. Which leads me then to wonder: If they’re really concerned with going to the truth, why wouldn’t you want to talk to the accused?

The process and procedure is what the committee always does when we receive allegations of wrongdoing.

My staff reached out to other individuals allegedly at the party: Mark Judge, Patrick Smyth, Leland Keyser. All three submitted statements to the Senate under — under penalty of felony, denying any knowledge of the events described by Dr. Ford.

Dr. Ford’s lifelong friend, Dr. — Miss Keyser, stated she doesn’t know Judge Kavanaugh and doesn’t recall ever attending a party with him.

My staff made repeated requests to interview Dr. Ford during the past 11 days, even volunteering to fly to California to take her testimony, but her attorneys refused to prevent — present her allegations to Congress. I never — I nevertheless honored her request for a public hearing, so Dr. Ford today has the opportunity to prevent (sic) her allegations under oath.

As you can see, the Judiciary Committee was able to conduct thorough investigations into allegation — thorough investigations into allegations.

Some of my colleagues, consistent with their stated desires to obstruct Kavanaugh’s nomination by any means precisely — by any means necessary, pushed for FBI investigations into the allegations. But I have no authority to force the executive branch agency to conduct an investigation into a matter it considers to be closed. Moreover, once the allegations become — became public, it was easy to identify all the alleged witnesses and conduct our own investigations.

Contrary to what the public has been led to believe, the FBI doesn’t perform any credibility assessments or verify the truth of any events in these background investigations.

I’ll quote then-Chairman Joe Biden during Justice Thomas’ confirmation hearing. This is what Senator Biden said, quote, “The next person who refers to an FBI report as being worth anything obviously doesn’t understand anything. The FBI explicitly does not, in this or any other case, reach a conclusion, period. They say he — he said, she said, they said, period. So when people wave an FBI report before you, understand, they do not — they do not — they do not reach conclusions. They do not make recommendations,” end of Senator Biden’s quote.

The FBI provided us with the allegations. Now it’s up to the Senate to assess their credibility. Which brings us to this very time.

I look forward to a fair and respectful hearing. That’s what we promised Dr. Ford.

Some of my colleagues have complained about the fact that an expert on this side is — investigating sex crimes will be questioning the witness. I see no basis for complaint other than just playing politics.

GRASSLEY: The testimony we will hear today concerns allegations of sexual assault; very serious allegations. This is an incredibly complex and sensitive subject to discuss. It is not an easy one to discuss. That is why the senators on this side of the dais believe an expert who has deep experience and training in interviewing victims of sexual assault and investigating sexual assault alleged — allegations should be asking questions.

This will be in stark contrast to the grandstanding and chaos that we saw from the other side during the previous four days in this hearing process.

I can think of no one better equipped to question the witnesses than Rachel Mitchell. Ms. Mitchell is a career prosecutor, civil servant, with decades of experience investigating and prosecuting sex crimes. She has dedicated her career to seeking justice for survivors of sex-related felonies.

Most recently, Rachel was a division chief of the Special Victims Division, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, which prosecutes sex crimes and family violence.

Then-Democratic Senator — Governor Janet Napolitano previously recognized her as the outstanding Arizona sexual assault prosecutor of the year. And she has spent years instructing prosecutors, detectives and child protection workers on how to properly interview victims of sexual assault and abuse.

With her aid, I look forward to a fair and productive hearing.

I understand that there are two other public allegations. Today’s hearing was scheduled to — in close consultation with Dr. Ford’s attorneys, and her testimony will be the subject of this hearing.

We’ve been trying to investigate other allegations. At this time, we have not had cooperation from attorneys representing other clients, and they have made no attempt to substantiate their claims.

My staff has tried to secure testimony and evidence from attorneys for both Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick. My staff made eight requests — yes, eight requests — for evidence from attorneys for Ms. — Ms. Ramirez, and six requests for evidence for (sic) attorneys for Ms. Swetnick. Neither attorney has made their clients available for interview. The committee can’t do an investigation if attorneys are stonewalling.

I hope you all understand that we have attempted to seek additional information, as we do a lot of times when there are holes in what we call the B.I. reports.

Additionally, all the witnesses should know — by — when I say “all the witnesses,” I mean Dr. Ford and I mean Judge Kavanaugh — all the witnesses should know that they have the right under Senate Rule 26.5 to ask that the committee go into closed session if a question requires an answer that is a clear invasion of their right to privacy.

If either Dr. Ford or Judge Kavanaugh feel that Senate Rule 26.5 ought to be involved, they should simply say so.

Senator Feinstein?

FEINSTEIN: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

I’ll make just a brief comment on your references to me.

Yes, I did receive a letter from Dr. Ford. It was conveyed to me by a member of Congress, Anna Eshoo.

The next day, I called Dr. Ford. We spoke on the phone. She reiterated that she wanted this held confidential. And I held it confidential, up to a point where the witness was willing to come forward.

FEINSTEIN: And I think as I make my remarks, perhaps you’ll see why. Because how women are treated in the United States, with this kind of concern, is really wanting a lot of reform. And I’ll get to that for a minute.

But in the meantime, good morning, Dr. Ford. Thank you for coming forward and being willing to share your story with us. I know this wasn’t easy for you.

But before you get to your testimony — and the chairman chose not to do this — I think it’s important to make sure you’re properly introduced. And I have to…

GRASSLEY: By the way, I was going to introduce her. But if you want to introduce her, I’ll be glad to have you do that.

But I want you to know, I didn’t forget to do it, because I would do that just as she was about to speak.

FEINSTEIN: Thank you.

I have to say, when I saw your C.V., I was extremely impressed. You have a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; two master’s degrees, one from Stanford and one from Pepperdine; and a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California, better known to Senator Harris and I as USC.

You are a professor affiliated with both Stanford University and Palo Alto University. You have published over 65 peer-reviewed articles and have received numerous awards for your work and research.

And as if that were not enough, you are a wife, a mother of two sons and a constituent from California.

So I am very grateful to you for your strength and your bravery in coming forward. I know it’s hard.

But before I turn it over, I want to say something about what is to be discussed today and where we are as a country.

Sexual violence is a serious problem and one that largely goes unseen. In the United States it’s estimated by the Centers for Disease Control one in three women and one in six men will experience some form of sexual violence in their lifetime.

According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, 60 percent of sexual assaults go unreported. In addition, when survivors do report their assaults, it’s often years later due to the trauma they suffered and fearing their stories will not be believed.

Last week I received a letter from a 60-year-old California constituent who told me that she survived an attempted rape at age 17. She described as being terrified and embarrassed. She never told a soul until much later in life. The assault stayed with her for 43 years.

I think it’s important to remember these realities as we hear from Dr. Ford about her experience.

There’s been a great deal of public discussion about the MeToo movement today versus the Year of the Woman almost 27 years ago. But while young women are standing up and saying “No more,” our institutions have not progressed in how they treat women who come forward. Too often, women’s memories and credibility come under assault. In essence, they are put on trial and forced to defend themselves, and often revictimized in the process.

FEINSTEIN: Twenty-seven years ago, I was walking through an airport when I saw a large group of people gathered around a TV to listen to Anita Hill tell her story. What I saw was an attractive woman in a blue suit before an all-male Judiciary Committee, speaking of her experience of sexual harassment. She was treated badly, accused of lying, attacked, and her credibility put to the test throughout the process.

Today, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford has come forward to tell her story of being assaulted and fearing for her life when she was a teenager.

Initially, as I said, Dr. Ford did not want to make her story public. Then within 36 hours of coming forward, Republicans scheduled a hearing without talking to her or even inviting her to testify. She was told she had to show up for the — or the committee would move forward with a vote. It took a public outcry for the — from the majority — excuse me — for the majority to back down and give her even a few days to come before the committee.

Republicans also scheduled this hearing with Dr. Ford without having her allegations investigated by the FBI. In 1991, Anita Hill’s allegations were reviewed by the FBI, as is the normal process and squarely within its jurisdiction. However, despite repeated requests, President Trump and the Republicans have refused to take this routine step and direct the FBI to conduct an impartial investigation. This would clearly be the best way to ensure a fair process to both Judge Kavanaugh and to Dr. Ford.

In 1991, the Senate heard from 22 witnesses over three days. Today, while rejecting an FBI investigation, Republicans are refusing to hear testimony from any other witness, including Mark Judge, who Dr. Ford identified as being in the room when the attack took place. And we believe Judge should be subpoenaed so the committee can hear from him directly.

Republicans have also refused to call anyone who could speak to the evidence that would support or refute Dr. Ford’s claim, and not one witness who could address credibility and character of either Ford or Kavanaugh has been called.

What I find most inexcusable is this rush to judgment, the unwillingness to take these kinds of allegations at face value and look at them for what they are: a real question of character for someone who is asking for a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court.

In 1991, Republicans belittled Professor Hill’s experience, saying, and I quote, “It won’t make a bit of difference in the outcome,” end quote, and the burden of proof was on Professor Hill.

Today our Republican colleagues are saying, “This is a hiccup,” “Dr. Ford is mixed up,” and declaring, “I’ll listen to the lady, but we’re going to bring this to a close.”

What’s worse, many of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have also made it clear that no matter what happens today, the Senate will plow right through and ensure Judge Kavanaugh would be elevated within a week.

FEINSTEIN: In fact, on Tuesday, the majority went ahead and scheduled a vote on the nomination before we heard one word of testimony regarding allegations of sexual assault and misconduct by Brett Kavanaugh. Republican leadership even told senators they should plan to be in over this weekend so the nomination can be pushed through without delay.

This is, despite the fact, that in the last few days two more women have come forward with their own serious allegations of sexual assault involving Brett Kavanaugh.

This past Sunday, we’ve learned about Debbie Ramirez, who was a student at Yale with Brett Kavanaugh. She, too, did not want to come forward, but after being approached by reporters, she told her story. She was at a college party where Kavanaugh exposed himself to her. She recalls pushing him away and then seeing him laughing and pulling his pants up.

Then yesterday, June (sic) Swetnick came forward to say that she had experiences of being at house parties with Brett Kavanaugh and Mark Judge. She recounted seeing Kavanaugh engage, and I quote, “in abusive and physically aggressive behavior toward girls,” end quote, including attempts to, quote, “remove or shift girls clothing,” end quote. Not taking, quote, “no for an answer,” grabbing girls, quote “without their consent,” end quote, and targeting, quote, “particular girls so that they could be taken advantage of,” end quote.

Each of these stories are troubling on their own and each of these allegations should be investigated by the FBI. All three women have said they would like the FBI to investigate; please do so. All three have said they have other witnesses and evidence to corroborate their accounts. And yet Republicans continue to blindly push forward.

So today we’re moving forward with a hearing and being asked to assess the credibility of Brett Kavanaugh.

He’s made several statements about how his focus was on school, basketball, service projects, and going to church. He declared that he, quote, “never,” end quote, drank so much he couldn’t remember what happened, and he has, quote, “always treated women with dignity and respect,” end quote.

And while he has made these declarations, more and more people have come forward challenging his characterization of events and behaviors.

James Roche, his freshman roommate at Yale, stated Kavanaugh was, and I quote again, “frequently incoherently drunk,” end quote, and that was when, quote, “he became aggressive and belligerent,” end quote, when he was drunk.

Liz Swisher, a friend of his from Yale, said, and I quote, “There’s no medical way I can say that he was blacked out, but it’s not credible for him to say that he had no memory lapses in the nights that he drank to excess,” end quote.

Lynne Brookes, a college classmate, said the picture Kavanaugh is trying to paint doesn’t match her memories of him, and I quote, “He’s trying to paint himself as some kind of choirboy. You can’t lie your way onto the Supreme Court, and with that statement out he’s gone too far. It’s about the integrity of the institution,” end quote.

FEINSTEIN: Ultimately, members and ladies and gentlemen, I really think that’s the point. We’re here to decide whether to evaluate (sic) this nominee to the most prestigious court in our country. It’s about the integrity of that institution and the integrity of this institution.

The entire country is watching how we handle these allegations. I hope the majority changes their tactics, opens their mind and seriously reflects on why we are here. We are here for one reason: to determine whether Judge Kavanaugh should be elevated to one of the most powerful positions in our country.

This is not a trial of Dr. Ford, it’s a job interview for Judge Kavanaugh. Is Brett Kavanaugh who we want on the most prestigious court in our country? Is he the best we can do?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

GRASSLEY: I’m sorry you brought up about the unsubstantiated allegations of other people, because we’re here for the sole purpose of listening to Dr. Ford. And we’ll consider other issues other times.

I would like to have you rise so I can swear you.

Now you — do you swear that the testimony that you’re about to give before this committee will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

FORD: (OFF-MIKE)

GRASSLEY: Thank you very much. Please be seated.

And before you give your statement, I want to say that — to everybody that she has asked for — any time you ask for a break, you get a break. Any time there’s something that you need you don’t have, just ask us. And you can have as much time for your opening statement as you want.

And — and just generally let us know if there’s any issues.

Proceed, please.

FORD: Thank you, Senator Grassley. I think after I read my opening statement, I anticipate needing some caffeine, if that is available.

GRASSLEY: OK.

Can you pull the microphone just a little bit closer to you, please? Can the whole box go a little bit closer?

(UNKNOWN): That’s what I’m trying, Senator. No.

GRASSLEY: OK, well, then — then…

FORD: I’ll lean forward.

GRASSLEY: Thank you. Thank you.

FORD: Is this good?

GRASSLEY: Yeah.

FORD: OK.

Thank you, Chairman Grassley and Ranking Member Feinstein, members of the committee. My name is Christine Blasey Ford. I am a professor of psychology at Palo Alto University and a research psychologist at the Stanford University School of Medicine. I won’t detail my educational background since it has already been summarized. I have been married to Russell Ford since 2002 and we have two children.

I am here today not because I want to be. I am terrified. I am here because I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me while Brett Kavanaugh and I were in high school.

I have described the events publicly before. I summarized them in my letter to Ranking Member Feinstein and again in a letter to Chairman Grassley.

I understand and appreciate the importance of your hearing from me directly about what happened to me and the impact that it has had on my life and on my family.

I grew up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. I attended the Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, Maryland, from 1978 to 1984. Holton-Arms is an all-girls school that opened in 1901.

FORD: During my time at this school, girls at Holton-Arms frequently met and became friendly with boys from all-boys schools in the area, including the Landon School, Georgetown Prep, Gonzaga High School, as well as our country clubs and other places where kids and families socialized. This is how I met Brett Kavanaugh, the boy who sexually assaulted me.

During my freshman and sophomore school years, when I was 14 and 15 years old, my group of friends intersected with Brett and his friends for a short period of time. I had been friendly with a classmate of Brett’s for a short time during my freshman and sophomore year, and it was through that connection that I attended a number of parties that Brett also attended. We did not know each other well, but I knew him and he knew me.

In the summer of 1982, like most summers, I spent most every day at the Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase, Maryland, swimming and practicing diving.

One evening that summer, after a day of diving at the club, I attended a small gathering at a house in the Bethesda area. There were four boys I remember specifically being there: Brett Kavanaugh, Mark Judge, a boy named P.J., and one other boy whose name I cannot recall. I also remember my friend Leland attending.

I do not remember all of the details of how that gathering came together, but like many that summer, it was almost surely a spur-of-the-moment gathering.

I truly wish I could be more helpful with more detailed answers to all of the questions that have and will be asked about how I got to the party and where it took place and so forth. I don’t have all the answers, and I don’t remember as much as I would like to.

But the details that — about that night that bring me here today are the ones I will never forget. They have been seared into my memory, and have haunted me episodically as an adult.

When I got to the small gathering, people were drinking beer in a small living room/family room-type area on the first floor of the house. I drank one beer. Brett and Mark were visibly drunk.

Early in the evening, I went up a very narrow set of stairs leading from the living room to a second floor to use the restroom. When I got to the top of the stairs, I was pushed from behind into a bedroom across from the bathroom. I couldn’t see who pushed me. Brett and Mark came into the bedroom and locked the door behind them.

There was music playing in the bedroom. It was turned up louder by either Brett or Mark once we were in the room.

I was pushed onto the bed, and Brett got on top of me. He began running his hands over my body and grinding into me. I yelled, hoping that someone downstairs might hear me, and I tried to get away from him, but his weight was heavy.

Brett groped me and tried to take off my clothes. He had a hard time, because he was very inebriated, and because I was wearing a one-piece bathing suit underneath my clothing.

I believed he was going to rape me.

I tried to yell for help. When I did, Brett put his hand over my mouth to stop me from yelling. This is what terrified me the most, and has had the most lasting impact on my life. It was hard for me to breathe, and I thought that Brett was accidentally going to kill me.

FORD: Both Brett and Mark were drunkenly laughing during the attack. They seemed to be having a very good time.

Mark seemed ambivalent, at times urging Brett on and at times telling him to stop. A couple of times, I made eye contact with Mark and thought he might try to help me, but he did not.

During this assault, Mark came over and jumped on the bed twice while Brett was on top of me. And the last time that he did this, we toppled over and Brett was no longer on top of me. I was able to get up and run out of the room.

Directly across from the bedroom was a small bathroom. I ran inside the bathroom and locked the door. I waited until I heard Brett and Mark leave the bedroom, laughing and loudly walk down the narrow stairway, pinballing off the walls on the way down.

I waited, and when I did not hear them come back up the stairs, I left the bathroom, went down the same stairwell through the living room, and left the house.

I remember being on the street and feeling this enormous sense of relief that I had escaped that house and that Brett and Mark were not coming outside after me.

Brett’s assault on me drastically altered my life. For a very long time, I was too afraid and ashamed to tell anyone these details. I did not want to tell my parents that I, at age 15, was in a house without any parents present, drinking beer with boys.

I convinced myself that because Brett did not rape me, I should just move on and just pretend that it didn’t happen.

Over the years, I told very, very few friends that I had this traumatic experience. I told my husband before we were married that I had experienced a sexual assault. I had never told the details to anyone — the specific details — until May 2012, during a couples counseling session.

The reason this came up in counseling is that my husband and I had completed a very extensive, very long remodel of our home and I insisted on a second front door, an idea that he and others disagreed with and could not understand.

In explaining why I wanted a second front door, I began to describe the assault in detail. I recall saying that the boy who assaulted me could someday be on the U.S. Supreme Court, and spoke a bit about his background at an elitist all-boys school in Bethesda, Maryland. My husband recalls that I named my attacker as Brett Kavanaugh.

After that May 2012 therapy session, I did my best to ignore the memories of the assault, because recounting them caused me to relive the experience, and caused panic and anxiety.

Occasionally, I would discuss the assault in an individual therapy session, but talking about it caused more reliving of the trauma, so I tried not to think about it or discuss it. But over the years, I went through periods where I thought about the attack.

I had confided in some close friends that I had had an experience with sexual assault. Occasionally, I stated that my assailant was a prominent lawyer or judge, but I did not use his name.

FORD: I do not recall each person I spoke to about Brett’s assault. And some friends have reminded me of these conversations since the publication of the Washington Post story on September 16th, 2018. But until July 2018, I had never named Mr. Kavanaugh as my attacker outside of therapy.

This changed in early July 2018. I saw press reports stating that Brett Kavanaugh was on the shortlist of a list of very well-qualified Supreme Court nominees. I thought it was my civic duty to relay the information I had about Mr. Kavanaugh’s conduct so that those considering his nomination would know about this assault.

On July 6th, I had a sense of urgency to relay the information to the Senate and the president as soon as possible, before a nominee was selected. I did not know how, specifically, to do this.

I called my congressional representative and let her receptionist know that someone on the president’s shortlist had attacked me. I also sent a message to the encrypted Washington Post confidential tip line. I did not use my name, but I provided the names of Brett Kavanaugh and Mark Judge. I stated that Mr. Kavanaugh had assaulted me in the 1980s in Maryland.

This was an extremely hard thing for me to do, but I felt that I couldn’t not do it.

Over the next two days, I told a couple of close friends on the beach in Aptos, California, that Mr. Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted me. I was very conflicted as to whether to speak out.

On July 9th, I received a return phone call from the office of Congresswoman Anna Eshoo after Mr. Kavanaugh had become the nominee. I met with her staff on July 18th and with her on July 20th, describing the assault and discussing my fears about coming forward.

Later, we discussed the possibility of sending a letter to Ranking Member Feinstein, who is one of my state senators, describing what occurred. My understanding is that Representative Eshoo’s office delivered a copy of my letter to Senator Feinstein’s office on July 30th.

The letter included my name, but also a request that it be kept confidential. My hope was that providing the information confidentially would be sufficient to allow the Senate to consider Mr. Kavanaugh’s serious misconduct without having to make myself, my family or anyone’s family vulnerable to the personal attacks and invasions of privacy that we have faced since my name became public.

In a letter dated August 31st, Senator Feinstein wrote that she would not share the letter without my explicit consent, and I appreciated this commitment. Sexual assault victims should be able to decide for themselves when and whether their private experience is made public.

As the hearing date got closer, I struggled with a terrible choice: Do I share the facts with the Senate and put myself and my family in the public spotlight, or do I preserve our privacy and allow the Senate to make its decision without knowing the full truth of his past behaviors?

I agonized daily with this decision throughout August and September 2018. The sense of duty that originally motivated me to reach out confidentially to The Washington Post and to Anna Eshoo’s office when there was still a list of extremely qualified candidates — and to Senator Feinstein — was always there, but my fears of the consequences of speaking out started to exponentially increase.

FORD: During August 2018, the press reported that Mr. Kavanaugh’s confirmation was virtually certain. Persons painted him as a champion of women’s rights and empowerment. And I believed that if I came forward, my single voice would be drowned out by a chorus of powerful supporters.

By the time of the confirmation hearings, I had resigned myself to remaining quiet and letting the committee and the Senate make their decision without knowing what Mr. Kavanaugh had done to me.

Once the press started reporting on the existence of the letter I had sent to Senator Feinstein, I faced mounting pressure. Reporters appeared at my home and at my workplace, demanding information about the letter in the presence of my graduate students. They called my bosses and co-workers, and left me many messages, making it clear that my name would inevitably be released to the media.

I decided to speak out publicly to a journalist who had originally responded to the tip I had sent to the Washington Post and who had gained my trust. It was important for me to describe the details of the assault in my own words.

Since September 16th, the date of the Washington Post’s story, I have experienced an outpouring of support from people in every state of this country. Thousands and thousands of people who have had their lives dramatically altered by sexual violence have reached out to share their experience and have thanked me for coming forward. We have received tremendous support from our friends and our community.

At the same time, my greatest fears have been realized and the reality has been far worse than what I expected. My family and I have been the target of constant harassment and death threats, and I have been called the most vile and hateful names imaginable. These messages, while far fewer than the expressions of support, have been terrifying and have rocked me to my core.

People have posted my personal information and that of my parents online on the Internet. This has resulted in additional e-mails, calls and threats.

My family and I were forced to move out of our home. Since September 16th, my family and I have been visiting in various secure locales, at times separated and at times together, with the help of security guards.

This past Tuesday evening, my work e-mail was hacked and messages were sent out trying to recant my description of the sexual assault.

Apart from the assault itself, these past couple of weeks have been the hardest of my life. I’ve had to relive this trauma in front of the world. And I’ve seen my life picked apart by people on television, on Twitter, other social media, other media and in this body, who have never met me or spoken with me.

I have been accused of acting out of partisan political motives. Those who say that do not know me. I’m an independent person and I am no one’s pawn.

My motivation in coming forward was to be helpful and to provide facts about how Mr. Kavanaugh’s actions have damaged my life, so that you could take into a serious consideration as you make your decision about how to proceed.

FORD: It is not my responsibility to determine whether Mr. Kavanaugh deserves to sit on the Supreme Court. My responsibility is to tell you the truth.

I understand that a professional prosecutor has been hired to ask me questions, and I’m committed to doing my very best to answer them. I have never been questioned by a prosecutor, and I will do my best.

At the same time, because the committee members will be judging my credibility, I do hope to be able to engage directly with each of you.

And at this point, I will do my best to answer your questions, and would request some caffeine.

(UNKNOWN): A Coke or something?

FORD: That sounds good. That would be great. Thanks.

GRASSLEY: Thank you.

FORD: Thank you.

GRASSLEY: Thank you very much.

Before I use my five minutes of questioning, I thought that I’d — I’d try to remind my colleagues — and in this case, Ms. Mitchell as well — that the five minutes, the way I traditionally have done, if you ask a question before your time runs out, and even though you go over your time, as long as you aren’t filibustering, I’ll let you ask your question.

And I’m going to make sure that both Dr. Ford and — Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh — as chairman of the committee, I know that they’re going to get a chance to answer the questions fully beyond that five minutes. But when that — when either Dr. Ford or Judge Kavanaugh gets done, then we immediately go to the next person. So I hope that — that that will be done in a — and Dr. — Dr. Ford, I’m told that you want a break right now, and if you do, that’s fine.

FORD: I’m OK. I got the coffee. Thank you very much. I think I can proceed and sip on the coffee.

GRASSLEY: No — nobody can mix up my coffee right, so I…

(LAUGHTER)

So you’re pretty fortunate.

So now, with that, Ms. Mitchell, you have my five minutes to ask questions.

MITCHELL: Good morning, Dr. Ford.

FORD: Hi.

MITCHELL: We haven’t met. My name is Rachel Mitchell.

FORD: Nice to meet you.

MITCHELL: I just wanted to tell you the — the first thing that struck me from your statement this morning was that you are terrified, and I just wanted to let you know I’m very sorry. That’s not right.

I know this is stressful, and so I would like to set forth some guidelines that maybe will alleviate that a little bit.

If I ask you a question that you don’t understand, please ask me to clarify it or ask it in a different way.

When I ask questions, sometimes I’ll refer back to other information you’ve provided. If I do that and I get it wrong, please correct me.

FORD: OK.

MITCHELL: I’m not going to ask you to guess. I know it was a long time ago. If you do estimate, please let me know that you’re estimating, OK?

FORD: Fair.

MITCHELL: OK.

We’ve put before you — and I’m sure you have copies of them anyway — five pieces of information, and I wanted to go over them.

The first is a screenshot of a WhatsApp texting between you and somebody at the Washington Post. Do you have that in front of you?

FORD: Yes.

MITCHELL: The first two texts were sent by you on July 6th. Is that correct?

FORD: Correct.

(UNKNOWN): Take your time.

FORD: Yes.

(UNKNOWN): Take your time.

FORD: So, there’s one correction.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: I’ve misused the word “bystander” as an adjective.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: “Bystander” means someone that is looking at an assault, and — and the person named P.J. was not technically a bystander. I was writing very quickly with a sense of urgency.

So I would not call him a bystander. He was downstairs and, you know, what I remember of him was he was a — a tall and very nice person. I didn’t know him well. But that he was downstairs, not anywhere near the event.

MITCHELL: OK. Thank you…

FORD: I’d like to take that word out, if it’s possible.

MITCHELL: OK. Thank you for clarifying that.

The second is the letter that you wrote to Senator Feinstein, dated the — July 30th of this year.

FORD: Yes.

FORD: I’ll take a minute to read it.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: I — I can read fast.

(UNKNOWN): Take your time.

OK, so I have three areas that I’d like to address.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: In the second paragraph, where it says this — “the assault occurred in a suburban Maryland area home”…

MITCHELL: Yes?

FORD: … “at a gathering that included me and four others,” I can’t guarantee that there weren’t a few other people there, but they are not in my purview of my memory.

MITCHELL: OK.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: OK.

GRASSLEY: Ms. Mitchell, I don’t know whether this is fair for me to interrupt, but I want to keep people within five minutes. Is that a — is that a major problem for you in the middle of a question?

Because I don’t — we’ve got to — I’ve got to treat everybody the same.

MITCHELL: I understand that.

GRASSLEY: Can I go to Senator Feinstein, or you…

MITCHELL: Yes, sir. I — I’m sorry, I didn’t see the light was red. Please do.

GRASSLEY: OK.

MITCHELL: Please do.

GRASSLEY: Senator Feinstein?

FEINSTEIN: FORD: I didn’t get to…

(CROSSTALK)

(UNKNOWN): So we’re going to come back to that.

FORD: Oh, OK. I…

(UNKNOWN): … when she comes back (ph)…

FORD: I see.

(UNKNOWN): … just making…

(CROSSTALK)

FORD: I see. OK.

FEINSTEIN: Fast (ph).

FORD: OK.

(UNKNOWN): (OFF-MIKE)

FORD: OK.

GRASSLEY: For the benefit of Dr. Ford, I think she’ll continue that after the five minutes here.

FORD: Thank you. OK.

FEINSTEIN: Mr. Chairman, I’d like to begin by putting some letters in the record.

GRASSLEY: Without objection, so ordered. But if you want to tell me…

FEINSTEIN: 140 letters from friends and neighbors of the witness and a thousand female physicians across the country. That’s what the letters are.

I want to thank you very much for your testimony. I know how very, very hard it is.

FEINSTEIN: Is that the reason for the second door — front door…

FORD: Correct.

FEINSTEIN: It’s…

FORD: It — it now is a place to host Google interns. Because we live near Google, so we get to have — other students can live there.

I struggled academically. I struggled very much in Chapel Hill and in college. When I was 17 and went off to college, I had a very hard time, more so than others, forming new friendships and especially friendships with boys, and I had academic problems.

So, I was watching carefully throughout the summer — well, my original intent, I just want to remind was to communicate with everyone when there was still a list of candidates who all seemed to be, just from my perspective, from what I could read, equally qualified. And I was in a hurry to try to get the information forward but didn’t quite know how to do that.

However, once he was selected and it seemed like he was popular and it was a sure vote, I was calculating daily the risk/benefit for me of coming forward, and wondering whether I would just be jumping in front of a train that was headed to where it was headed anyway and that I would just be personally annihilated.

So at that point, I felt like enough was enough. People were calling my colleagues at Stanford and leaving messages on their voicemails and on their e-mail, saying that they knew my name. Clearly, people knew my address because they were out in front of my house.

And it just — the mounting pressure, it seemed like it was time to just…

FEINSTEIN: I want…

FORD: … say what I needed to say.

I want to ask you one question about the attack itself.

You were very clear about the attack. Being pushed into the room, you say you don’t know quite by whom, but that it was Brett Kavanaugh that covered your mouth to prevent you from screaming, and then you escaped. How are you so sure that it was he?

FEINSTEIN: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

GRASSLEY: Ms. Mitchell, for Senator — for Senator Hatch.

MITCHELL: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

When we were stopped, you were going to tell us a third correction that you wanted to make on that statement — or, I’m sorry, the letter to Senator Feinstein.

FORD: It’s — it wasn’t a correction, but I wanted to comment on it, since we were looking at this letter, that I did see Mark Judge once at the Potomac Village Safeway after the time of the attack. And it would be helpful with anyone’s resources if — to figure out when he worked there, if people are wanting more details from me about when the attack occurred. If we could find out when he worked there, then I could provide a more detailed timeline as to when the attack occurred.

And that — that is — so, that is not a correction in your statement?

You also wrote out a handwritten statement for the polygrapher when you took your polygraph test, is that correct?

MITCHELL: OK.

And I — I see corrections on that where you crossed out, so I will go on to The Washington Post article that was…

FORD: OK.

MITCHELL: … originally published on September 16th of this year.

FORD: And should I just not look at this for accuracy, or we’re just going to leave that be?

MITCHELL: We may…

FORD: OK.

MITCHELL: … come back to it…

FORD: OK.

MITCHELL: … if you need to refer to it.

FORD: OK.

And then finally, was the statement that you provided this morning — I assume that, to the best of your recollection, that that was accurate?

MITCHELL: OK.

I want to talk to you about the day that this happened leading up to the gathering.

FORD: OK.

You indicated that you were at the country club swimming that day.

And when you say “best estimate,” is that based on the fact that you said you went there pretty much every day?

Do you recall prior to getting there — so I’m — I’m only talking about up to the gathering — had you had anything to drink?

Do you recall an expectation that Brett Kavanaugh would be there?

Now let’s talk about the gathering up from the time you arrived until right when you went up the stairs, just that period of time, OK?

What was the atmosphere like at the gathering?

When you said it was clear that they had been drinking prior, do you mean prior to the time you had gotten there or prior to the time they had arrived?

MITCHELL: OK, please continue.

FORD: OK.

So I recall that the — I could — I can sketch a floor plan. I recall that it was a sparsely furnished, fairly modest living room.

And it was not really a party like the news has made it sound. It was not. It was just a gathering that I assumed was going to lead to a party later on that those boys would attend, because they tended to have parties later at night than I was allowed to stay out.

So it was kind of a pre-gathering.

MITCHELL: OK.

GRASSLEY: Senator Leahy?

LEAHY: Dr. Ford, thank you for being here.

Mr. Chairman, you know, the — the way to make this inquiry truly credible is to do what we’ve always done when new information about a nominee comes to light. To use your words this morning, you want to reach the truth. The easy way to do that: ask the FBI to investigate. This is what we’ve always done. Let them investigate, report back to us. The same applies to the serious allegations made by Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick.

Let’s have a nonpartisan, professional investigation and then take the time to have these witnesses testify.

Chairman, you and I were both here 27 years ago. At that time, the Senate failed Anita Hill. I said I believed her.

But I’m concerned that we’re doing a lot less for these three women today. That’s my personal view.

LEAHY: Dr. Ford, no matter what happens with this hearing today, no matter what happens to this nomination, I know, and I hear from so many in my own state of Vermont, there are millions of victims and survivors out there who have been inspired by your courage. I am.

Bravery is contagious. Indeed, that’s the driving force behind the MeToo movement. And you sharing your story is going to have a lasting, positive impact on so many survivors in our country. We owe you a debt of gratitude for that, Doctor.

Now, some senators have suggested you were simply mixed up about who assaulted you. An ally of Judge Kavanaugh in the White House even promoted a wild theory about a Kavanaugh look-alike. You immediately rejected that theory, as did the innocent man who’d been called that look-alike. In fact, he sent a letter to this committee forcefully rejecting this absurd theory.

I ask consent to enter that in the record.

GRASSLEY: Without objection, so ordered.

And the person that was blamed for the incident is actually the person who introduced me to them originally. So he was a member of Columbia Country Club. And I don’t want to talk about him because I think it’s unfair, but he is the person that — that introduced me to them.

LEAHY: Or Mark Judge.

FORD: Correct.

What is the strongest memory you have, the strongest memory of the incident, something that you cannot forget? Take whatever time you need.

LEAHY: You’ve never forgotten that laughter. You’ve never forgotten them laughing at you.

FORD: They were laughing with each other.

LEAHY: Let me enter into the record a statement by the National Task Force to End Domestic Violence…

GRASSLEY: Without objection, so ordered.

LEAHY: … and a letter from 24 members of the House of Representatives, urging the committee to use the NTF’s trauma-informed approach in questioning Dr. Ford…

GRASSLEY: Without objection, so ordered.

LEAHY: … and a letter from another 116 members of the House asking to delay until all this has been heard.

GRASSLEY: Without objection, so ordered.

LEAHY: And Dr. Ford has at times been criticized for what she doesn’t remember from 36 years ago. But we have numerous experts, including a study by the U.S. Army Military Police School of Behavioral Sciences Education, that lapses of memory are wholly consistent with severe trauma and stressful assault. And I’d ask consent that be entered.

GRASSLEY: Without objection, so ordered.

LEAHY: Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

GRASSLEY: Now, Ms. Mitchell for Senator Graham.

And then it’s my understanding that — that that’s where you’d like to take a break.

FORD: Does that work for you? Does that work for you, as well?

GRASSLEY: Well, we — we’re here to accommodate you…

FORD: Oh, thank you.

GRASSLEY: … not you accommodate us.

FORD: I — I — I’m used to being collegial, so.

GRASSLEY: OK, go ahead.

(LAUGHTER)

Ms. Mitchell, for Senator Graham.

You told Senator Feinstein in your letter that you and four others were present. You’ve corrected that today to say it was at least four others.

When you were interviewed by The Washington Post, you said that there were four boys present at the party. And then in your polygraph statement, you said there were four boys and two girls.

When you say “two girls,” was that you and another or was that two other girls?

So then would it be fair to say at least P.J., Brett Kavanaugh, Mark Judge, Leland Ingham — at the time — and yourself were present, and possibly others?

MITCHELL: OK.

Now, you’ve — you’ve been detailed about what happened once you got up the stairs. And so, I don’t need to go through that again.

FORD: (OFF-MIKE)

MITCHELL: I’m sorry, go ahead.

FORD: You know, oh wait, I’m sorry.

I just realized that I said something that was inaccurate. I said I hadn’t spoken with anyone from the party since that. I have spoken with Leland.

MITCHELL: OK. Thank you for correcting that. I appreciate that.

FORD: Yes, thank you.

MITCHELL: You’ve gone into detail about what happened once you went up the stairs. So I don’t feel like it’s necessary to go over those things again.

FORD: OK.

MITCHELL: OK?

FORD: Thank you.

You said that the music was solely coming from that room, is that correct?

And it was turned up once the three of you were inside that room, is that correct?

At some point, do you recall it being turned down?

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: Likely, since I could hear them walking down the stairs very clearly from the bathroom.

MITCHELL: OK.

And the bathroom was…

FORD: I’m sorry (ph).

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: … going down the stairwell.

MITCHELL: In fact, in your letter, you said that they went down the stairs and they were talking with other people…

FORD: Yes.

MITCHELL: … in the house.

FORD: Correct.

Now, let me make sure we’re on the same page. Were you not able to hear the conversation, or not able to understand the conversation?

How do you know there was a conversation?

MITCHELL: OK.

In your letter, you…

FORD: I could hear them talking as they went down the stairwell, they were laughing, and…

In your letter you wrote, “Both loudly stumbled down the stairwell, at which point other persons at the house were talking with them.” Does that ring a bell?

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: I’m not…

MITCHELL: In your letter…

FORD: Maybe I’m not understanding. I’m sorry.

MITCHELL: OK.

Your next sentence — let me try to clarify this. After you said “other persons at the house were talking with them,” the letter goes on with the very next sentence, “I exited the bathroom, ran outside of the house and went home.”

FORD: Correct.

You said that you do not remember how you got home, is that correct?

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: … other than I did not drive home.

MITCHELL: OK.

I’m going to show you, if somebody could provide to you, a map of the various peoples’ houses at the time. And if you could verify that this is where you were living at the time.

FORD: Where I was living at the time?

MITCHELL: Yes.

FORD: OK. OK.

HARRIS: Mr. Chairman, do we have a copy of these documents?

GRASSLEY: You do not have a copy (OFF-MIKE) you want one, we can get you one.

HARRIS: Yes, before the questions begin, so we can follow the testimony.

(CORRECTED COPY – CORRECTS “BY” to “MY”)

GRASSLEY: OK. My staff says that we should not provide the copy.

(UNKNOWN): No, we will provide the copy.

GRASSLEY: Oh.

(LAUGHTER)

(UNKNOWN): Will provide the copy.

GRASSLEY: Well, speak plainly with me, please.

HARRIS: Sure. I’d like to see what she’s looking at.

(LAUGHTER)

GRASSLEY: Yeah.

You have another 30 seconds now because I was rudely interrupted.

MITCHELL: OK.

Mr. Chairman, Senator Harris, we do have a — a blown-up copy of this for the members to view, if that’s helpful.

FORD: OK, I’m going to put check marks next to homes that I can confirm are the correct locations, and then an X or a question mark when I don’t know where these people live.

MITCHELL: I’m only asking you to confirm if that map accurately shows where you were living at the time.

FORD: Where I lived at the time.

So I can’t see the street name, but I’m happy to refer to the address or the neighborhood.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: It’s near the — like — what is the place called? The Naval Research Center on Clara Barton Parkway.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: Yes.

MITCHELL: All right. OK.

GRASSLEY: Senator Durbin?

DURBIN: Mr. Chairman, I ask consent to enter into the record letters of support for Dr. Ford from her classmates at Holton-Arms school, 1,200 alumni of the school, 195 of your colleagues, students and mentors, 1,400 women who — and men who attended D.C. schools, and 50 members of the Yale Law School faculty who are calling for a full FBI investigation. I ask consent to enter these into the record.

GRASSLEY: Without objection, so ordered.

DURBIN: Dr. Ford, as difficult as this experience must be, I want you to know your courage in coming forward has given countless Americans the strength to face their own life-shattering past and to begin to heal their wounds. By example, you have brought many families into an honest and sometimes painful dialogue that should have occurred a long time ago.

I’m sorry for what this has done to you and your family. No one, no one should face harassment, death threats and disparaging comments by cheap-shot politicians simply for telling the truth.

But you and your family should know that for every scurrilous charge and every pathetic tweet, there have been thousands of Americans, women and men, who believe you, support you and thank you for your courage.

Watching your experience, it’s no wonder that many sexual assault survivors hide their past and spend their lives suffering in pained silence.

You had absolutely nothing to gain by bringing these facts to the Senate Judiciary Committee. The fact that you are testifying here today, terrified though you may be, the fact that you have called for an FBI investigation of this incident, the fact that you are prepared to name both Judge Kavanaugh and eyewitness Mark Judge stands in sharp contrast to the obstruction we’ve seen on the other side.

DURBIN: The FBI should have investigated your charges as they did in the Anita Hill hearing, but they did not. Mark Judge should be subpoenaed from his Bethany Beach hideaway and required to testify under oath, but he has not.

Judge Kavanaugh, if he truly believes there is no evidence, no witnesses that can prove your case, should be joining us in demanding a thorough FBI investigation, but he is not.

Today, you come before this committee and before this nation alone. I know you’re joined by counsel and family.

The prosecutor on the Republican side will continue to ask questions to test your memory and veracity. After spending decades trying to forget that awful night, it’s no wonder your recollection is less than perfect.

A polished liar can create a seamless story, but a trauma survivor cannot be expected to remember every painful detail. That’s what Senator Leahy has mentioned earlier.

One question is critical. In Judge Kavanaugh’s opening testimony, which we will hear after you leave, this is what he says: “I never had any sexual or physical encounter of any kind with Dr. Ford. I am not questioning that Dr. Ford may have been sexually assaulted by some person in some place at some time.”

Last night, the Republican staff of this committee released to the media a timeline that shows that they’ve interviewed two people who claimed they were the ones who actually assaulted you. I’m asking you to address this new defense of mistaken identity directly.

DURBIN: One hundred percent.

In the letter which you sent to Dr. — or, Senator Feinstein you wrote, “I have not knowingly seen Kavanaugh since the assault. I did see Mark Judge once at the Potomac Village Safeway where he was extremely uncomfortable in seeing me.”

I was going to the Potomac Village Safeway — this is the one on the corner of Falls and River Road — and I was with my mother. And I was a teenager, so I wanted her to go in one door and me go in the other.

So I chose the wrong door, because the door I chose was the one where Mark Judge was — looked like he was working there and arranging the shopping carts. And I said “Hello” to him. And his face was white and very uncomfortable saying “Hello” back.

And we had previously been friendly at the times that we saw each other over the previous two years. Albeit not very many times, we had always been friendly with one another.

I wouldn’t characterize him as not friendly. He was just nervous and not really wanting to speak with me.

DURBIN: How long…

FORD: And he — he looked a little bit ill.

DURBIN: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

GRASSLEY: Before we take a break, I can’t let what Durbin — Senator Durbin said — by the way, he’s my friend; we work on a lot of legislation together.

But you talked about the obstruction from the other side.

I cannot let it go by what you’ve heard me say so many times, that between July 30th and September 13th, there were 45 days this committee could have been investigating this situation and her privacy would have been producted — protected. So something happened here in between, on your side, that the whole country — well, not the whole country should have known about it — no, not know about it. We should have investigated it.

We’ll take a break now for 15 minutes.

(RECESS)

GRASSLEY: Dr. Ford, let me ask you a process question here. We were going to schedule a break for 12:05. This last break came just a little bit later; I didn’t call it at the right time.

We’re going to have a vote at 12:40, so would it be possible for you to go from now until 12:40 without a break?

FORD: Yes.

GRASSLEY: Yes, OK.

Now it is Senator Cornyn’s time, so proceed Ms. Mitchell.

MITCHELL: Thank you, Senator.

I have a blow-up here to my right of the map that was shown to you. The address that’s indicated on here as belonging to your family is what all the property tax records showed as being your address.

FORD: OK.

MITCHELL: Just to put it in perspective, I’d like to show you a further-out — a zoomed-out picture, so that we can put it in perspective. So, we can show the greater Washington area. Of course, you can see the Beltway on that — the Beltway area.

FORD: OK.

MITCHELL: Then number three, if we could look at that, we drew a one-mile radius around the country club and then we calculated from the farthest point…

HARRIS: Mr. Chairman, again, we don’t have these documents.

(UNKNOWN): (OFF-MIKE)

HARRIS: No, we’re not. That’s why she showed three different documents, because they depict three different things. So we’d like to see all three documents, please, so we can follow along.

GRASSLEY: She — proceed please.

MITCHELL: OK.

Looking at number — the third thing here, we calculated the distance from the closest point to your house from a mile radius of the country club and then the farthest point. You can see it’s 6.2 and, of course, 8.2 miles.

FORD: Yes.

MITCHELL: A 20-minute drive. And, of course, I’ve marked as the crow flies.

FORD: Yes.

Has anyone come forward to say to you, “Hey, remember, I was the one that drove you home?”

MITCHELL: OK.

In your July 6th text to The Washington Post that you looked at earlier, you said that this happened in the mid ’80s. In your letter to Senator Feinstein you said it occurred in the early ’80s.

FORD: Yes.

MITCHELL: In your polygraph statement you said it was high school summer in ’80s, and you actually had written in and this is one of the corrections I referred to early and then you crossed that out.

Later in your interview with The Washington Post, you were more specific. You believed it occurred in the summer of 1982 and you said at the end of your sophomore year.

FORD: Yes.

How were you able to narrow down the timeframe?

So I’m just using memories of when I got my driver’s license. I was 15 at the time. And I — I did not drive home from that party or to that party, and once I did have my driver’s license, I liked to drive myself.

MITCHELL: I’d assume the legal driving age was 16.

FORD: Yes.

MITCHELL: OK.

Now, you’ve talked about attending therapy. In your text to The Washington Post dated 7/6 — so that’s the very first statement we have from you — you put in there, quote, “have therapy records talking about it.”

FORD: Yes.

So this was something that was available to you via a computer, like a — a patient portal?

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: She helped me go through the record to locate whether I had had record of this conversation that I had remembered.

MITCHELL: OK. So it’s possible that the reporter did not see these notes.

FORD: I don’t know if she’s – I can’t recall whether she saw them directly or if I just told her what they said.

GRASSLEY: Senator Whitehouse.

WHITEHOUSE: Thank you, chairman.

Thank you, Dr. Blasey Ford. A lot of people are proud of you today.

From a prosecutor’s view, one of the hardest things that we have to do is to speak to somebody who’s come forward with an allegation of sexual assault and let them know that we can’t provide the evidence to go forward to trial. It’s a hard day for the prosecutor to do that.

And so, both because making a sincere and thorough investigative effort is such an important consolation to the victim in that circumstance and because it’s what you’re obliged to do professionally, sincere and thorough investigation is critical to these claims in a prosecutor’s world. It may be the most basic thing that we owe a victim or a witness coming forward is to make sure that we give them a full, thorough and sincere investigation.

You have met all of the standards of what I might call preliminary credibility with your initial statement. You have vivid, specific and detailed recollections, something prosecutors look for. Your recollections are consistent with known facts.

You made prior consistent statements, something else prosecutors and lawyers look for. You are willing to, and – and did, take a lie detector test. And you are willing to testify here. Here you are, subject to professional cross-examination by a prosecutor.

(UNKNOWN): You can say something (ph).

WHITEHOUSE: Is it(ph)…

FORD: … is.

WHITEHOUSE: So it could go either way.

FORD: Yes.

WHITEHOUSE: And — and as we know, they didn’t. And I submit that never — never in the history of background investigations has an investigation not been pursued when new, credible, derogatory information was brought forward about the nominee or the candidate.

I don’t think this has ever happened in the history of FBI background investigations. Maybe somebody can prove me wrong, but it is wildly unusual and out of character.

And in my view, it is a grave disservice to you — and I want to take this moment to apologize to you for that, and to report to anybody who might be listening, that when somebody’s willing to come forward, even under those circumstances, even — haven’t been — not given the modicum of courtesy and support of a proper investigation, you’ve shown yourself particularly proud in doing that.

And the responsibility for the decision to have this be, I think, the only background investigation in history to be stopped as derogatory information came forward, belongs with 13 men: the president, Director Wray of the FBI, and the 11 members of the majority of this committee.

As to the committee’s investigation, the fact that Mr. Kavanaugh’s alleged accomplice has not been subpoenaed, has not been examined and cross-examined under oath, has not been interviewed by the FBI, tells you all you need to know about how credible this performance is.

The very bare minimum that a person who comes forward is owed, is sincere and thorough investigation and you’ve been denied that. And I will make a personal pledge to you, here, that however long it takes, in whatever forum I can do it, whenever it’s possible, I will do whatever’s in my power to make sure that your claims get a full and proper investigation and not just this.

Thank you for being here.

FORD: Thank you.

GRASSLEY: Since this issue’s come up so many times, I’d like to comment.

The New Yorker published an anonymous account of allegations, September the 14th. Two days later, Dr. Ford identified herself as the victim in a Post article, detailing her allegations.

I immediately directed my staff to investigate. September the 17th, Dr. Ford’s counsel went on several television shows, requesting that her client have an opportunity to tell her story.

The same day, I scheduled a hearing for Monday, September the 24th giving Dr. Ford a week to prepare her testimony and come to Washington, D.C.

On September the 17th, the committee investigative staff reached out to Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh to schedule follow-up interviews with Republican and Democrat investigators.

Judge Kavanaugh accepted the opportunity to speak to the investigators under criminal penalty. Dr. Ford declined.

In his interview on September the 17th, Judge Kavanaugh denied the allegations and requested a hearing as soon as possible. Democratic staff refused to participate in that interview.

The next day, September the 18th, committee investigative staff contacted Mark Judge requesting an interview. Committee staff also learned the identity of two other alleged partygoers and requested interviews. Mark Judge submitted a statement under penalty of felony denying knowledge of the party described by Dr. Ford and states that he never saw Brett at the — in the manner described by Dr. Ford.

And I can go on and on about that, but we got to realize that what we have done in this case — all the time, you go through a background investigation by the FBI, then it comes to us and there’s always some holes in it that we have to follow-up on. And besides…

KLOBUCHAR: Mr. Chairman…

GRASSLEY: … we’re responding to Dr. Ford’s request to tell her story, that’s why we’re here.

KLOBUCHAR: … Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman…

GRASSLEY: … Ms. Mitchell, go for Senator…

KLOBUCHAR: … Mr. Chairman, I just want to point out that — to support what Senator Whitehouse said, in the Anita Hill case…

DURBIN?: Can we hear from Dr. — Dr. Ford?

KLOBUCHAR: … George Bush ordered that the investigation be opened again.

GRASSLEY: Ms. Mitchell, will you proceed for — for Senator Lee?

MITCHELL: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: Perhaps my counsel did. I don’t — I don’t remember physically showing her my copy of the note.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: But I — I just don’t remember. I’m sorry. I have retrieved a physical copy of those medical records.

It doesn’t mean that other things that have happened in my life would have — would make it worse or better. There are other risk factors as well.

MITCHELL: What about…

FORD: … an anxious type person.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: Certainly, no — nothing as striking as that event.

MITCHELL: OK.

MITCHELL: It would’ve been a quicker trip for me.

FORD: Yes. So that was certainly what I was hoping, was to avoid having to get on an airplane, but I eventually was able to get up the gumption with the help of some friends, and get on the plane.

MITCHELL: OK (ph). When you were here in the mid — mid-Atlantic area back in August, end of July, August, how did you get here?

FORD: Also by airplane. I come here once a year during the summer to visit my family.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: I’m sorry, not here. I go to Delaware.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: I — I don’t think I’ll make it to Australia.

MITCHELL: It is long.

MITCHELL: All right. Thank you very much.

FORD: Easier for me to travel going that direction when it’s a vacation.

GRASSLEY: (OFF MIKE) Senator Klobuchar.

KLOBUCHAR: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for being here, Dr. Ford.

You know, in my old job as a prosecutor, we investigated reports like this, so it gave me a window on the types of cases that hurt women and hurt all of us. And I would always tell the women that came before us that they were going to have to tell their story before a jury box of strangers. And you’ve had to tell your story before the entire nation.

For so many years, people swept cases like yours under the rug. They’d say what happens inside a house didn’t belong in the courthouse. Well, the times have changed, so I just want to thank you for coming forward today, and for sharing your report with us.

KLOBUCHAR: Thank you. I would assume that’s true.

KLOBUCHAR: Yes.

FORD: …where it’s reflected in my medical record. I had talked about it more than those two times, but therapists don’t typically write down content as much as they write down process. They usually are tracking your symptoms and not your story and the facts.

KLOBUCHAR: Yes. Right.

FORD: I just happen to have it in my record twice. So the first time is in 2012 with my husband in couples therapy with the quibbling over the remodel, and then in 2013 with my individual therapist.

KLOBUCHAR: OK. I know you’ve been concerned…

FORD: 2012.

KLOBUCHAR: OK.

FORD: …all summer and realized that when I was calculating that risk-benefit ratio that it looked like I was going to just, you know, suffer only for no reason.

KLOBUCHAR: OK. You know from my experience with memory, I remember distinctly things that happened to me in high school or happened to me in college.

FORD: Yes.

KLOBUCHAR: But I don’t exactly remember the date. I don’t exactly remember the time. I sometimes may not even remember the exact place where it occurred, but I remember the interaction.

KLOBUCHAR: Thank you very much Dr. Ford.

GRASSLEY: Dr. Ford. I’m going to correct the record but it’s not something that I’m saying that you stated wrongly because you may not know the fact that when – when you said that you didn’t think it was possible for us to go to California as a committee or our investigators to go to California to talk to you, we did, in fact, offer that to you and we had the capability of doing it and we would’ve done it anywhere or anytime.

FORD: Thank you.

KLOBUCHAR: And Mr. Chairman, could I put the polygraph results on the record, please? The polygraph results in the record.

GRASSLEY: Without…

KLOBUCHAR: Is there any objection?

GRASSLEY: Oh, or — let us see the chart.

KLOBUCHAR: The polygraph? You want to all see it?

GRASSLEY: Will you hold just a minute, please?

KLOBUCHAR: I think you may have it.

GRASSLEY: Yes, can we have the underlying charts, too?

KLOBUCHAR: The underlying charts? I have the polygraph results that I would just like to put in the record. I’ll — I’ll deal with the charts after that. Could I put the polygraph tests in the record?

BROMWICH: Mr. Chairman, we were — we had proposed having the polygraph examiner testify, as you know. If that had happened, the full panoply of materials that he had supporting his examination would have been provided. You rejected that request, so what we did provide was the polygraph report, which is what the members of the committee currently have.

KLOBUCHAR: And on September 26th, Mr. Chairman, this was actually sent to your chief counsel. And I just want to share with America so that they have this report as well.

GRASSLEY: OK. We will accept, without objection, what you asked us to include but we’re also requesting and expect the other materials that I’ve just stated.

KLOBUCHAR: But Mr. Chairman, you wouldn’t allow the underlying witness who performed the polygraph test to testify, nor would you allow Mark Judge to testify. And so I would just like to point out — thank you for allowing this report in the record, but that is the reason that we don’t have the underlying information for you.

GRASSLEY: You got what you wanted, I think you’d be satisfied.

BROMWICH: Mr. Chairman…

KLOBUCHAR: I am satisfied with that. Thank you.

GRASSLEY: Senator — go ahead.

GRAHAM: When was the polygraph administered?

KLOBUCHAR: It was administered on August the 7th…

GRAHAM: When was…

KLOBUCHAR: …in 2018 and it was — the date of the report is August 10, 2018, Mr. Graham.

GRAHAM: When was it provided to the committee?

GRASSLEY: Let’s just see if we can’t do this in a more orderly way. Let’s…

KLOBUCHAR: Well, it was — I was — he was asking and I have it right here and you have it as well. It was…

GRASSLEY: We’ve accepted…

KLOBUCHAR: …September 26th.

GRASSLEY: We’ve accepted it.

KLOBUCHAR: All right.

GRASSLEY: Ms. Mitchell for Senator Cruz.

MITCHELL: Thank you. Dr. Ford, we’ve talked about the day and the night that you’ve described in the summer of 1982. And thank you for being willing to do that. I know it’s difficult. I’d like to shift gears and discuss the last several months.

FORD: OK.

And many people told me, “You need to hire a lawyer,” and I didn’t do that. I didn’t understand why I would need a lawyer. Somebody said, “Call the New York Times, call the Washington Post, put in an anonymous tip, go to your congressperson.”

And when I weighed those options, I felt like the best option was to try to do the civic route which is to go to my congressperson, who happens to be Anna Eshoo. So I called her office and I also put in the anonymous tip to The Washington Post. And neither — unfortunately, neither got back to me in — before the selection of the nominee.

MITCHELL: OK. On July 10th, you texted The Washington Post again, which was really the third time, is that right? Second date, third time.

FORD: Let’s see.

(UNKNOWN): (OFF-MIKE) One moment.

FORD: Correct.

MITCHELL: And you texted — been advised to contact senators or New York Times, haven’t heard back from Washington Post. Who…

FORD: Yes.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: … coming up with ideas of how I could try to get to people because people weren’t responding to me very quickly. So very quickly, they responded to that text for what — unknown reason that once I sent that encrypted text, they responded very quickly.

MITCHELL: Thank you.

GRASSLEY: Senator Coons.

COONS: Thank you, Chairman Grassley. I’d like to ask unanimous consent to submit for the record five articles, including one titled “Why Sexual Assault Memories Stick,” and one entitled “Why Didn’t Kavanaugh Accuser Come Forward Earlier? Police Often Ignore Sexual Assault Allegations.”

GRASSLEY: Without objection, so ordered.

COONS: Dr. Ford, I want to begin by thanking you for coming to testify in front of us today. You came forward with very serious and relevant information about a nominee for a lifetime position on our Supreme Court. You didn’t have to, and I know you’ve done it at great personal cost. This is a public service, and I want you to know that I’m grateful to have the opportunity to hear from you directly today.

COONS: And if I understood your testimony earlier, it’s that you were motivated by a sense of civic duty, and — and frankly, a hope that some other highly-qualified nominee might be picked, not out of a motivation at a late stage to have an impact on the final decision.

FORD: Correct. I thought it was very important to get the information to you, but I didn’t know how to do it while there was still a short list of candidates.

COONS: Thank you, Doctor.

According to Justice Department data, about two thirds of sexual assault survivors don’t report their assaults. Based on your experience, I’d be interested in hearing from you about this, because you bore this alone. You bore this alone for a very long time, and it’d be helpful for us to better understand the ways that that’s impacted your whole life.

FORD: Well, it’s — it’s impacted me at different stages of the development of my life. So the immediate impact was probably the worst, so the first four years. I think I described earlier a fairly disastrous first two years of undergraduate studies at University of North Carolina, where I was finally able to pull myself together. And then, once coping with — with the immediate impacts, the short-term impacts, I experienced, like, longer-term impacts of anxiety and relationship challenges.

COONS: As you predicted, there was a wide range of responses to your coming forward. Some thousands of survivors have been motivated and inspired by your courage; others have been critical. And as I’ve reviewed the wide range of reactions, I’ve been really troubled by the excuse offered by too many, that this was a high school incident, and boys will be boys. To me, that’s just far too low a standard for the conduct of boys and men in our country. If you would, I’d appreciate your reaction to the excuse that boys will be boys.

FORD: I can only speak for how it has impacted me greatly for the last 36 years, even though I was 15 years old at the time. And I think, you know, the younger you are when these things happen, it could possibly have worse impact than when you’re a full — when your brain is fully-developed, and you have better coping skills that you’ve developed.

So I was definitely experiencing the surge of adrenaline and cortisol and norepinephrine and — credit that a little bit for my ability to get out of the situation.

But also some other lucky events that occurred. That…

COONS: Well…

FORD: …allowed me to get out of the event.

COONS: Dr. Ford, we are grateful that you came through it and that you shared your account with us and the American people. And I think you’ve provided important information. I’d like to thank you for your — meeting your civic duty.

I wish we could have provided for you a more thorough hearing today. I think asking for the FBI to investigate this matter thoroughly was not asking too much. I think asking to have the other individual involved in your assault, Mark Judge, appear before us today was not asking too much.

I’m grateful you came forward, and I’m thankful for your courage, which set an important example. Thank you, Dr. Ford.

GRASSLEY: Ms. Mitchell, for Senator Sasse.

MITCHELL: Dr. Ford, we were talking about you meeting in July with Congresswoman Eshoo.

FORD: Yes.

MITCHELL: OK.

Was it communicated to you by your counsel or someone else, that the committee had asked to interview you and that — that they offered to come out to California to do so?

BROMWICH: We’re going to object, Mr. Chairman, to any call for privileged conversations between counsel and Dr. Ford. It’s a privileged conversation…

(CROSSTALK)

GRASSLEY: Would — could — could we — could you validate the fact that the offer was made without her saying a word?

BROMWICH: (OFF-MIKE)

GRASSLEY: OK. Does that take care of your question?

MITCHELL: Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

GRASSLEY: OK. Proceed, then.

MITCHELL: A lot of people have that feeling.

(LAUGHTER)

Let’s talk about the letter that you wrote on July 30th. You asked Senator Feinstein to main (ph) confidentiality, quote, “until”…

BROMWICH: Wait — wait until she retrieves it.

MITCHELL: Oh, I’m sorry.

FORD: OK. I’m just trying to look for it, which one?

BROMWICH: I think it’s — I think it’s the (inaudible).

FORD: OK.

GRASSLEY: Stop the clock, will you?

BROMWICH: It’s in there someplace.

Here we go…

FORD: Oh, I found it.

BROMWICH: …here it is. You’ve got it.

FORD: Sorry.

“I am available to speak further, should you wish to discuss. I am” — yes, I was in Delaware until August 7.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: And after that, I went to New Hampshire and then back to California.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: I had a phone call with Senator Feinstein.

GRASSLEY: Stop the…

(UNKNOWN): You’re asking her…

GRASSLEY: … Yes, stop the — stop the clock.

(UNKNOWN): … with the exclusion of any lawyers that she may have spoken with, correct?

MITCHELL: Correct.

FORD: Correct — I think correct, then. I was interviewing lawyers…

GRASSLEY: Stop the clock.

FORD: … but I was not…

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: … speaking personally about it.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: I was staying with my parents at the time.

MITCHELL: OK.

GRASSLEY: I want to thank Dr. Ford for what you said about acknowledging that we had said we’d come to California.

Senator Blumenthal.

BLUMENTHAL: Thanks, Mr. Chairman.

BLUMENTHAL: Well, you have given America an amazing teaching moment, and you may have other moments in the classroom, but you have inspired and you have enlightened America. You have inspired and given courage to women to come forward, as they have done to every one of our offices and many other public places. You have inspired and you have enlightened men in America to listen respectfully to women survivors, and men who have survived sexual attack, and that is a profound public service, regardless of what happens with this nomination. And so the teachers of America, the people of America should be really proud of what you have done.

Let me tell you why I believe you: not only because of the prior consistent statements and the polygraph tests and your request for an FBI investigation and your urging that this committee hear from other witnesses who could corroborate or dispute your story, but also, you have been very honest about what you cannot remember. And someone composing a story can make it all come together in a seamless way, but someone who is honest — I speak from my experience as a prosecutor, as well — is also candid about what she or he cannot remember.

The senators on the other side of the aisle have been silent. This procedure is unprecedented in a confirmation hearing. But I want to quote one of my colleagues, Senator Lindsey Graham, in a book that he wrote in 2015, when he was describing his own service, and very distinguished Naval service as a traveler.

GRAHAM: (OFF MIKE) Air Force, Air Force.

BLUMENTHAL: I’m not under oath.

(LAUGHTER)

(UNKNOWN): I don’t want to be in the Navy (ph).

BLUMENTHAL: He said, quote, of his prosecutions of rape cases, “I learned how much unexpected courage from a deep and hidden place it takes for a rape victim or sexually abused child to testify against their assailant.” I learned how much courage from a deep and hidden place it takes for a rape victim or sexually abused child to testify against their assailant. If we agree on nothing else today, I hope on a bipartisan basis, we can agree on how much courage it has taken for you to come forward, and I think you have earned America’s gratitude.

Now, there’s been some talk about your requesting an FBI investigation, and you mentioned a point just a few minutes ago that you could better-estimate the time that you ran into Mark Judge if you knew the time that he was working at that supermarket. That’s a fact that could be uncovered by an FBI investigation that would help further elucidate your account.

BLUMENTHAL: Well, it’s not up to you. It’s up to the president of the United States, and his failure to ask for an FBI investigation, in my view, is tantamount to a cover-up.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

GRASSLEY: Now it’s time for Senator Flake. Ms. Mitchell for Senator Flake.

MITCHELL: Thank you.

BROMWICH: Again, you’re — you’re seeming to call for communications between counsel and client. I don’t think you mean to do that. If you do, she shouldn’t have to answer that.

GRASSLEY: Could — what — Counsel, could you let her answer the extent to which it doesn’t violate the — the relationship between you and Dr. Ford?

BROMWICH: Say what you understood.

MITCHELL: I understand they can be that way.

MITCHELL: So he administered a polygraph on the day that you attended your grandmother’s funeral.

FORD: Yeah, correct.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: Or it might have been the next day. I spent the night in a hotel, so (inaudible) the exact day.

MITCHELL: And I don’t just mean countermeasures, but I mean just any sort of tips, or anything like that.

FORD: No. I was scared of the test itself, but was comfortable that I could tell the information, and the test would reveal whatever it was going to reveal. I didn’t expect it to be as long as it was going to be, so it was a little bit stressful.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: So I was sitting at a chair, and he was behind me.

MITCHELL: OK. So you assumed you were being video- and audio-recorded.

FORD: Correct.

MITCHELL: But you don’t know for sure.

FORD: I don’t know for sure.

MITCHELL: OK, thank you.

GRASSLEY: We’re going to recess now for a half hour for lunch. Thank you, Dr. Ford.

(UNKNOWN): Hopefully.

FORD: We’re going to keep going for (inaudible)

GRASSLEY: Yeah.

FEINSTEIN: So 10 minutes after one, we’re going to…

GRASSLEY: Yeah, roughly. Yeah.

(CROSSTALK)

(RECESS)

GRASSLEY: Dr. Ford, you tell me when you’re ready. You…

FORD: I’m just organizing my papers. I’ll be ready in…

GRASSLEY: Take as long as you need.

FORD: … 20 seconds. Thank you.

I’m ready.

GRASSLEY: OK.

(GAVEL)

Senator Hirono?

HIRONO: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, is it your intent to cede all Republican senators’ time to your prosecutor, rather than they themselves ceding their time to her?

GRASSLEY: Yes.

HIRONO: We all know that the prosecutor, even though this clearly is not a criminal proceeding, is asking Dr. Ford all kinds of questions about what happened before and after, but basically not during the attack. The prosecutor should know that sexual assault survivors often do not remember peripheral information such as what happened before or after the traumatic event, and yet, she will persist in asking these questions all to undermine the memory and basically, the credibility of Dr. Ford. But we all know Dr. Ford’s memory of the assault is very clear.

Dr. Ford, the Republican’s prosecutor has asked you all kinds of questions about who you called and when, asking details that would be asked in a cross-examination of a witness in a criminal trial. But this is not a criminal proceeding. This is a confirmation proceeding.

HIRONO: Thank you.

FORD: … what looked like equally-qualified candidates.

HIRONO: And yet, they’re not here to testify.

Dr. Ford, I’d like to join my colleagues who have thanked you for coming forward today. And I, and we all admire you for what you’re doing, and I understand why you have come forward. You wanted us and the American people to know what you knew about the character, the character of a man we are considering for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court.

I want to take a moment, also, to note the significant personal sacrifices you’ve made to come forward to share your traumatic experience with us and the American people. You’ve had to move. You’ve had death threats, all manner of — of basically re-victimization experiences have come your ways. But by coming forward, you have inserted the question of character into this nomination, and hopefully, back into American life, and rightly so. We should be made to face the question of who it is we are putting in positions of power and decision-making in this country. We should look the question square in the face: does character matter? Do our values, our real values about what is right and what is wrong, and about whether we treat our fellow human beings with dignity and respect, do they matter anymore? I believe they do, and I believe the reaction we have seen to this coverage right now, and your courage all over this country shows us that we’re not alone, you’re not alone; that women and men all across America are disgusted and sick and tired of the way basic human decency has been driven from our public life.

The president admits on tape to assaulting women. He — he separates children from their parents. He takes basic healthcare protections from those who need them most. He nominates and stands behind a man who stands credibly accused of a horrible act. I, again, want to thank you for coming forward.

Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that six items consisting of various statements, letters, fact sheet, posts are inserted into the record.

GRASSLEY: Is that one request, or you want me to wait for six?

HIRONO: Well, I have six separate items.

GRASSLEY: OK.

HIRONO: Because as — I can go over them for you.

GRASSLEY: OK, no.

HIRONO: I would like to…

GRASSLEY: Let me not interrupt you.

HIRONO: OK.

GRASSLEY: Your — your request is accepted without objection.

HIRONO: Thank you. And I would like to read from a — an item that has already been entered into the record. But this is from a letter from the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence. The letter states, and I quote this letter, “This moment has become a crucible. It’s a test of our progress. Do we start by believing victims of sexual assault and treating them with dignity, or don’t we? So far, Senate leaders are failing that test, prejudging the outcome of a hearing, sympathizing with her perpetrator, attacking her credibility. They send a message to every victim of sexual violence that their pain doesn’t matter, that they do not deserve justice, and that for them, fair treatment is out of reach. This will only serve to drive victims into the shadows, and further emboldening abusers.”

Once again, Dr. Ford, thank you very much. This is a moment for our country. Mahalo.

GRASSLEY: Senator — Ms. Mitchell for Senator Crapo.

MITCHELL: Good afternoon.

FORD: Hi.

(UNKNOWN): Let me put an end to this misery. Her lawyers have paid for her polygraph.

(UNKNOWN): As is routine.

(UNKNOWN): As is routine.

(UNKNOWN): GoFundMe.

GRASSLEY: Stop the clock (ph).

FORD: I sent her a letter on July 30th. And I don’t have the date. I’d have to pull up my e-mail to find out the date of her e-mail to me saying that — it was right before the hearings that she was going to maintain the confidentiality of the — of the letter.

MITCHELL: Yes, I just — I want to make sure…

(UNKNOWN): (inaudible) the date, counsel?

MITCHELL: I want to make sure I understood what she — you said.

(UNKNOWN): That document’s been turned over to — in response to a request for documents. You have it.

MITCHELL: So my question was, did you or anybody on your behalf.

FORD: I don’t — what do you mean, did someone speak for me?

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: I’m not sure how those exchanges went, but I didn’t speak to anyone.

(UNKNOWN): Excuse me. You’ve all asked her not to guess, and now you’re asking her what’s possible. So I think if you want to ask her what she knows, you should ask her what she knows.

MITCHELL: Is that an objection (ph), counsel?

(UNKNOWN): It is an objection (ph)…

MITCHELL: I’ll have the chair rule on that.

FORD: I don’t know what the — I don’t understand.

GRASSLEY: (OFF-MIKE) (inaudible) you should — you should answer the question, unless there’s a legal reason for not answering it on advice of your counsel.

FORD: So I don’t totally understand the question, but I didn’t speak with anyone during that timeframe other than my counsel.

MITCHELL: We’re talking about the July 30th…

FORD: OK.

MITCHELL: … letter.

FORD: OK.

FORD: (OFF-MIKE)

MITCHELL: OK.

GRASSLEY: Senator Booker.

BOOKER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Dr. Ford, thank you for being here. I just want to remind everyone that this is not a courtroom, this is not a legal proceeding, that you are here under your own volition and though the prosecutor’s been engaged here to represent my colleagues, you’re here, as you said, out of a — a civic duty.

And I — I want to join my colleagues that it — it’s really more than that. You know, our founding documents talk about civic duty. Our Declaration of Independence talks about for this country pledging your lives, your fortunes and your sacred honor.

And anybody who’s read your testimony knows what you’ve had to sacrifice by coming forward. Your life has been upended. You have received vicious, hateful threats, death threats. You’ve had to move out of your family home — to some expense, I imagine, to you and your family. You’ve had to engage security, to some expense. You’ve had to deal with incredible challenges.

And what’s amazing — and, I want to join my colleagues in thanking you for your courage and bravery in coming forward, all to help us deal with one of the most important obligations a senator has; to advise and consent on one of the branches of our government, the highest courts in the land, and the (ph) individual going before a lifetime appointment. And you even said that the president had a lot of folks on that list.

BOOKER: That’s good to hear. I want to use a different word for your courage because this is more — as much as this hearing is about a Supreme Court justice, the reality is — is by you coming forward, your courage, you are effecting the culture of our country.

We have a — a wonderful nation, an incredible culture. But there are dark elements that allow unconscionable levels of — unacceptable levels of sexual assault and harassment that are effecting girls and boys, and effecting men and women, from big media outlets, to corporations, to factory floors, to servers in restaurants, so our intimate spaces in homes and apartments all around this country.

I stepped out during the break and was deluged with notes from friends all around the country, social media posts, that there are literally hundreds of thousands of people watching your testimony right now. And in note after note that I got, people in tears feeling pain and anguish, not just feeling your pain but feeling their own, who have not come forward.

You are opening up to open air, hurt and pain that goes on across this country. And for that, the word I would use, it’s nothing short of heroic. Because what you’re doing for our nation right now, besides giving testimony germane to one the most sacred obligations of our offices, is you are speaking truth that this country needs to understand.

And how we deal with survivors who come forward right now is unacceptable. And the way we deal with this, unfortunately, allows for the continued darkness of this culture to exist. And your brilliance shining light onto this, speaking your truth is nothing short of heroic.

But to the matter at hand, one of my colleagues who I have a lot of respect for and I do consider him a friend went, to the Senate floor and spoke truth to both sides of the political aisle. Senator Flake said yesterday, “This is a lifetime appointment.” and, “This is said to be a deliberative body. In the interest of due diligence and fairness… her claims must be fully aired and considered.”

I agree with him. But you’ve asked for things that would give a full airing, from corroborating witnesses to be called, you’ve submitted to an intrusive polygraph test.

BOOKER: Thank you very much. Mr. Chairman, I’d just like to introduce for the record, seven letters by the Lambda Legal; from Mormon Women for Ethical Government; youth-led organizations around this country; the International Unions Bricklayers, Allied Craftworkers; a letter from 295 survivors of sexual violence in support of Dr. Ford; and a letter from 1,600 men to campaign in support of Dr. Ford; and those who want to assert men and women that survivors of sexual violence are not opportunists, do not have political axes to grind, but are coming forward with courage and with heart to speak their truth and try to end the scourge of sexual assault and violence in our country.

GRASSLEY: Without objection, so ordered. Senator Tills — Ms. Mitchell, for Senator Tillis.

MITCHELL: Have you been provided…

(CORRECTED COPY – CORRECTS SPEAKER IDENTIFICATION)

BROMWICH: I — I can help you with that. Both her co-counsel (ph) are doing this pro bono. We are not being paid and we have no expectation of being paid.

MITCHELL: I’m not trying to blame anybody, I just want to know who the common friend that you and…

FORD: The person that Mr. Whelan was trying to say looked like Mr. Kavanaugh.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: But I saw his brother and him several times.

GRASSLEY: You – you can answer that question then I’ll go to Senator Harris. Go ahead and answer that question.

MITCHELL: Yes.

MITCHELL: Or anything inappropriate is what I meant (ph).

FORD: Well maybe we can go into more detail when there’s more time, I feel time pressure on that question, yes.

MITCHELL: OK.

FORD: Happy to answer in further detail if you want me to.

GRASSLEY: I’m sorry, go ahead and finish answering your question.

FORD: Oh OK. Did you want me to describe those parties or…

(CORRECTED COPY – CORRECTS SPEAKER IDENTIFICATION)

(UNKNOWN): Shouldn’t we leave this to the next round, Mr. Chairman?

GRASSLEY: Answer the question.

FORD: I’m just happy to describe them if you wanted me to and I’m happy to not. It’s just whatever you want.

MITCHELL: Maybe this will —

FORD: Whatever is your preference.

MITCHELL: OK.

GRASSLEY: Senator Harris.

HARRIS: Dr. Ford, first of all just so we can level set, you know you are not on trial. You are not on trial. You are sitting here before members of the United States Senate Judiciary Committee because you had the courage to come forward because as you have said, you believe it was your civic duty.

I was struck in your testimony by what you indicated as your intention when you first let anyone associated with these hearings know about it. And what you basically said is you reached out to your representative in the United States Congress, hoping that person would inform the White House before Judge Kavanaugh had been named.

That’s extremely persuasive about your motivation for coming forward. And so I want to thank you, I want to thank you for your courage and I want to tell you I believe you. I believe you.

And I believe many Americans across this country believe you. And what I find striking about your testimony is you remember key searing details of what happened to you. You told you husband and therapist, two of the most intimate of your confidants, and you told them years ago about this assault.

You have shared your experience with multiple friends years after that and before these hearings ever started. I know having personally prosecuted sexual assault cases and child sexual assault cases, that study after study shows trauma, shame and the fear of consequences almost always cause survivors to, at the very least, delay reporting if they ever report at all.

Police recognize that, prosecutors recognize that, medical and mental health professionals recognize that. The notes from your therapy sessions were created long before this nomination and corroborate what you have said today.

You have passed a polygraph – polygraph and submitted the results to this committee. Judge Kavanaugh has not. You have called for outside witnesses to testify and for expert witnesses to testify. Judge Kavanaugh has not.

But most importantly you have called for an independent FBI investigation into the facts. Judge Kavanaugh has not. And we owe you that, we owe the American people that. And let’s talk about why this is so important.

Contrary to what has been said today, the FBI does not reach conclusions. The FBI investigates. It interviews witnesses, gathers facts and then presents that information to the United States Senate for our consideration and judgment.

This committee knows that, in spite of what you have been told. In 1991 during a similar hearing, one of my Republican colleagues in this committee stated these claims were taken seriously by having the Federal Bureau of Investigations launch an inquiry to determine their validity.

The FBI fulfilled its duty and issued a confidential report. Well that could have and should have been done here. This morning it was said that this could have been investigated confidentially back in July, but this also could have been investigated in the last 11 days since you came forward, yet that has not happened.

The FBI could have interviewed Mark Judge, Patrick Smith, Leland – Leland Keyser, you and Judge Kavanaugh on these issues. The FBI could have examined various maps that have been presented by the prosecutor who stands in for the United States senators on this committee.

The FBI could have gathered facts about the music or the conversation or any other details about the gathering that occurred that evening. That is standard procedure in a sexual assault case.

In fact, the manual that is – was signed off by Ms. Mitchell, the manual that is posted on the Maricopa County attorney’s website as a guiding principle and best practices for what should happen with sexual assault cases highlights the details of what should happen in terms of the need for an objective investigation into any sexual assault case.

It says, quote, “effective investigation requires cooperation with a multi-disciplinary team that includes medical professionals, victim advocates, dedicated forensic interviewers, criminalists and other law enforcement members.”

The manual also stresses the importance of obtaining outside witness information. You have bravely come forward, you have bravely come forward. And I want to thank you because you clearly have nothing to gain for what you have done, you have been a true patriot in fighting for the best of who we are as a country.

I believe you are doing that because you love this country and I believe history will show that you are a true profile in courage at this moment in time in the history of our country. And I thank you.

GRASSLEY: Senator Kennedy now, so we’ll proceed, Ms. Mitchell.

MITCHELL: I’m talking about like the next day.

FORD: Oh no, she didn’t know about the event. She was downstairs during the event and I did not share it with her.

I don’t expect that P.J. and Leland would remember this evening. It was a very unremarkable party. It was not one of their more notorious parties, because nothing remarkable happened to them that evening. They were downstairs.

And Mr. Judge is a different story. I would expect that he would remember that this happened.

MITCHELL: Understood.

Senator Harris just questioned you from the Maricopa County Protocol on Sexual Assault. The — that’s the paper she was holding out. Are you aware that — and you know, I’ve — I’ve been really impressed today, because you’ve talked about norepinephrine and cortisol, and what we call in the profession, basically, the neurobiological effects of trauma.

MITCHELL: No, to…

FORD: Oh.

MITCHELL: The best way to do it, the — the best practices for interviewing victims of trauma.

(LAUGHTER)

BROMWICH: We’ll stipulate to that.

(UNKNOWN): We could stipulate to that.

MITCHELL: Thank you, Counsel.

(UNKNOWN): Agreed.

MITCHELL: And — and the research is done by a lot of people in the child abuse field. Two of the more prominent ones in the sexual assault field are Geisel and Fisher, who’ve talked about it, and it’s called a cognitive interview. This is not a cognitive interview.

MITCHELL: OK. Thank you. I have no further questions.

GRASSLEY: OK, I have something to submit for the record. We received three statements under penalty of felony from three witnesses identified by Dr. Ford: Mark Judge, Leland Keyser and Patrick Smyth. All three denied any knowledge of the incident, or a gathering described by Dr. Ford. Without objection, I’ll enter in the record.

BLUMENTHAL: Mr. Chairman, I have something for the record, as well…

GRASSLEY: A…

BLUMENTHAL: … a number of letters from the witness’s family friends, including her husband.

GRASSLEY: OK. I’ll get you just as soon as the ranking member.

FEINSTEIN: Mr. Chairman, I have three letters addressed to both you and the ranking member, and I’d ask that they be entered into the record.

GRASSLEY: Without objection.

FEINSTEIN: And it’s also my understanding that Mr. Judge is not willing to come forward to answer our questions. As a result, we cannot test his memory, or make any assessment of his thoughtfulness or character. And I think that’s why the failure to call him to testify is so very critical, and I hope the majority would reconsider that.

GRASSLEY: OK.

Senator Blumenthal?

BLUMENTHAL: Mr. Chairman, I ask if you have sworn statements that you’re submitting for the record, that we have those individuals come before us so that we can ask them questions about those statements. I think that the nature of this proceeding would be compromised if we lack an opportunity to ask them questions about sworn statements that will be part of the record. So frankly, Mr. Chairman, I would object to entering them in the record.

WHITEHOUSE: Mr. Chairman?

GRASSLEY: OK, Senator Whitehouse?

WHITEHOUSE: I have a number of letters that I would like to ask submitted to the record that relate to the importance of proper investigation by trained professionals in pulling these kind of — of investigations together, from the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the National Women’s Law Center, the National Organization For Women, and so forth.

(CROSSTALK)

GRASSLEY: Without objection. Senator Kennedy?

KENNEDY: Mr. Chairman, I have a question for our chairman. The — the — the statements that Senator Blumenthal talked about, those were statements taken by our majority staff, is that…

GRASSLEY: They’re — they’re — they’re already in the record.

KENNEDY: Yes, sir, but those statements were taken by our majority staff?

GRASSLEY: Yes.

KENNEDY: Did minority staff participate?

GRASSLEY: No.

KENNEDY: Why not?

GRASSLEY: You’ll have to ask them.

KENNEDY: Well, were they instructed not to participate?

GRASSLEY: No.

KENNEDY: They chose not to?

GRASSLEY: That’s right.

FEINSTEIN: If I may, Mr. Chairman, I was told the minority staff was not notified.

(CROSSTALK)

KENNEDY: If — if — if I could, I still think I have the forum, Senator.

GRASSLEY: Let’s listen to Senator Feinstein.

(CORRECTED COPY – CORRECTS SPEAKER IDENTIFICATION)

BROMWICH: Can — can we be excused?

FEINSTEIN: I am told by staff…

(CORRECTED COPY – CORRECTS SPEAKER IDENTIFICATION)

BROMWICH: The witness is quite tired. She’d like to be excused.

GRASSLEY: I’d would like — I’d like to — if you’d wait just a minute, I’d like to thank Dr. Ford.

(CORRECTED COPY – CORRECTS SPEAKER IDENTIFICATION)

BROMWICH: OK. All right.

GRASSLEY: In fact, we’re going to continue this meeting, and we can — so let’s just be nice to her.

(LAUGHTER)

Dr. Ford, Dr. Ford, I — I can only speak as one of 21 senators here, but I thank you very much for your testimony, more importantly, for your bravery coming out, and trying to answer our questions as best you could remember. Thank you very much. We’ll adjourn for 45 minutes — or, not adjourn. Recess for 45 minutes.

GRASSLEY: Judge Kavanaugh, we welcome you. Are you ready?

KAVANAUGH: I am.

GRASSLEY: I have a — I have a — something I want to clear up from the last meeting that doesn’t affect you. So before I swear you, I would like to explain my response to Senator Kennedy right after the break.

At that time, I entered into the record statements of three witnesses Dr. Ford said were also at the party. These statements were provided to us under penalty of felony by lying to — if you lie to Congress. As soon as my team learned the names of these three potential witnesses, we immediately reached out to them, requesting an interview. In response, all three submitted statements to us denying any knowledge of the gathering Dr. Ford described.

If we had calls with them, we would’ve invited the minority to join. Every time that we’ve received any information regarding Judge Kavanaugh, we’ve sought to immediately follow through and investigate. The minority staff sat on Dr. Ford’s letter for weeks, and staff told us that they believed it is, quote, “highly inappropriate to have these follow-up calls before the FBI finishes its investigation,” end of quote, even though the FBI had completed its background information.

When we followed up with Judge Kavanaugh after we received Dr. Ford’s allegations, the ranking member’s staff didn’t join us, even though these calls are usually done on a bipartisan basis. They joined other calls with the judge, but they didn’t participate or ask any questions.

Would you please rise, sir?

KAVANAUGH: Yes.

GRASSLEY: Do you affirm that the testimony you’re about to give before the committee will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

KAVANAUGH: I do.

GRASSLEY: Yeah. And like we — like we offered to senator — or, to Dr. Ford, you can take whatever time you want now for your opening statement, and then we’ll go to questions. So proceed.

KAVANAUGH: Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Feinstein, members of the committee, thank you for allowing me to make my statement. I wrote it myself yesterday afternoon and evening. No one has seen a draft, or it, except for one of my former law clerks. This is my statement.

Less than two weeks ago, Dr. Ford publicly accused me of committing wrongdoing at an event more than 36 years ago when we were both in high school. I denied the allegation immediately, categorically and unequivocally. All four people allegedly at the event, including Dr. Ford’s longtime friend, Ms. Keyser, have said they recall no such event. Her longtime friend, Ms. Keyser, said under penalty of felony that she does not know me, and does not believe she ever saw me at a party, ever.

Here is the quote from Ms. Keyser’s attorney’s letter: quote, “Simply put, Ms. Keyser does not know Mr. Kavanaugh, and she has no recollection of ever being at a party or gathering where he was present, with or without Dr. Ford,” end quote. Think about that fact.

The day after the allegation appeared, I told this committee that I wanted a hearing as soon as possible to clear my name. I demanded a hearing for the very next day. Unfortunately, it took the committee 10 days to get to this hearing. In those 10 long days, as was predictable, and as I predicted, my family and my name have been totally and permanently destroyed by vicious and false additional accusations. The 10-day delay has been harmful to me and my family, to the Supreme Court and to the country.

When this allegation first arose, I welcomed any kind of investigation, Senate, FBI or otherwise. The committee now has conducted a thorough investigation, and I’ve cooperated fully. I know that any kind of investigation — Senate, FBI, Montgomery County Police — whatever, will clear me. Listen to the people I know. Listen to the people who’ve known me my whole life. Listen to the people I’ve grown up with, and worked with, and played with, and coached with, and dated, and taught, and gone to games with, and had beers with. And listen to the witnesses who allegedly were at this event 36 years ago. Listen to Ms. Keyser. She does not know me. I was not at the party described by Dr. Ford.

This confirmation process has become a national disgrace. The Constitution gives the Senate an important role in the confirmation process, but you have replaced advice and consent with search and destroy.

Since my nomination in July, there’s been a frenzy on the left to come up with something, anything to block my confirmation. Shortly after I was nominated, the Democratic Senate leader said he would, quote, “oppose me with everything he’s got.” A Democratic senator on this committee publicly — publicly referred to me as evil — evil. Think about that word. It’s said that those who supported me were, quote, “complicit in evil.” Another Democratic senator on this committee said, quote, “Judge Kavanaugh is your worst nightmare.” A former head of the Democratic National Committee said, quote, “Judge Kavanaugh will threaten the lives of millions of Americans for decades to come.”

I understand the passions of the moment, but I would say to those senators, your words have meaning. Millions of Americans listen carefully to you. Given comments like those, is it any surprise that people have been willing to do anything to make any physical threat against my family, to send any violent e-mail to my wife, to make any kind of allegation against me and against my friends. To blow me up and take me down.

You sowed the wind for decades to come. I fear that the whole country will reap the whirlwind.

The behavior of several of the Democratic members of this committee at my hearing a few weeks ago was an embarrassment. But at least it was just a good old-fashioned attempt at Borking.

Those efforts didn’t work. When I did at least OK enough at the hearings that it looked like I might actually get confirmed, a new tactic was needed.

Some of you were lying in wait and had it ready. This first allegation was held in secret for weeks by a Democratic member of this committee, and by staff. It would be needed only if you couldn’t take me out on the merits.

When it was needed, this allegation was unleashed and publicly deployed over Dr. Ford’s wishes. And then — and then as no doubt was expected — if not planned — came a long series of false last-minute smears designed to scare me and drive me out of the process before any hearing occurred.

Crazy stuff. Gangs, illegitimate children, fights on boats in Rhode Island. All nonsense, reported breathlessly and often uncritically by the media.

This has destroyed my family and my good name. A good name built up through decades of very hard work and public service at the highest levels of the American government.

This whole two-week effort has been a calculated and orchestrated political hit, fueled with apparent pent-up anger about President Trump and the 2016 election. Fear that has been unfairly stoked about my judicial record. Revenge on behalf of the Clintons. and millions of dollars in money from outside left-wing opposition groups.

This is a circus. The consequences will extend long past my nomination. The consequences will be with us for decades. This grotesque and coordinated character assassination will dissuade competent and good people of all political persuasions, from serving our country.

And as we all know, in the United States political system of the early 2000s, what goes around comes around. I am an optimistic guy. I always try to be on the sunrise side of the mountain, to be optimistic about the day that is coming.

But today, I have to say that I fear for the future. Last time I was here, I told this committee that a federal judge must be independent, not swayed by public or political pressure.

I said I was such a judge, and I am. I will not be intimidated into withdrawing from this process. You’ve tried hard. You’ve given it your all. No one can question your effort, but your coordinated and well-funded effort to destroy my good name and to destroy my family will not drive me out. The vile threats of violence against my family will not drive me out.

You may defeat me in the final vote, but you’ll never get me to quit. Never.

I’m here today to tell the truth. I’ve never sexually assaulted anyone. Not in high school, not in college, not ever. Sexual assault is horrific. One of my closest friends to this day is a woman who was sexually abused and who, in the 1990s when we were in our 30s, confided in me about the abuse and sought my advice. I was one of the only people she consulted.

Allegations of sexual assault must always be taken seriously, always. Those who make allegations always deserve to be heard.

At the same time, the person who was the subject of the allegations also deserves to be heard. Due process is a foundation of the American rule of law. Due process means listening to both sides.

As I told you at my hearing three weeks ago, I’m the only child of Martha and Ed Kavanaugh. They’re here today. When I was 10, my mom went to law school. And as a lawyer, she worked hard and overcame barriers, including the workplace sexual harassment that so many women faced (ph) at that time and still face today.

She became a trailblazer, one of Maryland’s earliest women prosecutors and trial judges. She and my dad taught me the importance of equality and respect for all people, and she inspired me to be a lawyer and a judge.

Last time I was here, I told you that when my mom was a prosecutor and I was in high school, she used to practice her closing arguments at the dining room table, on my dad and me.

As I told you, her trademark line was, “Use your common sense. What rings true? What rings false?” Her trademark line is a good reminder, as we sit here today, some 36 years after the alleged event occurred when there is no corroboration and indeed it is refuted by the people allegedly there.

After I’ve been in the public arena for 26 years without even a hint — a whiff — of an allegation like this. And when my nomination to the Supreme Court was just about to be voted on, at a time when I’m called “evil” by a Democratic member of this committee, while Democratic opponents of my nomination say people will die if I am confirmed.

This onslaught of last-minute allegations does not ring true. I’m not questioning that Dr. Ford may have been sexually assaulted by some person in some place at some time. But I have never done this. To her or to anyone. That’s not who I am. It is not who I was. I am innocent of this charge.

I intend no ill will to Dr. Ford and her family. The other night, Ashley and my daughter, Liza, said their prayers. And little Liza — all of 10 years old — said to Ashley, “We should pray for the woman.” It’s a lot of wisdom from a 10-year old. We mean — we mean no ill will.

First, let’s start with my career. For the last 26 years, since 1992, I have served in many high profile and sensitive government positions for which the FBI has investigated my background six separate times. Six separate FBI background investigations over 26 years. All of them after the elent (ph) — event alleged here. I have been in the public arena and under extreme public scrutiny for decades.

In 1992, I worked for the Office of Solicitor General in the Department of Justice. In 1993, I clerked on the Supreme Court for Justice Anthony Kennedy. I spent 4 years at the Independent Counsel’s office during the 1990s. That office was the subject of enormous scrutiny from the media and the public. During 1998, the year of the impeachment of President Clinton, our office generally and I personally were in the middle of an intense national media and political spotlight.

I and other leading members of Ken Starr’s office were opposition researched from head to toe, from birth through the present day. Recall the people who were exposed that year of 1998 as having in engaged in some sexual wrongdoing or indiscretions in their pasts. One person on the left even paid a million dollars for people to report evidence of sexual wrongdoing, and it worked. Exposed some prominent people. Nothing about me.

From 2001 to 2006, I worked for President George W. Bush in the White House. As Staff Secretary, I was by President Bush’s side for 3 years and was entrusted with the nation’s most sensitive secrets. I traveled on Air Force One all over the country and the world with President Bush. I went everywhere with him, from Texas to Pakistan, from Alaska to Australia, from Buckingham Palace to the Vatican. Three years in the West Wing, 5 1/2 years in the White House.

I was then nominated to be a judge on the D.C. Circuit. I was thoroughly vetted by the White House, the FBI, the American Bar Association, and this committee. I sat before this committee for two thorough confirmation hearings in 2004 and 2006.

For the past 12 years leading up to my nomination for this job, I’ve served in a very public arena as a federal judge on what is often referred to as the second-most important court in the country. I’ve handled some of the most significant sensitive cases affecting the lives and liberties of the American people.

I have been a good judge. And for this nomination, another FBI background investigation, another American Bar Association investigation, 31 hours of hearings, 65 senator meetings, 1,200 written questions, more than all previous Supreme Court nominees combined.

Throughout that entire time, throughout my 53 years and 7 months on this Earth, until last week, no one ever accused me of any kind of sexual misconduct. No one, ever. A lifetime. A lifetime of public service and a lifetime of high-profile public service at the highest levels of American government and never a hint of anything of this kind, and that’s because nothing of this kind ever happened.

Second, let’s turn to specifics. I categorically and unequivocally deny the allegation against me by Dr. Ford. I never had any sexual or physical encounter of any kind with Dr. Ford. I never attended a gathering like the one Dr. Ford describes in her allegation. I’ve never sexually assaulted Dr. Ford or anyone.

Again, I am not questioning that Dr. Ford may have been sexually assaulted by some person in some place at some time. But I have never done that to her or to anyone.

Dr. Ford’s allegation stems from a party that she alleges occurred during the summer of 1982, 36 years ago. I was 17 years old, between my junior and senior years of high school at Georgetown Prep, a rigorous all-boys Catholic Jesuit High School in Rockville, Maryland. When my friends and I spent time together at parties on weekends, it was usually the — with friends from nearby Catholic all-girls high schools, Stone Ridge, Holy Child, Visitation, Immaculata, Holy Cross.

Dr. Ford did not attend one of those schools. She attended an independent private school named Holton-Arms and she was a year behind me. She and I did not travel in the same social circles. It is possible that we met at some point at some events, although I do not recall that. To repeat, all of the people identified by Dr. Ford as being present at the party have said they do not remember any such party ever happening.

Importantly her friend, Ms. Keyser, has not only denied knowledge of the party, Ms. Keyser said under penalty of felony she does not know me, does not recall ever being at a party with me ever. And my two male friends who were allegedly there, who knew me well, have told this committee under penalty of felony that they do not recall any such party and that I never did or would do anything like this.

Dr. Ford’s allegation is not merely uncorroborated, it is refuted by the very people she says were there, including by a long-time friend of hers. Refuted.

Third, Dr. Ford has said that this event occurred at a house near Columbia Country Club, which is at the corner of Connecticut Avenue in the East-West Highway in Chevy Chase, Maryland. In her letter to Senator Feinstein, she said that there were four other people at the house but none of those people, nor I, lived near Columbia Country Club.

As of the summer of 1982, Dr. Ford was 15 and could not drive yet and she did not live near Columbia Country Club. She says confidently that she had one beer at the party, but she does not say how she got to the house in question or how she got home or whose house it was.

Fourth, I have submitted to this committee detailed calendars recording my activities in the summer of 1982. Why did I keep calendars? My dad started keeping detailed calendars of his life in 1978. He did so as both a calendar and a diary. He was a very organized guy, to put it mildly. Christmas time, we’d sit around and he regales us with old stories, old milestones, old weddings, old events from his calendars.

In ninth grade — in ninth grade, in 1980, I started keeping calendars of my own. For me, also, it’s both a calendar and a diary. I’ve kept such calendar as diaries for the last 38 years; mine are not as good as my dad’s in some years. And when I was a kid, the calendars are about what you would expect from a kid; some goofy parts, some embarrassing parts.

But I did have the summer of 1982 documented pretty well. The event described by Dr. Ford, presumably happened on a weekend because I believed everyone worked and had jobs in the summers. And in any event, a drunken early evening event of the kind she describes, presumably happened on a weekend.

If it was a weekend, my calendars show that I was out of town almost every weekend night before football training camp started in late August. The only weekend nights that I was in D.C. were Friday, June 4, when I was with my dad at a pro golf tournament and had my high school achievement test at 8:30 the next morning.

I also was in D.C. on Saturday night, August 7th. But I was at a small gathering at Becky’s house in Rockville with Matt, Denise, Laurie and Jenny. Their names are all listed on my calendar. I won’t use their last names here.

And then on the weekend of August 20 to 22nd, I was staying at the Garrets’ (ph) with Pat (ph) and Chris (ph) as we did final preparations for football training camp that began on Sunday, the 22nd. As the calendars’ confirm, the — that weekend before a brutal training camp schedule was no time for parities.

So let me emphasize this point. If the party described by Dr. Ford happened in the summer of 1982 on a weekend night, my calendar shows all but definitively that I was not there.

During the weekdays in the summer of 1982, as you can see, I was out of town for two weeks of the summer for a trip to the beach with friends and at the legendary Five-Star Basketball Camp in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. When I was in town, I spent much of my time working, working out, lifting weights, playing basketball, or hanging out and having some beers with friends as we talked about life, and football, and school and girls.

Some have noticed that I didn’t have church on Sundays on my calendars. I also didn’t list brushing my teeth. And for me, going to church on Sundays was like brushing my teeth, automatic. It still is.

In the summer of 1981, I had worked construction. In the summer of 1982, my job was cutting lawns. I had my own business of sorts. You see some specifics about the lawn cutting listed on the August calendar page, when I had to time the last lawn cuttings of the summer of various lawns before football training camp.

I played in a lot of summer league basketball games for the Georgetown Prep team at night at Blair High School in Silver Spring. Many nights, I worked out with other guys at Tobin’s house. He was the great quarterback on our football team and his dad ran workouts — or lifted weights at Georgetown Prep in preparation for the football season. I attended and watched many sporting events, as is my habit to this day.

The calendars show a few weekday gatherings at friends’ houses after a workout or just to meet up and have some beers. But none of those gatherings included the group of people that Dr. Ford has identified. And as my calendars show, I was very precise about listing who was there; very precise.

And keeping — keep in mind, my calendars also were diaries of sorts, forward-looking and backward-looking, just like my dad’s. You can see, for example, that I crossed out missed workouts and the canceled doctor’s appointments, and that I listed the precise people who had shown up for certain events. The calendars are obviously not dispositive on their own, but they are another piece of evidence for you to consider.

Fifth, Dr. Ford’s allegation is radically inconsistent with my record and my character from my youth to the present day. As students at an all-boys catholic Jesuit school, many of us became friends and remain friends to this day with students at local catholic all-girls schools.

One feature of my life that has remained true to the present day is that I have always had a lot of close female friends. I’m not talking about girlfriends; I’m talking about friends who are women. That started in high school. Maybe it was because I’m an only child and had no sisters.

But anyway, we had no social media, or texts, or e-mail and we talked on the phone. I remember talking almost every night it seemed, to my friends Amy, or Julie, or Kristin, or Karen, or Suzanne, or Moira, or Megan, or Nikki (ph). The list goes on — friends for a lifetime, built on a foundation of talking through school and life, starting at age 14. Several of those great women are in the seats right behind me today.

My friends and I sometimes got together and had parties on weekends. The drinking age was 18 in Maryland for most of my time in high school, and was 18 in D.C. for all of my time in high school. I drank beer with my friends. Almost everyone did. Sometimes I had too many beers. Sometimes others did. I liked beer. I still like beer. But I did not drink beer to the point of blacking out, and I never sexually assaulted anyone.

There is a bright line between drinking beer, which I gladly do, and which I fully embrace, and sexually assaulting someone, which is a violent crime. If every American who drinks beer or every American who drank beer in high school is suddenly presumed guilty of sexual assault, will be an ugly, new place in this country. I never committed sexual assault.

As high school students, we sometimes did goofy or stupid things. I doubt we are alone in looking back in high school and cringing at some things.

For one thing, our yearbook was a disaster. I think some editors and students wanted the yearbook to be some combination of Animal House, Caddy Shack and Fast Times at Ridgemont High, which were all recent movies at that time. Many of us went along in the yearbook to the point of absurdity. This past week, my friends and I have cringed when we read about it and talked to each other.

One thing in particular we’re sad about: one of our good — one of our good female friends who we would admire and went to dances with had her names used on the yearbook page with the term “alumnus.” That yearbook reference was clumsily intended to show affection, and that she was one of us. But in this circus, the media’s interpreted the term is related to sex. It was not related to sex. As the woman herself noted to the media on the record, she and I never had any six — sexual interaction of — at all. I’m so sorry to her for that yearbook reference. This may sound a bit trivial, given all that we are here for, but one thing I want to try to make sure — sure of in the future is my friendship with her. She was and is a great person.

As to sex, this is not a topic I ever imagined would come up at a judicial confirmation hearing, but I want to give you a full picture of who I was. I never had sexual intercourse, or anything close to it, during high school, or for many years after that. In some crowds, I was probably a little outwardly shy about my inexperience; tried to hide that. At the same time, I was also inwardly proud of it. For me and the girls who I was friends with, that lack of major rampant sexual activity in high school was a matter of faith and respect and caution.

The committee has a letter from 65 women who knew me in high school. They said that I always treated them with dignity and respect. That letter came together in one night, 35 years after graduation, while a sexual assault allegation was pending against me in a very fraught (ph) and public situation where they knew — they knew they’d be vilified if they defended me. Think about that. They put theirselves (sic) on the line for me. Those are some awesome women, and I love all of them.

You also have a letter from women who knew me in college. Most were varsity athletes, and they described that I treated them as friends and equals, and supported them in their sports at a time when women’s sports was emerging in the wake of Title IX. I thank all of them for all of their texts, and their emails, and their support. One of those women friends from college, a self-described liberal and feminist, sent me a text last night that said, quote, “Deep breaths. You’re a good man, a good man, a good man.”

A text yesterday from another of those women friends from college said, quote, “Brett, be strong. Pulling for you to my core.” A third text yesterday from yet another of those women I’m friends with from college said, “I’m holding you in the light of God.”

As I said in my opening statement the last time I was with you, cherish your friends, look out for your friends, lift up your friends, love your friends. I’ve felt that love more over the last two weeks than I ever have in my life. I thank all my friends. I love all my friends.

Throughout my life, I’ve devoted huge efforts to encouraging and promoting the careers of women. I will put my record up against anyone’s, male or female. I am proud of the letter from 84 women — 84 women — who worked with me at the Bush White House from 2001 to 2006, and described me as, quote, “a man of the highest integrity.”

Read the op-ed from Sarah Day (ph) from Yarmouth, Maine. She worked in Oval Office operations, outside of President Bush’s office. Here’s what she recently wrote in centralmaine.com, and today she stands by her comments.

Quote, “Brett was an advocate for young women like me. He encouraged me to take on more responsibility and to feel confident in my role. In fact, during the 2004 Republican National Convention, Brett gave me the opportunity to help with the preparation and review of the president’s remarks, something I never (ph)…

… “something I never would have had the chance to do if he had not included me. And he didn’t just include me in the work. He made sure I was at Madison Square Garden to watch the president’s speech, instead of back at the hotel, watching it on TV.” End quote.

As a judge since 2006, I’ve had the privilege of hiring four recent law school graduates to serve as my law clerks each year. The law clerks for federal judges are the best and brightest graduates of American law schools. They work for one-year terms for judges after law school, and then they move on in their careers.

For judges, training these young lawyers is an important responsibility. The clerks will become the next generation of American lawyers and leaders, judges and senators.

Just after I took the bench in 2006, there was a major New York Times story about the low numbers of women law clerks at the Supreme Court and federal appeals courts.

I took notice, and I took action. A majority of my 48 law clerks over the last 12 years have been women.

In a letter to this committee, my women law clerks said I was one of the strongest advocates in the federal judiciary for women lawyers. And they wrote that the legal profession is fairer and more equal because of me.

In my time on the bench, no federal judge — not a single one in the country — has sent more women law clerks to clerk on the Supreme Court than I have.

Before this allegation arose two weeks ago, I was required to start making certain administrative preparations for my possible transfer to the Supreme Court, just in case I was confirmed.

As part of that, I had to, in essence, contingently hire a first group of four law clerks who could be available to clerk at the Supreme Court for me on a moment’s notice.

I did so, and contingently hired four law clerks. All four are women. If confirmed, I’ll be the first justice in the history of the Supreme Court to have a group of all-women law clerks.

That is who I am. That is who I was. Over the past 12 years, I’ve taught constitutional law to hundreds of students, primarily at Harvard Law School, where (ph) I was hired by then-dean and now-Justice Elena Kagan.

One of my former women students, a Democrat, testified to this committee that I was an even-handed professor who treats people fairly and with respect.

In a letter to this committee, my former students — male and female alike — wrote that I displayed “a character that impressed us all.” I loved teaching law. But thanks to what some of you on this side of the committee have unleashed, I may never be able to teach again.

For the past seven years, I’ve coached my two daughters’ basketball teams. You saw many of those girls when they came to my hearing for a couple of hours. You have a letter from the parents of the girls I coach, that describe my dedication, commitment and character.

I coach because I know that a girl’s confidence on the basketball court translates into confidence in other aspects of life. I love coaching more than anything I’ve ever done in my whole life. But thanks to what some of you on this side of the committee have unleashed, I may never be able to coach again.

I’ve been a judge for 12 years. I have a long record of service to America and to the Constitution. I revere the Constitution. I am deeply grateful to President Trump for nominating me. He was so gracious to my family and me on the July night he announced my nomination at the White House. I thank him for his steadfast support.

When I accepted the president’s nomination, Ashley and I knew this process would be challenging. We never expected that it would devolve into this. Explaining this to our daughters has been about the worst experience of our lives.

Ashley has been a rock. I thank God every day for Ashley and my family. We live in a country devoted to due process and the rule of law. That means taking allegations seriously.

But if the mere allegation — the mere assertion of an allegation — a refuted allegation from 36 years ago is enough to destroy a person’s life and career, we will have abandoned the basic principles of fairness and due process that define our legal system and our country.

I ask you to judge me by the standard that you would want applied to your father, your husband, your brother or your son. My family and I intend no ill will toward Dr. Ford or her family.

But I swear today — under oath, before the Senate and the nation; before my family and God — I am innocent of this charge.

GRASSLEY: Thank you, Judge Kavanaugh.

Before we start questions, I won’t repeat what I said this morning but we’ll do it the same way as we did for Dr. Ford. And five-minute rounds. And so we will start with Ms. Mitchell.

MITCHELL: Good afternoon, Judge Kavanaugh. We have not met. My name is Rachel Mitchell.

I’d like to go over a couple of guidelines for our question-and-answer session today. If I ask a question…

KAVANAUGH: Yes, I’m ready.

MITCHELL: OK. If I ask a question…

KAVANAUGH: Thank you.

MITCHELL: If I ask a question that you do not understand, please ask me to clarify it, or ask it in a different way. I may ask a question where I incorporate some information you’ve already provided. If I get it wrong, please correct me. I’m not going to ask you to guess. If you do estimate, please let me know you’re estimating.

Now, I want to make sure that all of the committee members have gotten a copy of the definition of sexual behavior.

GRASSLEY: Yes, at least I have one.

MITCHELL: OK.

GRASSLEY: Yeah.

MITCHELL: And you have that, as well, Judge Kavanaugh?

KAVANAUGH: Yeah.

MITCHELL: I want you to take a moment to review the definition that’s before you of sexual behavior.

MITCHELL: Yes, please.

MITCHELL: And again, if at any time you need to review that, please — please let me know.

MITCHELL: OK.

GRASSLEY: Senator Feinstein.

You know, I wanted a hearing the next day. I — my family’s been destroyed by this, senator, destroyed.

FEINSTEIN: And — and I’m — and I’m very (ph)…

KAVANAUGH: And — and whoever wants — you know whatever the committee decides, you know, I’m — I’m — I’m all in.

FEINSTEIN: … But the question is…

KAVANAUGH: Immediately. I’m all in immediately.

FEINSTEIN: … No (ph). And the terrible and hard part of this is when we get an allegation, we’re not in a position to prove it or disprove it; therefore, we have to depend on some outside authority for it. And it would just seem to me, then, when these allegations came forward, that you would want the FBI to investigate those claims and clear it up once and for all.

KAVANAUGH: Senator, the committee investigates. It’s not for me to — to say how to do it. But just so you know, the FBI doesn’t reach a conclusion. They would give you a couple 302s that just tell you what we said.

So I’m here. I wanted to be here — I wanted to be here the next day. It’s an — it’s an outrage that I was not allowed to come and immediately defend my name, and say I didn’t do this, and give you all this evidence. I’m not even — I’m not even in D.C. on the weekends in the summer of 1982.

This happened on a weekday? Well, is (ph) it — when — when I’m not at a Blair High School for a summer league game, I’m not at Tobin’s house working out, I’m not at a movie with Suzanne? You know, I wanted to be here right away.

FEINSTEIN: Well, the difficult thing is that it — the — these hearings are set and — set by the majority. But I’m talking about getting the evidence and having the evidence looked at. And I don’t understand — you know, we hear from the witnesses. But the FBI isn’t interviewing them and isn’t giving us any facts. So all we have…

KAVANAUGH: You’re interviewing me.

FEINSTEIN: … is what they say.

KAVANAUGH: You’re interviewing me. You’re — you’re doing it, senator. I’m sorry to interrupt…

FEINSTEIN: Well…

KAVANAUGH: … but you’re doing it. That’s — the — the — there’s no conclusions reached.

FEINSTEIN: OK.

(LAUGHTER)

FEINSTEIN: OK. That’s it. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

GRASSLEY: OK. Ms. Mitchell.

MITCHELL: What do you…

KAVANAUGH: We drank beer. We liked beer.

GRASSLEY: Ms. Mitchell, you’ll have to stop.

MITCHELL: Oh, I’m sorry.

GRASSLEY: Judge Kavanaugh has asked for a break, so we’ll take a 15-minute break.

(RECESS)

GRASSLEY: Just waiting for you, Diane.

FEINSTEIN: Sorry.

GRASSLEY: Don’t — don’t apologize, you…

(CROSSTALK)

GRASSLEY: Senator Leahy?

LEAHY: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Judge, you said before, and again today, that Mark Judge was a close friend of yours in high school. Now Dr. Ford, as you know, has said that he was in the room when she was attacked. She also says you were, too.

Unfortunate (ph) that (ph) the FBI has never interviewed him. We might (ph) be able to have his attendance here. The chairman refuses to call him.

LEAHY: Now, well (ph)…

(CROSSTALK)

KAVANAUGH: … by — by members of the…

LEAHY: … it hasn’t been — it has not been investigated by the FBI. The committee has refused to allow it to be.

KAVANAUGH: It was dropped on (ph)…

(CROSSTALK)

KAVANAUGH: … it was sprung.

LEAHY: It was not investigated by the FBI, and he has not been called where he might be under oath.

KAVANAUGH: Should have been handled in the due course, Senator.

(CROSSTALK)

KAVANAUGH: When he came in.

LEAHY: I would — I would disagree with that. I’ve been on this committee 44 years, both Republicans and Democrats. I’ve never seen somebody that critical and not allowed to be here to — called to be testified or on (ph) FBI background.

But let me ask…

(CROSSTALK)

KAVANAUGH: You see (ph) he’s provided sworn testimony and the…

LEAHY: He has — he has not…

KAVANAUGH: … Senator — Senator, let me — let me finish. He — the — the allegation came in weeks ago and nothing was done with it by the ranking member.

And then it’s sprung on me…

KAVANAUGH: I’ll explain it if you let me.

LEAHY: Proceed, please.

And he nearly died. And then developed — then he had leukemia as well, on top of it.

Now, as part of his therapy — or part of his coming to grips with sobriety, he wrote a book that is a fictionalized book and an account….

(CROSSTALK)

KAVANAUGH: I think he picked out names of friends of ours to throw them in as kind of close to what — for characters in the book. So, you know, we can sit here…

LEAHY: I’m not making…

(CROSSTALK)

KAVANAUGH: I don’t think that really makes — is really good…

LEAHY: Well, I agree with you there. And that’s why I wish that the chairman had him here under oath.

LEAHY: And I — and I thought (ph)…

KAVANAUGH: … freshman — no, no, no, no, no.

LEAHY: I thought we were in the Senate (ph)…

KAVANAUGH: You’ve got this all — I’m going to — I’m going to talk about my high school…

LEAHY: … the (ph) whole (ph) question (ph).

I thought we were in the Senate (ph) filibuster (ph).

KAVANAUGH: … no, no.

GRASSLEY: Let him answer.

KAVANAUGH: I’m going to talk about my high school record, if you’re going to sit here and mock me.

GRASSLEY: We — we were — I think we were all very fair to Dr. Ford. Shouldn’t we be just as fair to Judge Kavanaugh?

(CROSSTALK)

KAVANAUGH: I busted my butt in academics. I always tried to do the best I could. As I recall, I finished one in the class, first in — you know, freshman and junior year, right at the top with Steve (ph) Clark (ph) and Eddie (ph) (inaudible), we were always kind of in the mix.

I — I played sports. I was captain of the varsity basketball team. I was wide receiver and defensive back on the football team. I ran track in the spring of ’82 to try to get faster. I did my service projects at the school, which involved going to the soup kitchen downtown — let me finish — and going to tutor intellectually disabled kids at the Rockville Library.

With the church — and, yes, we got together with our friends.

KAVANAUGH: I…

(CROSSTALK)

GRASSLEY: Judge? Just wait a minute. He’s asked the question. I’ll give you time to answer it.

Yes, we went to parties, though. Yes, of course, we went to parties and the yearbook page describes that and kind of makes fun of it. And as a — you know, if we want to sit here and talk about whether a Supreme Court nomination should be based on a high school yearbook page, I think that’s taken us to a new level of absurdity.

LEAHY: Ms. Mitchell? Well, we got a filibuster but not a single answer.

GRASSLEY: Ms. Mitchell?

MITCHELL: Judge, do you still have your calendar — calendars there?

KAVANAUGH: I do.

MITCHELL: I would like you to look at the July 1st entry.

KAVANAUGH: Yes.

MITCHELL: What does…

KAVANAUGH: … that’s a nickname.

So we would be there — that’s usually 6:00 to 8:00 or so, kind of — until near dark. And then it looks like we went over to Timmy’s — you want to know their last names too? I’m happy to do it.

So — all right. It’s Tim Gaudette (ph), Mark Judge, Tom Caine (ph), P.J. Smith, Bernie McCarthy (ph), Chris Garrett (ph).

MITCHELL: And when I say informally, I mean just a — a female complains. It doesn’t have to be to anybody else but you.

KAVANAUGH: No.

MITCHELL: And what about Deborah Ramirez’s allegation…

KAVANAUGH: Yes.

MITCHELL: OK. I see I’m out of time.

GRASSLEY: Senator Durbin?

DURBIN: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Judge Kavanaugh, earlier today, Dr. Christine Ford sat in that same chair, and under oath, she said clearly and unequivocally that she was a victim of sexual assault at your hands. She answered our questions directly, and she didn’t flinch at the prospect of submitting herself to an FBI investigation of these charges. We know, and I’m sure she’s been advised by her attorneys, that a person lying to the FBI can face criminal prosecution.

You have clearly and unequivocally denied that you assaulted Dr. Ford. With that statement, you must believe that there is no credible evidence or any credible witness that could prove otherwise.

You started off with an impassioned statement at the beginning, and I can imagine, try to imagine what you have been through, and your family’s been through, and I’m sure I wouldn’t get close to it. But it was an impassioned…

(UNKNOWN): OK. I’m sure you wouldn’t.

DURBIN: I’m sure I wouldn’t. It’s an impassioned statement. And in the course of it, you said, “I welcome any kind of investigation.” I quote you. I welcome any kind of investigation. I’ve got a suggestion for you: right now, turn to your left in the front row to Don McGahn, counsel to President Donald Trump. Ask him to suspend this hearing and nomination process until the FBI completes its investigation of the charges made by Dr. Ford and others, and goes to bring the witnesses forward, and provides that information to this hearing. I am sure that the chairman at that point will understand that that is a reasonable request to finally put to rest these charges, if they are false, or to prove them if they are not.

You spent two years in the White House office that approved judicial nominees. You turned to the FBI over, and over, and over again for their work. Let’s bring them in here and now. Turn to Don McGahn, and tell him it’s time to get this done. An FBI investigation is the only way to answer some of these questions.

(UNKNOWN): Senator…

GRASSLEY: Stop the — stop the clock.

This committee is — is running this hearing, not the White House, not Don McGahn, not even you as a nominee. We’re — we are here today because Dr. Ford asked for an opportunity to hear. I know you did too, as well, in fact, maybe even before she did.

We’re here because people wanted to be heard from charges that they all thought were unfair, or activities like sexual assault was unfair. So I want to assure Senator Durbin, regardless of what you say to Senator Don McGahn, we’re not suspending this hearing.

Proceed to answer the question, or so whatever — or to — if the gentleman…

DURBIN: I want to know what you want to do.

KAVANAUGH: I — I’m telling the truth.

DURBIN: I want to know what you want to do, Judge.

KAVANAUGH: I’m innocent. I’m innocent of this charge.

DURBIN: Then you’re prepared for an FBI investigator…

KAVANAUGH: They don’t reach conclusions. You reach the conclusion, Senator.

DURBIN: No, but they do investigate questions.

KAVANAUGH: I’m — I’m innocent.

DURBIN: And you can’t have it both ways, Judge. You can’t say here at the beginning…

KAVANAUGH: I wanted a hearing.

DURBIN: (inaudible) your moment.

KAVANAUGH: Look, this thing…

DURBIN: I welcome any kind of investigation, and then walk away from this.

KAVANAUGH: This thing was sprung on me — this thing was sprung at the last minute after being held by staff. You know…

DURBIN: Judge, if there is no truth to…

KAVANAUGH: And I called for a — I called for a hearing immediately.

GRASSLEY: Come on. Gee, whiz.

DURBIN: Well, here…

KAVANAUGH: … because the FBI doesn’t reach conclusions.

DURBIN: So let’s — let’s just…

KAVANAUGH: They just provide the 302s. 302s, so I can explain to people who don’t know what that is, they just going and do what you’re doing: ask questions and then type up a report. They don’t reach the bottom line conclusion. You…

DURBIN: This morning — this morning, I asked Dr. Ford, I asked her about this incident where she ran into Mark Judge in Safeway, and she said, “Sure, I remember it.” Six or eight weeks after this occurrence.

Well, someone at The Washington Post went in and took a look at Mr. Judge’s book and has been able to — the one that he wrote about his addiction and his alcoholism — and they have narrowed it down, what they think was a period of time six or eight weeks after the event. And he would have been working at the Safeway at that point.

DURBIN: I’m asking about the FBI investigation.

KAVANAUGH: … I’ll do — I’ll…

DURBIN: … right now?

DURBIN: I think an FBI investigation will help all of us on both sides of the issue.

GRASSLEY: Senator Graham asked for the floor. But before he does, it seems to me that if you want to know something, you’ve got the witness right here to — to ask him. And secondly, if you want an FBI report, you can ask for it yourself. I’ve asked for FBI reports in the past, in the 38 years I’ve been in the Senate.

Senator Graham.

GRAHAM: Are you aware that at 9:23 on the night of July the 9th, the day you were nominated to the Supreme Court by President Trump, Senator Schumer said 23-minutes after your nomination, “I will oppose Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination with everything I have, I have (sic) a bipartisan — and I hope a bipartisan majority will do the same. The stakes are simply too high for anything less.” Well, if you weren’t aware of it, you are now.

GRAHAM: If you wanted a FBI investigation, you could have come to us. What you want to do is destroy this guy’s life, hold this seat open and hope you win in 2020. You’ve said that, not me. You’ve got nothing to apologize for.

When you see Sotomayor and Kagan, tell them that Lindsey said hello because I voted for them. I would never do to them what you’ve done to this guy. This is the most unethical sham since I’ve been in politics. And if you really wanted to know the truth, you sure as hell wouldn’t have done what you’ve done to this guy.

GRAHAM: I cannot imagine what you and your family have gone through.

Boy, you all want power. God, I hope you never get it. I hope the American people can see through this sham. That you knew about it and you held it. You had no intention of protecting Dr. Ford; none.

GRAHAM: This is not a job interview.

KAVANAUGH: Yes.

GRAHAM: This is hell.

KAVANAUGH: This — this…

GRAHAM: This is going to destroy the ability of good people to come forward because of this crap. Your high school yearbook — you have interacted with professional women all your life, not one accusation.

You’re supposed to be Bill Cosby when you’re a junior and senior in high school. And all of a sudden, you got over it. It’s been my understanding that if you drug women and rape them for two years in high school, you probably don’t stop.

Here’s my understanding, if you lived a good life people would recognize it, like the American Bar Association has, the gold standard. His integrity is absolutely unquestioned. He is the very circumspect in his personal conduct, harbors no biases or prejudices. He’s entirely ethical, is a really decent person. He is warm, friendly, unassuming. He’s the nicest person — the ABA.

The one thing I can tell you should be proud of — Ashley, you should be proud of this — that you raised a daughter who had the good character to pray for Dr. Ford.

To my Republican colleagues, if you vote no, you’re legitimizing the most despicable thing I have seen in my time in politics. You want this seat? I hope you never get it.

I hope you’re on the Supreme Court, that’s exactly where you should be. And I hope that the American people will see through this charade. And I wish you well. And I intend to vote for you and I hope everybody who’s fair-minded will.

GRASSLEY: Senator Whitehouse.

WHITEHOUSE: Should we let things settle a little bit after that?

GRASSLEY: If you want to — we’ll take a 60-second break.

WHITEHOUSE: No, I’m good.

GRASSLEY: OK. Go ahead.

WHITEHOUSE: I’m good.

DURBIN: I don’t know that I asked about ketchup on spaghetti, but…

KAVANAUGH: You — you didn’t, someone did. And…

WHITEHOUSE: OK.

KAVANAUGH: … this is well-known. Anyone who’s known me, like a lot of these people behind me — known me my whole life — know, you know. I got a weak stomach, whether it’s with beer or with spicy food or anything.

(CROSSTALK)

KAVANAUGH: I already — I already answered…

KAVANAUGH: … the question. If you’re…

WHITEHOUSE: OK.

KAVANAUGH: … do you like beer, Senator, or not?

WHITEHOUSE: Um, next…

KAVANAUGH: What do you like to drink?

WHITEHOUSE: Next one is…

KAVANAUGH: Senator, what do you like to drink?

(LAUGHTER)

WHITEHOUSE: Renata. It’s spelled with an “E” at the end, R-E-N-A-T-E. Is that…

KAVANAUGH: Correct.

And I’m sorry, how that’s been misinterpreted and sorry about that, as I explained in my opening statement. Because she’s a good person. And to have her named dragged through this hearing is a joke. And, really, an embarrassment.

WHITEHOUSE: No (ph).

(LAUGHTER)

And then the word would come out. And when we were 15, we thought that was funny. And it became an inside joke for the — how he would say, “Ffff” — and I won’t repeat it here. For the F word.

WHITEHOUSE: Referring to Georgetown versus Louisville and…

KAVANAUGH: you want — you want any more on the Fs?

WHITEHOUSE: That’s not inconsistent with drinking and not remembering what happened.

KAVANAUGH: I’m aware. And the point of both was, we in essence were having a party and didn’t pay attention to the game even though the game was the excuse we had for getting together.

I think that’s very common. I don’t know if you’ve been to a Super Bowl party for example, Senator, and not paid attention to the game and just hung out with your friends. I don’t know if you’ve done that or not. But that’s what we were referring to in those — those two occasions.

GRASSLEY: Senator Cornyn?

CORNYN: Judge, I can’t think of a more embarrassing scandal for the United States Senate since the McCarthy hearings.

When the comment was about the cruelty of the process toward the people involved, and the question was asked: Have you no sense of decency?

CORNYN: Of course, the — the sexual assault that Dr. Ford claims that you’ve denied. Then the claims of Ms. Ramirez, that not even The New York Times would report because it couldn’t corroborate it.

CORNYN: Well Judge — Judge, don’t give up.

KAVANAUGH: I’m not giving up. I…

CORNYN: The American — the American people — the American people are listening to this, and they will make their decision and I think you’ll come out on the right side of that decision.

KAVANAUGH: Well, I will always be a good person and try to be a good judge, whatever happens. But…

CORNYN: So in order to vote against your nomination, we would have to conclude that you are a serial liar.

KAVANAUGH: Yeah.

CORNYN: You talked in your interview on — with Martha MacCallum the other night about a fair process. Some of my colleagues across the aisle say, “Well, the burden is not on the accuser because this is a job interview,” the burden is on you.

But you said you weren’t there and it didn’t happen. It’s impossible for you to prove a negative. So I would just suggest that you have been accused of a crime and that a fair process, under the United States Constitution, under our notion of fair play, means that the people who make an accusation against you have to come forward with some evidence.

CORNYN: And part of that means that if you’re going to make an allegation, there needs to be corroboration. In other words, you’re not guilty because somebody makes an accusation against you in this country. We’re not a police state. We don’t give the government that kind of power.

We insist that those charges be proven by competent evidence. And I know we’re not in a court. I’ve told my colleagues, if we were in court, half of them would be in contempt of court.

But you have been accused of a crime, and I believe fundamental notions of fair play and justice and our constitutional system require that if somebody’s going to make that accusation against you, then they need to come forward with some corroboration, not just allegations.

And you’re right to be angry about the delays in your ability to come here and protect your good name, because in the interim, it just keeps getting worse. It’s not Dr. Ford. It this story that not even the New York Times would report, the allegation of Ms. Ramirez. And then Stormy Daniels’ lawyer comes up with this incredible story, accusing you of the most sordid and salacious conduct. It’s outrageous, and you’re right to be angry.

But this is your chance to tell your story, and I hope you have a chance to tell us everything you want tell us. But the burden is not on you to disprove the allegations made. The burden under our system, when you accuse somebody of criminal conduct, is on the person making the accusation.

Now, I understand we’re not — this isn’t a trial, like I said, but I just wanted to make sure that we understood. It’s hard to reconstruct what happened 36 years ago, and I appreciate what you said about Dr. Ford, that perhaps she has had an incident at some point in her life, and you are sympathetic to that, and…

But your reputation is on the line, and I hope people understand the gravity of the charges made against you, and what a fair process looks like.

GRASSLEY: Senator Klobuchar?

KLOBUCHAR: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Judge, we’re talking here about decency, and — and you understand, we have this constitutional duty to advise and consent. And for me, when this evidence came forward, I decided that I needed to look at this, and I needed to find out about it, and I needed to ask you questions about it, as well as others that were involved.

So again, I’m not going to take quite the same approach as my colleagues here and talk about Don McGahn, or any of this. Why don’t you just ask the president? Mrs. — Dr. Ford can’t do this. We clearly haven’t been able to do this. But just ask the president to reopen the FBI investigation.

KAVANAUGH: I think the committee is doing — you’re doing the investigation. I’m here to answer your questions…

KLOBUCHAR: No.

KAVANAUGH: … and I should say one thing, Senator Klobuchar, which is I appreciate our meeting together, and I appreciate how you handled the prior hearing, and I have a lot of respect for you.

KLOBUCHAR: Well, thank you. All of that aside, here’s the thing: you could actually just get this open so that we can talk to these witnesses, and the FBI can do it instead of us. And you’ve come before us, but we have people like Mark Judge, who Dr. Ford says was a witness to this. We have this polygraph expert that my colleagues were raising issues about the polygraph. We would like to have that person come before us. And I just think if we could open this up…

KAVANAUGH: I don’t mean to — I don’t mean to interrupt, but I guess I am. But Mark — Mark Judge has provided sworn statement saying this didn’t happen, and that I never did or would do…

KLOBUCHAR: But you — that it — he — he just — the circumstances are that he opened up the investigation so the FBI could ask some questions.

KAVANAUGH: I — I’m…

KLOBUCHAR: That’s what he — he opened up the background check.

KAVANAUGH: I’m here to answer questions about my yearbook, or about, you know, what I…

KLOBUCHAR: OK, that’s — I…

KAVANAUGH: … my sports, or, you know, summer basketball…

So most people have done some drinking in high school and college, and many people even struggle with alcoholism and binge drinking. My own dad struggled with alcoholism most of his life, and he got in trouble for it, and there were consequences. He is still in A.A. at age 90, and he’s sober, and in his words, he was pursued by grace, and that’s how he got through this.

So in your case, you have said, here and other places, that you never drank so much that you didn’t remember what happened. But yet, we have heard — not under oath, but we have heard your college roommate say that you did drink frequently. These are in news reports. That you would sometimes be belligerent. Another classmate said it’s not credible for you to say you didn’t have memory lapses. So drinking is one thing.

KLOBUCHAR: OK, I — I just…

KAVANAUGH: So Dave — so Dave White came back from — from home one weekend, and Jamie Roach had moved all his furniture…

KLOBUCHAR: OK. OK.

KAVANAUGH: … out into the — out into the courtyard.

KLOBUCHAR: OK.

KAVANAUGH: And so he walks in, and so that’s your source on that, so there’s some old…

KLOBUCHAR: OK, so drinking is one thing.

KAVANAUGH: There — and there’s much more. Look at the redacted portion of what I said. I don’t want to repeat that in a public hearing.

KLOBUCHAR: All right. I will. I will.

KAVANAUGH: (inaudible)

KLOBUCHAR: Could I just ask one question?

KAVANAUGH: … redacted information about that.

KLOBUCHAR: I have no drinking problem, Judge.

KAVANAUGH: Yeah, nor do I.

KLOBUCHAR: OK, thank you.

GRASSLEY: Before I go to Senator Hatch, since this FBI thing keeps coming up all the time, let’s get back to basics. First of all, anybody, including any senator that’s brought up this issue, could ask for an FBI investigation. What the FBI does is gather information for the White House, then the file’s sent to the committee for us to make our own evaluations. We’re capable of making our own determination about the accuracy of any of those allegations. The FBI has put out a statement over, now I suppose it’s a month ago, clearly stating this matter is closed, as far as — as the — the letter being sent to them, and there is no federal crime to investigate.

If Senator — Senate Democrats hope for the FBI to draw any conclusions on this matter, I’m going to remind you what Joe Biden said. Now, I said this my statement, but maybe — maybe people aren’t listening when I say, and maybe they won’t even hear this.

Joe Biden, quote, “The next person who refers to an FBI report as being worth anything obviously doesn’t understand anything. The FBI explicitly does not — does not, in this or any other case, reach a conclusion. Period… They say ‘He said, she said, and they said.’ Period. So when people waive an FBI report before you,” or even bring it up now as something prospectively — I’m not — that wasn’t in his quote, “understand they do not, they do not, they do not reach conclusions… they do not make recommendations.”

Senator Hatch.

WHITEHOUSE: Mr. Chairman?

(UNKNOWN): We need a break.

HATCH (?): No, don’t take a break.

WHITEHOUSE: Mr. Chairman?

HATCH (?): Let me do this.

WHITEHOUSE: May I say for the record that, actually, we have asked? You said that nobody’s asked the FBI, or we could ask the FBI. I actually have. I think others have. And I think that the issue is that part of what an FBI report does…

GRASSLEY: You want to take a break (ph)?

WHITEHOUSE: … is to investigate and seek either corroborating or exculpatory evidence. It’s not so much the conclusion that it draws as the breadth of the evidence that is sought out through the investigation and the difference between what somebody might say to an FBI agent when they’re being examined, and for instance Mr. Judge’s letter signed by his lawyer sent in. It’s a — it’s just a different thing.

And I believe still that this is the first background investigation in the history of background investigations that hasn’t been reopened when new credible derogatory information was raised about the subject, about the nominee. So I, you know, I just didn’t want to let the point you made stand without…

GRASSLEY: Well, I’ll — I’ll…

WHITEHOUSE: … referencing the — what we had tried to do.

GRASSLEY: … Pardon me, but I’ll just add to the point you made. The letter was sent to the FBI. The FBI sent it to the White House with a letter saying the case is closed.

We’re taking a break now, for senator — we’re taking a break now.

(RECESS)

GRASSLEY: Judge, are you ready?

KAVANAUGH: I am ready. And can I say one thing?

GRASSLEY: Yes.

KAVANAUGH: Just going to say I started my last colloquy by saying to Senator Klobuchar how much I respect her and respected what she did at the last hearing. And she asked me a question at the end that I responded by asking her a question and I didn’t — sorry, I did that. This is a tough process. I’m sorry about that.

KLOBUCHAR: I appreciate that. I — I would like to add, when you have a parent that’s a alcoholic, you’re pretty careful about drinking.

And — and the second thing is I was truly just trying to get the bottom of the facts and the evidence. And I, again, believe we do that by opening up the FBI investigation, and I would call it a background check instead of investigation. Thank you.

KAVANAUGH: Appreciate that.

GRASSLEY: Senator Hatch.

HATCH: Well, thank you.

Judge, welcome, we’re happy to have you here. My friend from — I’d just like to say a few words — my friend from Arizona emphasized yesterday that we have before us today two human beings, Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh. They deserve — each of you deserves to be treated fairly and respectfully.

We tried to do that with Dr. Ford earlier and I think we succeeded. It’s important that we treat Judge Kavanaugh fairly now. And it remains to be seen how that’s going to work out.

Judge Kavanaugh has been a federal judge for 12 years. And he’s been a great federal judge on the second-highest court in the nation. He’s earned a reputation for fairness and decency. His clerks love him. His students he teaches in law school as well, his students love him. His colleagues love him. This man is not a monster, nor is he what has been represented here in these hearings.

We’re talking today about Judge Kavanaugh’s conduct in high school — and even then, and as a freshman in college, I guess, as well. Serious allegations have been raised. If Judge Kavanaugh committed sexual assault, he should not serve on the Supreme Court; I think we’d all agree with that.

HATCH: But the circus atmosphere that has been created since my Democratic colleagues first leaked Dr. Ford’s allegations to the media two weeks ago — after sitting on them for six weeks, I might add — has brought us the worst in our politics. It certainly has brought us no closer to the truth. Anonymous letters with no name and no return address are now being treated as national news. Porn star lawyers with facially implausible claims are driving the news cycle.

I hate to say this, but this is worse than Robert Bork, and I didn’t think it could get any worse than that. This is worse than Clarence Thomas. I didn’t think it could get any worse than that. This is a national disgrace, the way you’re being treated.

And in the middle of it all, we have Judge Kavanaugh, a man who until two weeks ago was a pillar of the legal community. There’s been no whisper of misconduct by him in the time he’s been a judge.

What we have are uncorroborated, unsubstantiated claims from his teenage years. Claims that every alleged eyewitness has either denied or failed to corroborate.

I do not mean to minimize the seriousness of the claims. Yes, they’ve been serious claims, but the search for truth has to involve more than bare assertions. Like Dr. Ford, Judge Kavanaugh deserves fair treatment. He was an immature high schooler. So were we all. That he wrote or said stupid things sometimes does not make him a sexual predator.

I understand the desire of my colleagues to tear down this man at any costs. I do understand it. But let’s at least be fair and look at the facts or the absence thereof. Guilt by association is wrong. Immaturity does not equal criminality. That Judge Kavanaugh drank in high school or college does not make him guilty of every terrible thing that he’s recently been accused of.

A lifetime of respect and equal treatment ought to mean something when assessing allegations that are flatly inconsistent with the course of a person’s entire adult life.

HATCH: I think it’s a disgrace, between you and me.

GRASSLEY: Senator Coons.

COONS: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Judge Kavanaugh, today’s hearing is about Dr. Ford’s serious allegations about a sexual assault. You have unequivocally denied those claims. But we’re here today to assess her credibility and yours, and in our previous vigorous exchanges in the previous confirmation hearing rounds (ph), I — I found that your answers, at times vigorously defended but at other times struck me as evasive or not credible on key issues. And it’s against that backdrop that I’m seeking to assess your credibility today.

You said in your opening that rule of law means taking allegations seriously, and I agree with that. It brings me no joy to question you on these topics today, but I do think they’re serious and I think they are worthy of our attention.

So let me, if I can, return to a line of questioning my colleague was on before, which was about whether you’ve ever gotten aggressive while drinking or forgotten an evening after drinking.

KAVANAUGH: Those are two different questions. I’ve already answered the second one. As to the first, I think the answer to that is basically no. I don’t know really what you mean by that, like, what — what are you talking about?

COONS: Well, the — the reason I…

KAVANAUGH: I guess. I mean, I — I don’t mean it that way, but “no” is the basic answer, unless you’re talking about something where — that I — I’m not aware that you’re going to ask about.

COONS: Let — let me focus, I’m trying to get this question if I (ph) — if I could.

KAVANAUGH: I know, but you made a — you made a point, and I just want to reemphasize: all four witnesses who were allegedly at the event have said it didn’t happen, including Dr. Ford’s longtime friend, Ms. Keyser, who said she’s never…

COONS: That’s right, and if Mark Judge — if Mark Judge were in front of us today to question, we’d be able to assess his credibility.

KAVANAUGH: But he’s (inaudible)…

COONS: Let me just get through — this through if I can, Your Honor. Liz Swisher is a college classmate. She’s now a medical doctor. And I’m quoting from a recent interview she gave. She said, Brett Kavanaugh drank more than a lot of people. He’d end up slurring his words, stumbling. It’s not credible for him to say he’s had no memory lapses in the nights he drank to excess. I know because I drank with him.

How should we assess that against (inaudible)

KAVANAUGH: She then goes on, if you — if you kept reading, and says she actually can’t point to any specific instance like that.

COONS: The quote that jumped out at me was, “Brett was a sloppy drunk, and I know because I drank with him.” There’s also, in a separate setting…

KAVANAUGH: I don’t think that — I don’t — I do not think that’s a fair characterization, and Chris Dudley’s quoted in that article, and I would refer you to what Chris Dudley said. I spent more time with Chris Dudley in college than just about anyone, and I would refer you to what he said.

COONS: In other reporting, as I’m sure you know, a college classmate described you as relatively shy but said that when you drank you could be aggressive or even belligerent, and your roommate, as I think you discussed with Senator Klobuchar…

KAVANAUGH: (inaudible)

COONS: …said you were frequently drunk. (inaudible)

KAVANAUGH: Yes, and that — and that roommate — that was freshman year roommate.

COONS: Yes.

KAVANAUGH: And there was contention between him and the third person. There were three of us in a small room, and you should look at what I said in the redacted portion of the — of the transcript about him, and you should assess his credibility with that in mind.

Wouldn’t you either take a step back and conduct a thorough investigation or move to a different candidate? And why not agree to a one-week pause to allow the FBI to investigate all these allegations and allow you an opportunity a week from now to have the folks present in front of us for us to assess their credibility and for us to either clear your name or resolve these allegations by moving to a different nominee?

COONS: What I’ve struggled with, Judge Kavanaugh, is the absence of a fair, federal law enforcement driven, nonpartisan process to question the various people who I think are critical to this. My concern, should you move forward, is what it will do to the credibility of the court and how that may well hang over your service, I understand —

KAVANAUGH: Look sir, my reputation has been —

COONS: Your concern about this but I wish you would join us in calling for an FBI investigation for one week when you clear or confirm some of these allegations.

KAVANAUGH: When you say a week delay, you know how long the last 10 days have been?

COONS: Probably an eternity.

KAVANAUGH: Yes.

COONS: But in the Judge Thomas confirmation hearing (ph) —

KAVANAUGH: For us everyday —

COONS: It was a four day delay.

KAVANAUGH: has been a lifetime. And you know, yes, and it’s been investigated and all four witnesses say it didn’t happen. And they’ve said it under penalty of felony, and I’ve produced my calendars which show, you know, a lot — that’s important evidence and you act like — I mean, the last 10 days I asked for a hearing the day after the allegation.

GRASSLEY: Before I call on Senator Lee, I want to emphasize something here that talking about doing something without a enough time — we had 45 days between July 30 and September 13, I believe it is, when we could have been investigating this and in regard to this candidate if you take the average of 65 to 70 days between the time that a person is announced by the president, and the Senate votes on it — is about 65 to 70 days and here we are at about 85 to 90 days.

So there’s plenty of time put in on this nomination. Senator Lee — oh no, wait a minute — I got one other thing I wanted to — everybody else has been putting letters in the record. I have a letter here from 65 women who knew Judge Kavanaugh between the years ’79 and ’83 — the years he attended Georgetown Prep High School.

These women wrote to the committee because they know Judge Kavanaugh and they know that the allegations raised by Dr. Ford are completely, totally inconsistent with his character. These 65 women know him through social events and church, many have remained close friends with him — here’s what they say partly quoting the letter.

“Through the more than 35 years we’ve known him, Brett has stood out for his friendship, character and integrity. He has always treated women with decency and respect. That was true in high school and it remains true to this day.” In closing they wrote, “Judge Kavanaugh, has always been a good person,” so without objection I put it in the record — Senator Lee?

LEE: I have colleagues today who have repeatedly asked for an FBI investigation, and there are some ironies in this. Ironies that ascend at least two levels. In the first place, at least one of my colleagues — at least one of them had access to this information many, many weeks before anyone else did — had the ability and I believe the moral duty and obligation to report those facts to the FBI, at which point they could have and would have been investigated by the FBI.

And that could have been handled in such a way that didn’t turn this in to a circus. One that has turned your life upside down, and that of your family — and the life of Dr. Ford and her family upside down. I consider this most unfortunate given that this was entirely within the control of at least one of my Democratic colleagues to do this.

The second level of irony here is that while calling repeatedly for an investigation by the FBI, an investigation over which you have no ability to control, by the way — an investigation you have no authority to call for. While calling for an investigation we’re in the middle of a conversation that involves questions to you.

So I ask my Democratic colleagues, if you have questions for Judge Kavanaugh, ask him. He’s right here. If that’s really what you want is the truth, ask him questions right now. If you have questions of other witnesses, then for the love of all that is sacred and holy — participate in the committee investigations that have been going on, as you have not been participating with the committee staff investigating the outside witnesses.

If someone really were interested in the truth this is what they would do. They would participate in the investigation, and when we have a committee investigation, a committee hearing with live witnesses — they would talk about that rather than something else they wish they were having in front of them.

If what they want is a search for the truth, then now is their choice. If on the other hand what they want to do is delay this until after the election — which at least one of my colleagues on the Democratic side as acknowledged, then that might be what they would do. Finally I want to point out that there is significant precedent from our former Chairman of this committee, Chairman Joe Biden.

During the Clarence Thomas hearings, nearly three decades ago Chairman Biden made some interesting observations about FBI reports and their role in this process. Here’s what he said, “the next person who refers to an FBI report as being worth anything — obviously doesn’t understand anything. The FBI explicitly does not in this, or any other case, reach a conclusion. Period. Period.”

Those are his dual periods, not mine, I continue the quote, “The reason why we cannot rely on the FBI report — you would not like it if we did, because it is inconclusive,” so when people wave an FBI report before you, understand they do not — they do not — they do not reach conclusions. They do not make, as my friend points out more accurately, they do not make recommendations.

In other words, the role of the FBI is to flag issues, those issues have been flagged. Sadly, in this case they were flagged — not as they should have been. Not in the timing in which they should have been.

And therefore they couldn’t have been addressed in the manner that would have preserved a lot more dignity for you, for your family and for Dr. Ford and her family. They were instead held out until the final moment. I consider that most unfortunate, and for that, on behalf of this committee, I extend to you my most profound sympathies and my most profound sympathies to Dr. Ford and her family as well.

SASSE: Was that a fun time for you? When people — Senators could ask questions that are awkward or uncomfortable about potential alcoholism, potential gambling addiction, credit card debt, if your buddies floated you money to buy baseball tickets — did you enjoy that time we spend in here late one night?

KAVANAUGH: I’m always happy to cooperate with the committee.

SASSE: Did the ranking member already have these allegations for, I guess, this would have been September 6 or 7, and the letter was written on July 30th?

A — a recommendation was made by ranking member or her staff to Dr. Ford — and, by the way, I think Dr. Ford is a victim, and I think she’s been through hell and I’m very sympathetic to her — but, did the ranking member’s staff, did we hear today, make a recommendation to hire a lawyer and she knew all that?

And yet we had a hearing here with you and none of these things were asked. But then, once the process was closed, once the FBI investigation was closed, once we were done meeting in public and in private, then this was sprung on you. I just want to make sure I have the dates correct, right?

Because we’ve got 35-plus days from all the time that this evidence was in the hands, recommendations were made to an outside lawyer. You could have handled all this, we could have had this conversation in private, in a way that didn’t — not only do crap to his family, but do all — I yield my time.

KAVANAUGH: Thank…

SASSE: Trying to see if he could do math about 35 days. That was a little bit of a question.

KAVANAUGH: … Thank you.

GRASSLEY: (OFF-MIKE) Senator Blumenthal.

BLUMENTHAL: Thanks, Mr. Chairman.

BLUMENTHAL: False in one thing, false in everything. Meaning in jury instructions that we — some of us as prosecutors have heard many times, is — told the jury that they can disbelieve a witness if they find them to be false in one thing.

So the core of why we’re here today really is credibility. Let me talk…

KAVANAUGH: But (ph) the core of why we’re here is an allegation for which the four witnesses present have all said it didn’t happen.

BLUMENTHAL: But…

KAVANAUGH: … your question is false and I’ve addressed that in the opening statement. And so, your question is based on a false premise and really does great harm to her. I don’t know why you’re bringing this up, frankly, doing great harm to her. By even bringing her name up here is really unfortunate.

BLUMENTHAL: Well, calling someone an alumnus in that way, was actually interpreted…

KAVANAUGH: Well, implying what you’re implying what you’re implying about…

BLUMENTHAL: … by a number of your football friends at the time of boasting of sexual conquest. That’s the reason that I’m bringing it up. And it conflicts…

KAVANAUGH: Yes. No, it’s false.

BLUMENTHAL: … with…

KAVANAUGH: You’re implying that. Look what you’re bringing up right now about her. Look what you’re doing.

BLUMENTHAL: … Mr. Chairman, I ask that…

KAVANAUGH: Don’t bring her name up.

BLUMENTHAL: … these interruptions not be subtracted from my time.

GRASSLEY: Very well (ph). Ask your question and then let…

KAVANAUGH: She’s a great person. She’s always been a great person. We never had any sexual interaction. By bringing this up, you’re just — just dragging her through the mud. It’s just unnecessary.

GRASSLEY: Proceed, Senator Blumenthal (ph).

BLUMENTHAL: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

BLUMENTHAL: You know (ph), it’s not a sworn statement, is it?

KAVANAUGH: It would — under penalty of felony.

BLUMENTHAL: Let me…

KAVANAUGH: Dr. Ford’s longtime friend…

BLUMENTHAL: … let me move on to another topic. You’ve testified to this committee this morning — this afternoon, quote, “This whole two-week effort has been a calculated and orchestrated political hit, fueled with apparent pent-up anger about President Trump and the 2016 election, fear that has been unfairly stoked about my judicial record, revenge on behalf of the Clintons and millions of dollars in money from outside left-wing opposition groups.”

BLUMENTHAL: Let me ask you this, in a speech that you gave at Yale you — you described, quote, “Falling out of the bus onto the front steps of the Yale Law School at 4:45 a.m.” and…

KAVANAUGH: I wasn’t…

BLUMENTHAL: … then…

KAVANAUGH: … I wasn’t describing me. I organized…

BLUMENTHAL: … trying to…

KAVANAUGH: … Senator. Senator, let me finish, please. I organized a third-year end of school party for 30 of my classmates to rent a bus to go to Fenway Park in Boston, which was about a three-hour trip.

I bought all the tickets. You and I have discussed that before. I bought all the baseball tickets. I rented the bus. I organized the whole trip.

We went to Fenway Park. Roger Clemens was pitching for the Red Sox. We had a great time. George Brett was playing third base for the Royals — actually, he was playing left field that night. And he — and we went to the game, and got back, and then we went out. It was a great night of friendship.

BLUMENTHAL: I — I apologize for interrupting, judge, but I need to finish the quote before I ask you the question…

KAVANAUGH: I wasn’t talking about…

BLUMENTHAL: … The quote ends…

GRASSLEY: OK, we’ll let (ph)…

BLUMENTHAL: … the quote ends that you tried to, quote, “piece things back together,” end quote, to recall what happened that night. Meaning…

KAVANAUGH: I know what happened.

BLUMENTHAL: … Well, you…

GRASSLEY: Judge, let — will you quickly answer your question? And then I’m going to let him answer you…

KAVANAUGH: I know what — I know what happened that night.

BLUMENTHAL: I’ll finish asking my question…

GRASSLEY: Please, go ahead…

BLUMENTHAL: … your honor (ph).

GRASSLEY: … but do it quickly.

GRASSLEY: OK. You — you take your time now and answer the question.

KAVANAUGH: … Yes.

GRASSLEY: And then, Senator Crapo.

GRASSLEY: Senator — Senator Crapo.

GRAHAM?: (OFF-MIKE) Time is up (ph). Your time is up (ph).

GRASSLEY: Senator Crapo.

CRAPO: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

And Judge Kavanaugh, first, I want to get into this whole question that’s been bandied back and forth here, almost endlessly today, about the FBI investigation process.

Because I think it’s — I want to follow up a little bit on what Senator Lee and Senator Sasse have referenced.

The committee, of course, hears gathered evidence.

CRAPO: And the FBI then gives that report to the White House, if I understand it? And the White House then transfers it to the Senate? Is that the — the…

(CROSSTALK)

KAVANAUGH: That’s my understanding, yes.

CRAPO: … control? And as you indicated, it does not do then — it’s been said many times here today. The FBI does not make judgments, it gives the Senate committee information.

CRAPO: And that is what has been referenced here many times, about — how some of these witnesses that were identified in the very late information that we received, have made statements that are under penalty of felony. That’s a felony for lying to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

CRAPO: Now in this case, there’s been a lot of talk here today — and if I have time, I’ll get into it. It looks like I’ll run out of time — but in this case, there’s a lot of concern by many that there was not so much an interest in an FBI investigation as there was in delay.

I’m not going to get to that unless I have time. I want to talk about what happened in the Senate committee’s investigation. Because as I understand it — and this may be more of a question to the chairman — as soon as we received information, which was about 45 days after others on the committee received it, we conducted an investigation.

Is that correct, Mr. Chairman? I’m sorry to turn the questioning to you, but we began that legal Senate Judiciary Committee investigation.

GRASSLEY: Yes.

CRAPO: And that investigation involved our fully lawfully enabled investigators to conduct an investigation. And if I understand it correctly, the Democratic members of the committee refused to participate in that investigation.

GRASSLEY: Yes.

CRAPO: And so we have conducted the investigation. The very kinds of things that my colleagues on the other side are asking that we tell the FBI to do, this committee has the authority to do it and this committee does it, and this committee has done it.

Now there may be more demands for more interviews and more investigation. But when you, Judge Kavanaugh, have referenced the testimony that has come from those who were supposed — who were identified as — as being at this event, the testimony that has been received from them is information that has been received pursuant to a Senate committee investigation.

And I just think it should be made clear. I think there’s been a lot of back and forth here about, “Oh, we’re not getting information, we’re not looking at this. You don’t want to look into the investigation, you don’t want to see what happened.”

The reality is that this committee immediately and thoroughly investigated every witness that has been identified to us. And we have statements under penalty of felony from them.

So I just want to conclude with that. I got 45 seconds left, so I’m gonna just ask you one quick question. Again, on timing.

CRAPO: Of the date, yes. What was established earlier in testimony here today was that the ranking member’s staff helped to — helped Dr. Ford to retain the Katz law firm on — sometime between August — or July 30th and August 7th.

(CROSSTALK)

CRAPO: All right. Thank you. My time is up.

GRASSLEY: We’ll take a five-minute break now.

(RECESS)

GRASSLEY: Hirono.

HIRONO: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Judge Kavanaugh, my colleagues on the other side are accusing the democrats of some sort of political conspiracy, but that’s because they want us to distract – they want to distract us from what happened here this morning.

And what happened here this morning was that we heard from Dr. Christine Ford, who spoke to us, with quiet, raw, emotional power, about what happened to her. She said she was 100 percent certain that it was you who attacked her.

And she explained how she came forward, how she struggled with her decision, how she wanted the president to know so that he could make a better choice. So when you and my colleagues on the other accuse us of ambushing you with false charges, I think we all have to remember Dr. Ford’s testimony and her courage.

Let me go back to something you just said in your opening. You said you thought, at your first hearing, the democrats were an embarrassment. We asked you a lot of questions in those days, and which of our questions do you think were an embarrassment?

I asked you about dissents you had written as a judge, an amicus brief you wrote as a lawyer and your knowledge of sexual harassment and abuse by your close friend and mentor, Alex Kozinski, all valid questions in the setting. They are valid because this is a job interview for one of the most important positions of trust in this country.

HIRONO: So I’d like to read your statements from people who knew you in college. And as …

KAVANAUGH: Can I say one thing?

HIRONO: … Senator Coons noted …

KAVANAUGH: OK.

I got into Yale Law School. That’s the number one law school in the country. I had no connections there. I got there by busting my tail in college.

HIRONO: I feel insulted, as a Georgetown graduate.

(LAUGHTER)

KAVANAUGH: Excuse me?

HIRONO: But go on.

KAVANAUGH: I’m sorry. It’s ranked number one, that doesn’t mean it’s number one.

(LAUGHTER)

KAVANAUGH: And you know, in college – two things. A, I studied. I was in cross-campus library every night, and B, I played basketball for the junior varsity. I tried out for the varsity. The first day I arrived on campus, we had captain’s workouts.

I played basketball everyday, all throughout – and then as soon as the season was over, in late February, captain’s workouts started again. I was obsessed with being …

HIRONO: So you were not …

KAVANAUGH: … the best basketball player.

HIRONO: I only have 23 seconds. So you were not a “sloppy drunk,” and so, your roommate was lying.

KAVANAUGH: I will refer you – I will refer you, again, to the redacted portion. I’ll say, look at my academic record, and I don’t usually to talk about myself this way, but in response to your – you know, I – I – I worked very hard in college, in my studies, and I also played basketball, I did sports and I also did socialize.

HIRONO: OK, wait. Excuse me. I know that the chairman is going to stop me, but I do have some other references from people who knew you, who say that you were not the basic (inaudible) …

GRASSLEY: Your – your time is up.

HIRONO: … but – hold on. I’m sorry, Mr. Chairman.

GRASSLEY: Senator – Senator Tillis.

HIRONO: I would like to – Mr. Chairman, OK, I’ll wait until we finish because I just want to enter some letters into the record.

GRASSLEY: Oh, yes. I wasn’t …

HIRONO: Could I do that?

GRASSLEY: … clear that’s what you were doing.

HIRONO: It’s not a question. I could go on. But Mr. Chairman, I’d like to enter into the record four letters – one is, dated September 18, 2018, to you, from all of the democrats on this committee, another is – another is a letter, dated September 18, to Christopher Wray, the director of the FBI and Don McGahn, council to the president, signed by all the democrats on this committee, a September 21 letter signed by Chuck Schumer and Dianne Feinstein to the president, and a September 26 letter signed by all the democrats on this committee, all requesting an FBI investigation because you did say all we have to do is ask.

And the implication being that if we ask, an investigation will happen and it certainly has not happened. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

GRASSLEY: Without objection, that will be included. Senator Tillis.

TILLIS: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Judge Kavanaugh, thank you again for being here. And I apologize for what you’re going through right now. I can’t imagine it. I’ve gone through a campaign and had a lot of smears, but it pales in comparison to what you’ve had to deal with.

I think one thing – one point that I’d like to make, from the onset. If we go back and review how this committee processes work, we’ve got a lot of work to do. We’ve had members take it on themselves to release committee confidential documents instead of respecting the process.

We’ve had an allegation held for nearly seven weeks that would’ve given us plenty of time to investigate, and then when we finally got the information, I invite everybody, particularly the American public, there is an investigation going on. And a lot of it’s been documented.

There’s a chronology on the website that says that each and every time an allegation was made, the staff followed up on it. And sadly, in several different instances, the democrats declined to participate. They listened in on at least one interview with you, didn’t ask a single question.

If they wanted to find other leads and other things to do, why not ask, if you’re really trying to get to the facts, if you’re really trying to do your job to investigate? We’re investigating, it’s our job. I think in response to the ranking member’s questions that Judge Kavanaugh said, “I’m here, you’re asking me questions.” But you know what?

When the committee staff, I assume, directed by the ranking member says, no, we’re not going to ask questions to Judge Kavanaugh when he wanted to come in and clear his good name.

What are you really after? You may not be after the truth, maybe you are. Maybe you’re after executing some sort of a political agenda. Maybe it’s a mix of both.

But I think you’ve been treated unfairly and I’m amazed that after 32-hours of testimony, one and a half hours I sat in the room, that none of these questions came up when it was all fully known. Lawyered up, as a matter of fact.

I also want to go back to the comments this morning. I think I heard — and we can go back to the record if someone disagrees with me — I think I heard Dr. — Dr. Ford say that she wasn’t aware of the fact that we said we’d come to California. We’d make it confidential. We’ll completely depose and ask any questions you want to.

I think I heard her say she wasn’t aware of that. I don’t know where that came with counsel (ph) or whether counsel just neglected to tell her — her counsel.

But the fact of the matter is that offer was out there. We were moving heaven and earth and even moving the schedule to get to the schedule to get to the truth. We’re doing an investigation. We’re doing our level best.

I hope that the American people who are watching this will go out to the Senate Judiciary website and take a look at this chronology. Take a look at the lack of investigation on the part of the people who want the investigation. It doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Every opportunity you have to go and question a witness. Every opportunity that we’ve had to find more truth, to find more facts, we’ve done it. It’s documented. We’ve got sworn statements. We’re doing our job. We’re doing the committee work.

Judge Kavanaugh, I also have to say I believe you’re a part of — you’re — you’re the first major target of a new strategy that’s developed here. And I think you’re right. I think it’s just basically attack, attack, attack. It’s not advise and consent; it’s search and destroy.

And maybe one of the best evidence of this is one of the websites — one of the groups that are out there, attacking you and trying to create fodder and all of these red herrings, has already acquired a URL for the next judge that they’re going to attack.

URL’s right here. They’ve already purchased it. They’re ready to go. This is the playbook. This is the way we’re going to run this committee from this point forward? Take a look at it. I’ll — I’ll make sure we get it out on our website.

We’ve already got a stop another judge who hasn’t been nominated URL, from the same people that are trying to mobilize people to attack you. There are some people here who may sincerely have concerns.

I would tell you to pound the table with your ranking member and the leadership on your side to say: why didn’t we ask questions? Why did we listen in and differ? Why didn’t we do our part of the investigation while this leader did everything he could to accommodate Dr. Ford and to run down every single lead that’s been presented to us weeks after it was known to the minority?

I look forward to supporting your conformation. I believe that you’re going to be on the bench. You know as Senator Cornyn said, these are allegations that can be pursued through the courts if they actually rise to a level to where they can be prosecuted. And everybody on the other side of this dais knows that that’s not going to happen.

GRASSLEY: Senator Booker.

KAVANAUGH: Weekdays?

BOOKER: Yes, sir.

BOOKER: I’m — I’m talking about the calendars that you provided during these dates.

BOOKER: You just said sir that you drank on weekdays. That’s all I was looking for.

BOOKER: OK. Sir, you also said that this past two week — this past two weeks has been a two-week effort calculated and orchestrated as a political hit.

BOOKER: OK. Do you — do you — do you wish…

KAVANAUGH: … My family has no ill will toward her.

BOOKER: I know you have a lot of political animus, you’ve stated it very clearly towards my colleagues and I on this panel. What I — what I’m trying to get to the bottom of is you — you do not see her, specifically, as part of an orchestrated event…

KAVANAUGH: I…

BOOKER: … she’s not a political pawn.

KAVANAUGH: … I don’t know her. But I’ve also said that we bear no ill will toward her. She wanted confidentiality. This could have been handled…

BOOKER: And — and — and I understand. But she came forward. She took a great extent…

KAVANAUGH: Yes.

BOOKER: … Your family has gone through hell. Her family has gone through hell. She sat here, she told her truth. And — and you made the allegation that she was coordinating it. I do not think she was coordinating with her therapist…

KAVANAUGH: I — I did not say that — that’s…

BOOKER: … You said — I’m sorry. So you said that others were making a coordinated…

KAVANAUGH: … Coordinated by people in this room.

BOOKER: … Forgive me. You were talking about us and not her. So she was not — she was not doing this for a political effort in 2012 when talked to her therapist about this attack. She was not coordinating about this painful — when she made — painful experience when she made revelations to her husband.

She did coordinate in 2013, ’16, 2017, before you were even nominated when she revealed that it was you — with three different people — that had sexually assaulted her. That wasn’t coordination. And (inaudible)…

KAVANAUGH: All the witnesses who were there say it didn’t happen. Ms. Keyser’s her longtime friend, said she never saw me at a party with or without Dr. Ford…

BOOKER: Sir — sir, and Ms. Keyser has said clearly, and I will quote what she said, she said she does not remember the night in question that — that — that supports what you said. But she also says that she believes Dr. Ford.

And so my — my colleague Lindsey Graham, who I — I respect, and have admiration to and has been a partner of mine. He said voting no would be legitimizing the most despicable thing in American politics.

BOOKER: That is fair.

KAVANAUGH: Look at the…

BOOKER: I — I have 10 seconds left, sir. You can answer after I finish, I have 10 seconds left. That is fair. Listen to both sides, this is not about somebody — one side being despicable, the other side not.

Listen to both sides. She was a credible — I’m — I’m — let me finish my question, you can answer — she — she gave credible, meaningful testimony, a woman who had the courage to come forward and tell her truth, sir.

And — and that’s what I’m just asking you, is say she is not a political pawn. She is not orchestrating, she is not part of the Clinton’s efforts to get some kind of revenge. She is a woman who came here with corroborating evidence to tell her truth.

KAVANAUGH: Is that a question?

BOOKER: No, sir. It was a final statement.

GRASSLEY: Senator Cruz…

BOOKER: Just on one thing, Mr. Chairman…

GRASSLEY: Yes.

BOOKER: That the evidence is not corroborated at the time. The witnesses who are there say it didn’t happen.

GRASSLEY: Senator Cruz.

CRUZ: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Judge Kavanaugh, you and your family have been treated incredibly poorly by Senate Democrats and by the media. And let me say also I think Dr. Ford and her family have been treated incredibly poorly by Senate Democrats and the media.

You have both seen your good names dragged through the mud. And this has been sadly one of the most shameful chapters in the history of the United States Senate. Let me say to you and your family, thank you for a lifetime of public service.

I will say watching your mother’s pained face has been heart-wrenching as she’s seen her son’s character dragged through the mud after not only your lifetime of public service but her lifetime of public service as well.

And I know as a father, there’s been nothing more painful to you then talking to your daughters and explaining these attacks that the media is airing. I also believe though that the American people are fair minded people, that the American people can set aside the partisan warfare of Washington and look to substance and facts. And that is the charge of this committee.

Now there have been three different sets of allegations that have dominated the media.

I think it’s important to note that two of those sets of allegations had so little corroboration that even the New York Times, which is no conservative outlet, refused to report on them because they could find no basis for them.

And it was striking in this entire hearing that not a single Democrat in this committee asked about two sets of those allegations, Ms. Ramirez’s allegations and the allegations of the client of Mr. Avenatti, not a single Democrat.

I don’t know if they were just too embarrassed. Mr. Avenatti’s allegations were s scandalous that the ranking member omitted his client’s most scandalous accusations of you as a criminal mastermind essentially, omitted those scandalous accusations from a statement.

This hearing has focused rightly so on the allegations Dr. Ford presented. And let me say, I think the committee did the right thing in giving Dr. Ford a full and fair opportunity to tell her story. That’s what we needed to do when these allegations became public.

And the committee treated her with respect, as we should. I do not believe Senate Democrats have treated you with respect. What do we know? We know that her testimony and your testimony are in conflict.

A fair-minded assessor of facts would then look to, “What else do we know when you have conflicting testimony?” Well we know that Dr. Ford identified three fact witnesses who she said observed what occurred. All three of those fact witnesses have stated on the record under penalty of perjury that they do not recall what she is alleging happening.

They have not only not — not corroborated her charges, they have explicitly refuted her charges. That’s significant to a fair-minded fact finder.

In addition, you’ve walked through before this committee your calendars from the time. Now I will say you were a much more organized teenager than I was and than many of us were, but it was a compelling recitation of night-by-night-by-night where you were in the summer of 1982. That is yet another contemporaneous piece of fact to assess what happened.

And we also know that the Democrats on this committee engaged in a profoundly unfair process. The ranking member had these allegations on July 30th and for 60 days — that was 60 days ago — the ranking member did not refer it to the FBI for an investigation. The ranking member did not refer it to the full committee for an investigation. The ranking member — this committee could have investigated those claims in a confidential way that respected Dr. Ford’s privacy.

And some of the most significant testimony we heard this morning is Dr. Ford told this committee that the only people to whom she gave her letter were her attorneys, the ranking member, and her member of Congress. And she stated that she and her attorneys did not release the letter, which means the only people that could have released that — that letter were either the ranking member and her staff or the Democratic member of Congress, because Dr. Ford told this committee those are the only people who had it.

That is not a fair process and we should look to the facts, not anonymous innuendo and slander.

FEINSTEIN: Mr. Chairman, I ask for a point of personal privilege to respond.

GRASSLEY: Proceed.

FEINSTEIN: Mr. Chairman, let me be clear: I did not hide Dr. Ford’s allegations. I did not leak her story. She asked me to hold it confidential and I kept it confidential as she asked. She apparently was stalked by the press, felt that what happened — she was forced to come forward, and her greatest fear were realized — was realized. She’s been harassed, she’s had death threats, and she’s had to flee her home.

In a — in addition, the investigation that the Republican majority is heralding is really nothing that I know about other than a partisan practice. Normally all the witnesses would be interviewed. However, that’s not happened. While the majority has reached out to several people, they did not notify me or my staff that they were doing this, and so to argue that we would not participate but not tell us what they were up to is somewhat disingenuous.

I was given some information by a woman who was very much afraid, who asked that it be held confidential and I held it confidential until she decided that she would come forward.

CORNYN: Mr. Chairman, would — would the ranking member answer a question, please?

FEINSTEIN: If I can.

CORNYN: I — I have great respect for Senator Feinstein. We’ve worked together on many topics, and I believe what you just said. Can you tell us that your staff did not leak it?

FEINSTEIN: Oh, I don’t believe my staff would leak it. I have not asked that question directly, but I do not believe they would.

CORNYN: You — you — you know that? I mean, how in the world could that get in the hands of the — of the press unless…

FEINSTEIN: The answer is no. The staff said they did not (ph).

CORNYN: Have you — have you asked you — have you asked your staff or other staffers on the Judiciary Committee?

FEINSTEIN: I just did. They — they — pardon me?

(UNKNOWN): You’ve asked me before.

FEINSTEIN: Well, Jennifer (ph) reminds me I’ve asked her before about it, and that’s true.

CORNYN: Well someone — well somebody leaked it. If it wasn’t you…

FEINSTEIN: Well it was — I — I’m telling you, it was not — I did not. I mean, I was asked to keep it confidential, and — and I’m criticized for that too.

CRUZ: Mr. Chairman, could I ask the chairman a question? Which is does the committee have a process, if there is an allegation against any nominee, to assess that allegation in a confidential forum rather than in the public — since Dr. Ford requested that it be kept confidential, is there a process for the committee for considering confidential allegations?

GRASSLEY: Yes. Yes it’s — and the answer is yes, and I sent — Senator Tillis pointed out the document that I put out to show of all the things that we’ve done along the lines of your question.

CRUZ: And Mr. Chairman, what would you have done if, on July 30th, the ranking member had — had raised this allegation with you? As the chairman of this committee, how would you have handled that (ph)?

GRASSLEY: We would have done like we have done with every background — or, let’s say FBI report that comes from the White House with a nominee, and then subsequent to that, because maybe the FBI got done with it three months ago, we do through the FBI or information comes to us, then we have our investigators, in a bipartisan way, both the Republicans and the Democrats, follow up on those — whatever those questions are or those problems that have to be worked out.

CRUZ: So bipartisan investigators could have investigated this two months ago and it could have been heard in a confidential setting without Dr. Ford’s name or Judge Kavanaugh’s name being dragged through the mud. Is that correct?

GRASSLEY: And except — and except for one or two conversations that we had with the judge through our investigators, Democrats didn’t participate except in those two, but in those two — or, one or two, they didn’t ask any questions.

CRUZ: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

GRASSLEY: I want to…

FEINSTEIN: Mr. Chairman…

GRASSLEY: Yes, go ahead.

FEINSTEIN: May I — may I — may I respond? It’s my understanding that her story was leaked before the letter became public. And she testified that she had spoken to her friends about it and it’s most likely that that’s how the story leaked and that she had been asked by press. But it did not leak from us, I assure you of that.

CORNYN: Well Mr. — Mr. Chairman, I — I’m a little confused. I thought only the member of the House and Senator Feinstein and her lawyers had the letter, so her friends she might have talked to about it couldn’t leak the letter if they just had a verbal conversation, unless she gave them a copy of the letter.

FEINSTEIN: Senator, I don’t think the letter was ever leaked.

CORNYN: Well how in — how did the press know to contact her about her complaint?

FEINSTEIN: She — apparently she testified here this morning that she had talked to friends about it, and the press had talked to her.

GRASSLEY: Senator — or, Judge, since there was some reference to the problems — the legitimate problems and the — and the change of lifestyle that Dr. Ford, if you want some time to say the impact on your family, I’d be glad to hear you. If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s OK.

KAVANAUGH: I’ve — I’ve talked about that, Mr. Chairman.

GRASSLEY: OK, then Senator Harris.

HARRIS: Thank you — thank you.

KAVANAUGH: As you know.

HARRIS: All three of the women who have made sworn allegations against you have called for an independent FBI investigation in to the claims. You’ve been asked during the course of this hearing — by four different members by my count, at least eight times today, and also earlier this week on national television whether you would call for the White House to authorize an FBI investigation.

Each time you have declined to do so. Now you know, I know you do — that the FBI is an agency of men and women who are sworn and trained law enforcement who in the course of conducting background investigations on nominees for the Supreme Court of the United States and others, are charged with conducting those background investigations because they are sworn law enforcement and they have the expertise and the ability and the history of doing that.

HARRIS: And I’ve heard you say that —

KAVANAUGH: The witness statements —

HARRIS: OK, I’m going to take that as a no and we can move on. You have said in your opening statement, you characterized these allegations as a conspiracy directed against you. I’ll point out to you that Judge — Justice now, Neil Gorsuch was nominated by this president.

He was considered by this body, just last year. I did a rough kind of analysis of similarities — you both attended Georgetown Prep, you both attended very prestigious law schools, you both clerked for Justice Kennedy, you were both circuit judges, you were both nominated to the Supreme Court, you were both questioned about your record — the only difference is that you have been accused of sexual assault.

Sixty-five women, who knew me more than 35 years ago, signed a letter to support me after the allegation was made because they know me, and they were with me, and we grew up together, we talked on the phone together and we went to events together. That is who I am.

What the people who worked with me in the Bush White House, the — the women there, look at what Sarah Day said in CentralMaine.com. Look at the — what the law clerks — I have sent more women law clerks to the Supreme Court than any other federal judge in the country.

HARRIS: Thank you, I have nothing else…

KAVANAUGH: … I plan to…

HARRIS: … Thank you.

KAVANAUGH: … I plan to. But I did not because I was preparing mine.

GRASSLEY: Our last five minutes will be, Senator Flake, one minute.

FLAKE: Yes.

GRASSLEY: And Senator Kennedy, four minutes.

FLAKE: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

When Dr. Ford came forward with her account, I immediately said that she should be heard and asked the chairman to delay the vote that we had scheduled. And the chairman did, and I appreciate that. She came, at great difficulty for her, and offered compelling testimony.

You have come and done the same. I am sorry for what’s happened to you and your family, as I’m sorry for what has happened to hers. This is not a good process but it’s all we’ve got.

And I would just urge my colleagues to recognize that, in the end, we are 21 very imperfect senators trying to do our best to provide advice and consent. And in the end, there is likely to be as much doubt as certainty going out of this room today.

And that, as we make decisions going forward, I — I hope that people will recognize that. And in the rhetoric that we use and the language that we use going forward that we’ll recognize that, that there is doubt, we’ll never move beyond that. And — and just have a little humility on that front.

So thank you.

GRASSLEY: Thank you, Senator Flake.

Now, Senator Kennedy.

Do you believe in God?

And I’ve talked to you about what I was doing that summer of 1982. But I’m telling you I’ve never done this to anyone, including her.

The New York Times reported that as recently as last week, she was calling other classmates seeking to — well, I’m not going to characterize it — but calling classmates last week and just seemed very — I’ll just stop there. But that’s not true. That’s not true.

KENNEDY: That’s all I have, judge.

GRASSLEY: Judge Kavanaugh, thank you very much.

Hearing adjourned.