‘Feared being raped, killed’, says the accuser Dr. Ford. The accused SC Nominee Kavanaugh proclaims innocence, terms it a smear campaign against him

WASHINGTON(TIP): Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, a university professor on Thursday, September 27, detailed her allegations that Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, sexually assaulted her 36 years ago, saying she thought he was going to rape and perhaps accidentally kill her, during a dramatic US Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

Christine Blasey Ford, whose voice sometimes cracked with emotion, testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee during a hearing that could determine whether Kavanaugh will be confirmed to the lifetime job after a pitched political battle between Trump’s fellow Republicans and Democrats who oppose the nominee.

“With what degree of certainty do you believe Brett Kavanaugh assaulted you?” Democratic Senator Richard Durbin asked Ford. “One hundred per cent,” she replied, remaining firm and unruffled through hours of questioning.

Ford said “absolutely not” when Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein asked her if it could be a case of mistaken identity.  The hearing, which has riveted Americans and intensified the political polarization in the United States, occurred against the backdrop of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and assault. Kavanaugh has been accused of sexual misconduct by two other women as well. He has denied all the allegations.

While some Republicans and Trump have called the allegations by Ford and two other women against Kavanaugh part of a smear campaign, Ford told the committee, “I am an independent person and I am no pawn.”

Democratic senators, who praised the credibility of her testimony and called her brave for coming forward, sought to score political points during their five minutes apiece of questioning Ford. The panel’s Republican senators, all men, did not question her, assigning that task to Rachel Mitchell, a sex crimes prosecutor.

While Mitchell sought to probe Ford’s account including any gaps in her story, her questioning seemed disjointed because she took turns with the Democratic senators to ask questions in five-minute segments, disrupting her flow.

“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,” Mitchell said.

Ford, a psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California, said a drunken Kavanaugh attacked her and tried to remove her clothing at a gathering of teenagers in Maryland when he was 17 years old and she was 15.

Brett groped me and tried to take off my clothes… he was very inebriated. I believed he was going to rape me. I tried to yell for help. Brett put his hand over my mouth. — Christine Blasey Ford

Under questioning from Feinstein, Ford said she has suffered from claustrophobia and anxiety, adding her strongest memory of the incident was the “uproarious laughter between the two (Kavanaugh and Judge) and their having fun at my expense.”

Judge Brett Kavanaugh, in his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, proclaimed his innocence.

In a passionate defense, the 53-year-old conservative judge insisted before the Senate Judiciary Committee that it never happened, accused Democrats of destroying his reputation and condemned his confirmation battle as a “national disgrace” and a “circus.”

“Judge Kavanaugh showed America exactly why I nominated him,” the President tweeted just minutes after the close of the hearing.

“His testimony was powerful, honest and riveting,” Mr. Trump said. “Democrats’ search and destroy strategy is disgraceful and this process has been a total sham and effort to delay, obstruct and resist. The Senate must vote!”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Mr. Trump would get his wish, with the Judiciary Committee — which has 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats — set to vote on its recommendation Friday before the nomination goes to the full Senate, where Republicans hold a slim 51-49 edge.

“We’re going to vote in the morning and we’re going to move forward,” Mr. McConnell told journalists.