GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch says there are 'lots of reasons not to believe' Kavanaugh’s accuser
After a Monday phone call with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah) believes the woman accusing him of sexual assault is "mixed up."
On Sunday, California professor Christine Ford alleged that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while they were at a party in high school, sharing her story with The Washington Post. But Hatch said Monday that he believes Ford might be "mixed up" because Kavanaugh denies behind at the party she describes, per HuffPost's Igor Bobic. Hatch also said that while he "can't ignore" the allegation, there are "lots of reasons not to believe it." In a separate interview, Hatch told CNN that he believes Kavanaugh when he says the alleged incident never happened.
When a reporter asked Hatch if it's possible Kavanaugh might not remember the incident because he was drunk, Hatch responded that Kavanaugh "said that's not true." But Hatch also said that even if what Ford alleges is true, it would "be hard for senators to not consider who [Kavanaugh] is today," arguing that he is "a good man," Bobic reports.
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CNN also reports that Hatch wants Ford to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, suggesting that might happen Thursday. Kavanaugh has also said he'd be willing to testify regarding the alleged incident.
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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