Kavanaugh's Yale freshman roommate says when he drank heavily, he got 'aggressive and belligerent'

Protesters side against Brett Kavanaugh
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On Monday, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's freshman roommate at Yale, James Roche, elaborated on a statement he gave to The New Yorker about Kavanaugh's alcohol consumption and social network during the period their classmate Deborah Ramirez says Kavanaugh stuck his penis in her face at a party. "Brett and I did not socialize beyond the first few days of freshman year," he said. "We talked at night as freshman roommates do and I would see him as he returned from nights out with his friends." Roche added:

It is from this experience that I concluded that although Brett was normally reserved, he was a notably heavy drinker, even by the standards of the time, and that he became aggressive and belligerent when he was very drunk. I did not observe the specific incident in question, but I do remember Brett frequently drinking excessively and becoming incoherently drunk. ... Based on my time with Debbie, I believe her to be unusually honest and straightforward and I cannot imagine her making this up. Based on my time with Brett, I believe that he and his social circle were capable of the actions that Debbie described. [James Roche]

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.