GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham defends Kavanaugh by rightly pointing out that he is 'not Bill Cosby'
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) stepped into the fray to defend Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh against sexual misconduct allegations that emerged Wednesday.
Graham tweeted earlier in the day that people should be "highly suspicious" of claims from Julie Swetnick, who says she attended about 10 parties in the 1980s where she witnessed Kavanaugh engaging in sexually "abusive" behavior.
"If you went to a party once with people being drugged and gang raped, you wouldn't go to the next nine, you would tell someone," Graham told reporters. "You have an obligation, if you see people being abused, to come forward and say something about it, if not for yourself, for them. So I'm very suspicious of this." Swetnick alleged that "in approximately 1982," she "became the victim" of a gang rape that Kavanaugh was "present" for.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Pointing out that Kavanaugh is "not Bill Cosby," Graham reiterated that no "reasonable person" would continue to spend time with Kavanaugh if he was indeed helping to spike drinks with drugs, as Swetnick alleged. Kavanaugh has denied any wrongdoing, calling the claims "ridiculous" and from the "Twilight Zone." He denied knowing Swetnick at all, saying "this never happened." Graham echoed the nominee, saying the latest allegations are "getting into the Twilight Zone."
Asked whether proceedings should be delayed to investigate the claims, Graham said, "No, absolutely not." Watch the moment below, via CNN. Summer Meza
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
Sepsis ‘breakthrough’: the world’s first targeted treatment?The Explainer New drug could reverse effects of sepsis, rather than trying to treat infection with antibiotics
-
James Van Der Beek obituary: fresh-faced Dawson’s Creek starIn The Spotlight Van Der Beek fronted one of the most successful teen dramas of the 90s – but his Dawson fame proved a double-edged sword
-
Is Andrew’s arrest the end for the monarchy?Today's Big Question The King has distanced the royal family from his disgraced brother but critics claim a ‘fit of revolutionary disgust’ could still wipe them out
-
NIH director Bhattacharya tapped as acting CDC headSpeed Read Jay Bhattacharya, a critic of the CDC’s Covid-19 response, will now lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
-
Witkoff and Kushner tackle Ukraine, Iran in GenevaSpeed Read Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held negotiations aimed at securing a nuclear deal with Iran and an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine
-
Pentagon spokesperson forced out as DHS’s resignsSpeed Read Senior military adviser Col. David Butler was fired by Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin is resigning
-
Judge orders Washington slavery exhibit restoredSpeed Read The Trump administration took down displays about slavery at the President’s House Site in Philadelphia
-
Hyatt chair joins growing list of Epstein files losersSpeed Read Thomas Pritzker stepped down as executive chair of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
-
Trump’s EPA kills legal basis for federal climate policySpeed Read The government’s authority to regulate several planet-warming pollutants has been repealed
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
