2 unidentified men claim they may have assaulted Christine Blasey Ford in 1982, not Kavanaugh

On Wednesday night, the Senate Judiciary Committee released a timeline detailing how Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and his staff have responded to allegations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. The document indicates, among other things, that committee staff interviewed two men who claim that they, not Kavanugh, may have had the 1982 "encounter" with Christine Blasey Ford that she calls a rape attempt by Kavanaugh. The men are not named and few details are provided.

On Monday, Sept. 24, Judiciary Committee staff interviewed "a man who believes he, not Judge Kavanaugh, had the encounter with Dr. Ford in 1982 that is the basis of his complaint," the timeline says. In an interview with staffers on Tuesday, the man "described his recollection of their interaction in some detail," and on Wednesday, he submitted "a more in-depth written statement," the committee said. Also on Wednesday, committee staff spoke by phone "with another man who believes he, not Judge Kavanuagh, had the encounter with Dr. Ford in 1982 that is the basis of her allegation. He explained his recollection of the details of the encounter."

"The previously unknown interviews could add a new layer to the evolving saga on the eve of a possible explosive hearing between Kavanaugh and Ford, though it's unknown whether the men's claims are being taken seriously," USA Today says. "The committee didn't identify the men, offer details about what they said, state whether committee staff found their accounts credible, or indicate whether there would be any further follow-up," BuzzFeed News adds. The mistaken-identity explanation was seen as a deus ex machina for Kavanaugh before two other accusers emerged this week, but if there's any there there, the Republican prosecutor hired to question Ford will likely bring it up at Thursday's hearing.

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