Ford flatly rejects mistaken identity theory during Senate testimony
Christine Blasey Ford expressed total confidence under oath Thursday that it was Brett Kavanaugh, not a lookalike, who sexually assaulted her in high school.
After testifying that Kavanaugh groped her and attempted to rape her at a high school gathering, Ford was asked by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) whether this could possibly be a case of mistaken identity. This idea has become a popular one on the right, with White House counselor Kellyanne Conway floating it Thursday morning on Fox & Friends; Kavanaugh himself has also suggested Ford could be mistaken. But Ford's response was unequivocal: "Absolutely not," she told Feinstein.
Ford told Feinstein that she's confident of this because of "basic memory functions" and that she can be sure it was Kavanaugh who assaulted her "the same way that I'm sure that I'm talking to you right now." Feinstein also questioned Ford about the fact that there are certain details about the alleged incident that she does not fully recall, such as how the gathering came together and how she got there. Ford, who is a college psychology professor, explained that in cases such as these, the "trauma-related experience is locked" in the brain whereas "other details kind of drift."
Subscribe to 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.
Later, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) asked Ford to again clarify how sure she is that it was Kavanaugh who attacked her. "100 percent," she responded. Watch Ford's exchange with Feinstein below. Brendan Morrow
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
The Mormon sex scandal hitting the small screen
Under The Radar A new TV series takes viewers behind the scenes of a real-life social media drama
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
7 recipes for every kind of fall cooking occasion
The Week Recommends Marinated feta; go-to chocolate cake; a fresh way with Brussels: Autumn is not going to know what hit it
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Why is a government shutdown possible before the election?
Today's Big Question A fight over immigration, spending and the future of House Speaker Mike Johnson
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
ATF finalizes rule to close 'gun show loophole'
Speed Read Biden moves to expand background checks for gun buyers
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Hong Kong passes tough new security law
Speed Read It will allow the government to further suppress all forms of dissent
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
France enshrines abortion rights in constitution
speed read It became the first country to make abortion a constitutional right
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Texas executes man despite contested evidence
Speed Read Texas rejected calls for a rehearing of Ivan Cantu's case amid recanted testimony and allegations of suppressed exculpatory evidence
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court wary of state social media regulations
Speed Read A majority of justices appeared skeptical that Texas and Florida were lawfully protecting the free speech rights of users
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Greece legalizes same-sex marriage
Speed Read Greece becomes the first Orthodox Christian country to enshrine marriage equality in law
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump and his lawyer Alina Habba have a rough day in defamation court
Speed Read Trump's audible grousing as E. Jean Carroll testified earned him a warning he could be thrown out of court, and Habba showed she 'doesn't know what the hell she's doing'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Anders Breivik to testify in prison isolation lawsuit against Norway
Speed Read Far-right fanatic who killed 77 people in 2011 claims he has received 'inhuman treatment' in custody
By The Week UK Published