Kavanaugh accuser: ‘My greatest fears have been realized’

Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault at a party in 1982, will say in her opening statement Thursday at a hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee that her life has been turned upside down since she went public with the allegation.

“[M]y greatest fears have been realized — and the reality has been far worse than what I expected,” she wrote in prepared remarks released Wednesday.

“My family and I have been the target of constant harassment and death threats. I have been called the most vile and hateful names imaginable … My family and I were forced to move out of our home. Since September 16, my family and I have been living in various secure locales, with guards,” she will say.

{mosads}The prepared testimony goes on to say that “apart from the assault itself” the “last couple of weeks have been the hardest” of her life.

“Apart from the assault itself, these last couple of weeks have been the hardest of my life. I have had to relive my trauma in front of the entire world, and have seen my life picked apart by people on television, in the media, and in this body who have never met me or spoken with me. I have been accused of acting out of partisan political motives. Those who say that do not know me. I am a fiercely independent person and I am no one’s pawn,” she plans to say.

Ford will emphasize that her role is not to determine whether Kavanaugh should be confirmed to the Supreme Court, but only to answer questions posed to her truthfully. 

She will also say that she’s received an outpouring of support from across the country, including from those who have themselves experienced sexual assaults and have shared their story with her. The testimony says those messages apparently outnumber those criticizing Ford. 

Ford’s testimony Thursday will play a pivotal role in Kavanaugh’s confirmation process.

President Trump said at a press conference Wednesday that there would be circumstances under which he would consider replacing Kavanaugh as the nominee and said he wanted to watch the hearing. 

“It’s possible I’ll hear that and I’ll say, ‘Hey, I’m changing my mind.’ That is possible,” Trump said during a press conference.

The remark is a stark departure from comments he made in recent days calling the allegations a “con job” by the Democrats.

Ford was the first of three women who have come out with allegations against Kavanaugh of varying degrees of sexual misconduct. 

Deborah Ramirez accused Kavanaugh in an article in The New Yorker Sunday of exposing himself to her during their time at Yale.

And Julie Switneck’s attorney, Michael Avenatti, the same attorney representing adult-film actress Stormy Daniels in her suit against the president, released a sworn declaration from Switneck Wednesday accusing Kavanaugh of being present for a “gang rape” of which she was a victim.

The allegations have upended what the GOP was hoping would be a smooth confirmation process.

All ten Democratic senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee have sent a letter saying Kavanaugh’s nomination should be withdrawn and Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) have said they’re still on the fence and will have to hear from the women before they decide if they will vote to confirm Kavanaugh.