In a moving interview with Fox’s Martha MacCallum, Brett Kavanaugh and his wife Ashley spoke openly about the series of accusations being levied against him. Denying all charges, the judge – in a calm, almost saddened manner – asked for nothing more than fairness in the hearings and a chance to speak his piece and answer his accusers.
What we saw was a picture of a man and his wife, standing firm in the face of what they claim are pernicious lies. Kavanaugh repeatedly stressed the point that he had never committed an act of sexual assault or violence and that he had always treated women with respect and dignity.
Accusation by Accusation
MacCallum did not shy away from the tough questions. After initially allowing the judge freedom to state his defense, she went through each accusation with the aim of getting a straight yes or no on the questions that have thus far clouded Kavanaugh’s nomination.
The initial topic was understandably the first accuser, Christine Blasey Ford; MacCallum questioned if any relationship, sexual or otherwise existed between the two. Kavanaugh was emphatic in his insistence that although he “may have met her,” they did “not travel in the same social circles.”
He went on to detail the claims against him and point by point deny that any of the alleged facts occurred.
Avenatti’s Demands
Stormy Daniel’s lawyer and presidential hopeful, Michael Avenatti has also made claims about Kavanaugh suggesting that he was either directly or tangentially involved in gang-rapes that took place at parties. As MacCallum began posing the questions that Avenatti has demanded be asked during Kavanaugh's Senate confirmation hearings, the mood of the interview shifted from a fairly standard Q and A session into one where both the interviewer and interviewee seemed almost disgusted to be involved.
MacCallum asked:
“Did you ever participate in, or were you ever aware of any gang rape that happened at a party that you attended?”
Kavanaugh, perhaps showing the first emotive response of the interview, answered:
“That’s totally outrageous. I’ve never done any such thing, known about any such thing.”
He then went on to say that did attend parties during high school and people did drink beer, “But that’s not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about sexual assault, and I’ve never sexually assaulted anyone.”
Kavanaugh then talked about his sexual history, or rather the lack of it. He explained with candid openness that he remained a virgin throughout high school “and for many years thereafter.”
Bravery and Courage
The majority of the interview focused on Brett Kavanaugh, his history with women, and the support he received from women who know him. The most moving responses, however, came from Ashley Kavanaugh, a woman who perhaps knows the judge better than anyone, and who seemed aghast, and almost bemused, that anyone could take the allegations seriously.
With a strength of character rarely seen these days, she said:
"I know Brett. I know who he is. I don’t know what happened to [Ford] and I don't even want to go there. I feel badly for her family. I feel badly for her through this process. This process is not right."
"It’s very difficult to have these conversations with your children, which we’ve had to have. But they know Brett and they know the truth and we told them at the very beginning of this process, ‘This will be not fun sometimes. You’re going to hear things. People feel strongly and you need to know that and just remember, you know your dad.’”
It is all too easy to forget that accusations of this type in a political arena impact not only the person under scrutiny but also their family. Ashley Kavanaugh reminded us of this. She helped the audience envision the very conversations that take place behind closed doors and the pain that is inflicted with each new charge.
Do we know more about Kavanaugh than we did before the interview? Possibly not. But we can now be sure that the judge is willing to fight for his place at the top table.
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