When President Donald Trump authorized the FBI to conduct an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, only one thing was certain: A media battle for the hearts and minds of the American people would ensue. In this regard, the press has not let us down.
But what are the facts? What is actually happening? The spin and outright falsities have created a smog over what should have been a straightforward information gathering exercise. Liberty Nation is here to sort the wheat from the chaff and give you the information so obscured by bias and temperament.
What has Trump Agreed to?
President Trump has instructed the FBI to carry out a further investigation into Brett Kavanaugh with a primary focus on recent sexual misconduct allegations. Kavanaugh has already been through six FBI background checks during which people he has encountered throughout his life were interviewed.
In a statement, Trump said, “I’ve ordered the FBI to conduct a supplemental investigation to update Judge Kavanaugh’s file … As the Senate has requested, this update must be limited in scope and completed in less than one week.”
Seizing on the word “limited,” the press was quick to insinuate that only Dr. Ford’s claims would be investigated. However, Trump clarified this in a more recent tweet:
“NBC News incorrectly reported (as usual) that I was limiting the FBI investigation of Judge Kavanaugh, and witnesses, only to certain people. Actually, I want them to interview whoever they deem appropriate, at their discretion. Please correct your reporting!”
The FBI has been given the go-ahead to look wherever their investigation takes them; the only limit being that it is completed within a week.
Who Gets Checked?
The first of Kavanaugh’s accusers, Dr. Christine Ford, provided a list of witnesses to corroborate her claim. Each of these has been interviewed already on behalf of the Senate Judiciary Committee but will doubtless be approached by the FBI in order to confirm their statements. The most notable include:
- Patrick J. Smyth, who has said, “I have no knowledge of the party in question; nor do I have any knowledge of the allegations of improper conduct she has leveled against Brett Kavanaugh.”
- Mark Judge, who Ford claims was in the room when the alleged assault took place. Judge released a statement under penalty of felony. He said, “I have no memory of this alleged incident … do not recall the party” and “never saw Brett act in the manner Dr. Ford describes.” This does not equal a refutation of Ford’s claims, just that he has no knowledge or memory of such events.
- Leland Ingham Keyser, a close friend of Dr. Ford, said in a statement through her legal counsel that: “Ms. Keyser does not know Mr. Kavanaugh and she has no recollection of ever being at a party or gathering where he was present, with [or] without, Dr. Ford.”
Other accusations made by Deborah Ramirez concern Kavanaugh allegedly exposing himself to her at a party. Ms. Ramirez’s claims have so far failed to bring forward any corroborating witnesses. Her allegations have suffered several credibility issues due to the way she initially brought forth the charges.
The New York Times was in the running to publish her story but apparently hesitated after investigating, stating that they could find no one with first-hand knowledge of the events described, and after hearing that Ramirez herself had been contacting friends and colleagues about the alleged incident. The allegations were instead published by The New Yorker.
The third – and most serious – allegations against Kavanaugh come from Julie Swetnick through her lawyer Michael Avenatti. Ms. Swetnick claims that she and Kavanaugh attended multiple parties in which young women were drugged and gang-raped. It is highly likely that she will be questioned by the FBI to ascertain whether or not her claims hold water.
The Next Steps
The FBI will contact every person connected to the accusations, take statements, and look for discrepancies in what they say. They will attempt to find evidence, including witness statements that either confirm testimony they already have or new witnesses that can corroborate the claims.
What the FBI will not do is provide a conclusion one way or the other. They will present the evidence gathered in a report that will be reviewed by the White House and the Senate.
As with many of the more high-profile FBI reports we have seen in recent months, the findings and interpretation will be hotly contested by elected officials who will seize on every word and inflection to better make their own personal case appear the more credible.
