Anita Hill called on the federal government to implement a « fair and neutral » way to investigate sexual misconduct complaints after allegations surfaced against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh this week.
A woman is accusing Kavanaugh of assaulting her when they were high schoolers in the early 1980s, and she relayed the claim in a letter to Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, who received the note in July and referred it to the FBI on Wednesday.
Kavanaugh has vehemently denied the allegation, saying in a statement: « I did not do this back in high school or at any time. »
However, Hill wants senators to put a process into place that will allow the accusation to be treated seriously.
« Given the seriousness of these allegations, the government needs to find a fair and neutral way for complaints to be investigated, » Hill, now a professor at Brandeis University, said in a statement Friday. « The Senate Judiciary Committee should put in place a process that enables anyone with a complaint of this nature to be heard. »
The woman accusing Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct has not come forward publicly.
Hill said Friday, « The reluctance of someone to come forward demonstrates that even in the #MeToo era, it remains incredibly difficult to report harassment, abuse or assault by people in power. »
The Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination next Thursday, with the full Republican-led Senate looking to consider it later this month.
