Michael Avenatti, the lawyer representing Julie Swetnick in her allegations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, condemned Sen. Susan Collins ’s (R-Maine) remarks…
Michael Avenatti, the lawyer representing Julie Swetnick in her allegations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, condemned Sen. Susan Collins ’s (R-Maine) remarks Friday slamming Swetnick’s accusations as “outlandish.”
“ .@SenatorCollins is channeling [President] Donald Trump. Entirely disingenuous and shameful. Where was she when Judge [Merrick] Garland could not even get an up or down vote? » Avenatti tweeted during Collins’s speech on the Senate floor. « This is all about her post-office job opportunities on K street. We shall never forget. Not in Nov. Not in 2020. Not ever.”
“ .@SenatorCollins should be ashamed of herself for attacking my client and Dr. Ford. How did she make a credibility determination as to my client? » he added in a subsequent tweet. « How is she qualified to do that without ANY investigation? She did ZERO to determine whether my client and her witnesses were credible.”
Avenatti released sworn testimony from Swetnick last week alleging that Kavanaugh took part in efforts to “gang rape” girls in high school. She alleged that Kavanaugh was present during a party in which she said she was a victim of gang rape.
“This outlandish allegation was put forth without any credible supporting evidence and simply parroted public statements of others. That such an allegation can find its way into the Supreme Court confirmation process is a stark reminder about why the presumption of innocence is so ingrained in our American consciousness,” Collins said in a Senate floor speech before declaring that she would vote to confirm Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
Swetnick was the third woman to accuse Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, following Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez. Ford alleges that Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed and groped her during a party when the two were in high school in 1982. Ramirez alleges that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her when the two were students at Yale University.
Kavanaugh has denied any wrongdoing.
The allegations of sexual misconduct threw Kavanaugh’s confirmation process into tumult, pitting Democrats and Republicans into a fierce political battle.
Kavanaugh is expected to be confirmed Saturday following the « yes » votes of Sens. Collins, Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.).
