The New York Times reporters who revived claims of sexual misconduct by Brett Kavanaugh when he was a teenager apparently have been unable to present new evidence in support of Christine Blasey Ford’s sexual assault allegation. They assure us, however, that their “gut reaction” is that Blasey Ford’s story rings true.
But that’s not the gut reaction of Blasey Ford’s lifelong friend, Leland Keyser. Blasey Ford says that Keyser was with her at the same alleged party where the alleged sexual assault occurred. Keyser says she doesn’t recall any events similar to the one her friend depicts, and that she doesn’t have “any confidence in the story.”
Speaking of confidence, I have more in Keyser’s “gut reaction” than in that of two partisan New York Times journalists, neither of whom knew Blasey Ford or Kavanaugh during the time period at issue.
Nor is Keyser the only person close to Blasey Ford who seems to lack confidence in the accuser’s story. According to Mollie Hemingway and Carrie Severino, Blasey Ford’s own father apparently lacks such confidence.
Hemingway and Severino report that, within days of Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court, Ralph Blasey approached Brett Kavanaugh’s father at the Bethesda golf club where they are both members. Multiple people who say they are familiar with the conversion affirm that Ralph Blasey told Ed Kavanaugh, “I’m glad Brett was confirmed.” The two then shook hands.
It’s extremely unlikely that Blasey Ford’s father would have behaved this way if he thought Brett Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted his daughter and, with his daughter’s credibility on the line, denied doing so.
That Ralph Blasey lacks confidence in his daughter’s story can also be inferred from his conduct during the confirmation battle. He did not sign a letter posted on Twitter that expressed full support for his daughter. Indeed, the letter, which began “As members of Christine Blasey Ford’s family,” was not endorsed by any member of Blasey Ford’s immediate family.
Thus, Blasey Ford’s tale of sexual assault rings true in neither the gut of Blasey Ford’s lifelong friend nor that of her father. It didn’t ring true with the two least partisan members of the Senate, Susan Collins and Joe Manchin, either.
Yet the debate rages on. In part, that’s probably because some Democrats contemplate using Blasey Ford’s claim as a basis for trying to increase the number of Supreme Court Justices once they are in a position to nominate them. But it’s also because the left never gives up on a smear.
Just ask Clarence Thomas.
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