As allegations and new details continue to pile up surrounding the sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, pressure likewise is building for Republican senators to block Kavanaugh’s path — or to at least hear out the allegations at the heart of the issue.
But for one Republican senator in particular, the allegations of attempted rape thus far haven’t done enough to dissuade his support for Kavanaugh, who is due to appear Thursday at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about the alleged abuse dating back to more than three decades. Also due to appear before the panel that day is his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford.
On Sunday, Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) told Fox News’s Chris Wallace that the allegations right now weren’t sufficient to dampen his support for Kavanaugh’s nomination. Said Graham, “I’m not going to ruin Judge Kavanaugh’s life over this.”
Asked if there's anything Ford can say to change his vote on Kavanaugh, @LindseyGrahamSC says he'll hear her out but… "I'm just being honest: Unless there's something more, no, I'm not going to ruin Judge Kavanaugh's life over this." #scpol
— Jamie Lovegrove (@jslovegrove) September 23, 2018
Graham defended his position by blaming anti-Trump animus among Democrats for the controversy — and by saying he’d still be willing to hear out Christine Blasey Ford’s allegations in a restricted hearing.
“All I would tell my colleagues: I know you hate Trump. I’m going to look at this from a prism of being reasonable and fair to Judge Kavanaugh. Everything I know about Judge Kavanaugh goes against this allegation. I want to listen to Dr. Ford. I feel sorry for her,” Graham said. “I will do the following: Listen to Dr. Ford, compare that to everything in the record, and make a decision… I’m trying to be fair here and get this thing done in a reasonable way.”
.@LindseyGrahamSC: “I want to listen to Dr. Ford, I feel sorry for her. I think she is being used here. People in my view are using her.” pic.twitter.com/d5mnXV5E2T
— FoxNewsSunday (@FoxNewsSunday) September 23, 2018
Graham detailed the restrictions surrounding Ford’s potential testimony, though. “If they really want to be heard they can be heard in a small room with a lot of security [and] limited press availability,” he said. “She’ll be treated fairly, but we’re not going to turn the hearing over to her lawyers.”
On Dr. Ford, @LindseyGrahamSC tells Chris: Chairman Grassley's bent over backwards to make this happen, the offer is Thursday at 10 o'clock. #KavanaughConfirmationHearing pic.twitter.com/SbTWBxq5N8
— FoxNewsSunday (@FoxNewsSunday) September 23, 2018
Despite these claims of fairness and openness, though, Graham clarified that he still hasn’t budged. “If nothing changes,” he said, “it won’t with me.”
Graham’s stance comes as Kavanaugh’s ratings continue to sink. A Fox News poll released Sunday showed that Kavanaugh is now viewed more negatively by Americans as a potential nominee — a stark shift from just a month ago, when he was viewed favorably by a plurality of Americans surveyed.
NEW: @foxnewspoll shows support for Judge Brett Kavanaugh decreasing in his confirmation hearing. pic.twitter.com/bXy0rS3KD4
— FoxNewsSunday (@FoxNewsSunday) September 23, 2018