Trump issues full-throated defense of Kavanaugh: Misconduct allegations are ‘totally political’

President Donald Trump issued a statement that minced no words in defense of Judge Brett Kavanaugh and the sexual assault allegations levied against the Supreme Court pick.

What did he say?

Trump reaffirmed his support for Kavanaugh in a bold new statement, calling the allegations against the SCOTUS nominee "totally political."

Speaking Monday at the United Nations in New York City, Trump doubled down on his praises of Kavanaugh, calling the judge “outstanding.”

“I am with him all the way,” the president added, according to a Monday report by the The Associated Press.

"I think it could be — a chance that this could be — the single-most unfair, unjust things to happen to a candidate for anything, but I am with Judge Kavanaugh," he explained. "For people to come out of the woodwork from 36 years ago and 30 years ago and never mentioned it, all of a sudden happens, in my opinion, it's totally political."

He later repeated himself wagging his finger. "It's totally political."



What's the background?

Professor Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault in an incident that she said took place in the early 1980s.

Ford, now 51, delivered the information in a letter to Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) in July, shortly after Trump chose Kavanaugh as the nominee for Supreme Court justice. Feinstein — the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee — eventually turned the letter over to the FBI.

According to Ford’s account, she attended a house party with Kavanaugh and other teens at a Maryland home in 1982. Ford wrote that Kavanaugh pushed her into a bedroom along with a male companion. Kavanaugh then allegedly locked the door, put on loud music to muffle sound, and reportedly attempted to remove Ford’s clothing.

Ford said that Kavanaugh and his male friend, who were reportedly drunk, laughed. At one point, Ford said that Kavanaugh placed his hand over her mouth to stifle her protests. She later revealed that she thought he might inadvertently kill her during the alleged incident.

Kavanaugh flatly denied Ford’s allegations: “I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time.”

Kavanaugh has said that he is willing to testify again in front of the committee in response to the allegations.

“I have never done anything like what the accuser describes — to her or to anyone. Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday,” Kavanaugh said last week.

What else?

A second woman has come forward and accused Kavanaugh of exposing himself to her at a party at Yale. Kavanaugh has also denied these allegations, and no other witnesses have come forward to corroborate the story.

Likewise, Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels, has claimed that he has unspecified incriminating evidence about Kavanaugh.

The Senate Judiciary Committee delayed a vote on Kavanaugh.

Ford is set to testify Thursday.