Here Are The Ways Christine Blasey Ford's Story Is Being Dismissed

Republicans have been working to discredit a sexual misconduct allegation against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh since word of it started leaking out last week even before Christine Blasey Ford went public with her identity and story.

Ford alleges that when she was 15, she was at a house party that Kavanaugh, then 17, also attended. She said that at one point, he and a friend of his locked her in a room and turned up the music so her protests wouldnt be heard. She said Kavanaugh, drunk, climbed on top of her and attempted to remove her clothes.

She has taken a polygraph test administered by a former FBI agent and told a therapist about the incident in 2012, although she didnt name Kavanaugh at the time.

Ford and Kavanaugh may testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee next week, although its not clear whether they can agree to the terms for it to happen. But in the meantime, since Fords story became public, Republicans have attempted to cast doubt on it. Some of their attempts to argue that Fords story isnt valid:

Well, Kavanaugh Didnt Sexually Assault Every Woman

After the Ford allegations became public but before Ford revealed her identity the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee released a letter signed by 65 women who said they knew Kavanaugh in high school and could vouch for his decency. Two women who said they dated Kavanaugh also released statements Monday saying that they knew him as a good guy.

Bringing out women who didnt experience any sexual misconduct to vouch for the character of a man is a common tactic. It happened during Clarence Thomas Supreme Court confirmation hearing and when thenFox News Chairman Roger Ailes was under fire. But just because a man didnt mistreat all women doesnt mean he didnt mistreat one woman.

If It Could Happen To Kavanaugh, It Could Happen To Any Man

If it could happen to him, Joe from your office could be next. Maybe Ray, the friendly guy who bags your groceries. Or even you.

If somebody can be brought down by accusations like this, then you, me, every man certainly should be worried . We can all be accused of something, said a lawyer close to the White House.

But it hasnt happened to every man. Neal Gorsuch made it onto the Supreme Court bench just fine. So did John Roberts and Samuel Alito.

Former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) tweeted a similar concern.

And remember this: If stupid, bad, or drunken behavior as a minor back in high school were the standard, every male politician in Washington, DC would fail.

Every single one. Hypocrites.

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And remember this: If stupid, bad, or drunken behavior as a minor back in high school were the standard, every male politician in Washington, DC would fail.

Every single one. Hypocrites.
Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) September 17, 2018

Alexandra Petri at The Washington Post has a solid response to this worry.

Ford Got Low Marks On A Professor-Rating Website

The conservative Drudge Report ran with a story from Grabien News on Monday that purported to have uncovered negative reviews of Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University, by her students and posted on RateMyProfessor.com. This attack would seemingly undermine Ford because a bad professor cant also be a victim of sexual assault, or something?

But they messed with the wrong woman. No, really. The story was literally about the wrong woman . The reviews were about Christine A. Ford, a social worker who taught at California State University at Fullerton.

Although Grabien News posted a retraction, Drudge deleted the tweet and pretended nothing ever happened.

It Was So Long Ago

Ari Fleischer, who served as President George W. Bushs press secretary during the run-up to the Iraq War, said he wasnt sure Kavanaugh should be held responsible for something he did in high school.

How much in society should any of us be held liable today when we lived a good life, an upstanding life by all accounts, and then something that maybe is an arguable issue took place in high school? Fleischer said on Fox News. Should that deny us chances later in life? Even for a Supreme Court job, a presidency of the United States or you name it. How accountable are we for high school actions, when this is clearly a disputable high school action? Thats a tough issue.

Donald Trump Jr. put up an Instagram post implying that they were just kids back then and it was just like when a boy asks a girl out on a date with a handwritten note.

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