«Breaking News» Jeff Flake and Susan Collins slam Trump for 'appalling' rally rant mocking Christine Ford

Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake blasted President Donald Trump on Wednesday for using a political rally to mock the woman who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually abusing her decades ago.

The president used his podium in Mississippi to tell a crowd of 11,000 – and a livestreaming and television audience of millions – that Christine Blasey Ford's credibility fell apart when she told the Senatge Judiciary Committee how little she could remember about an alleged event that she helped promote to epic proportions. 

'There’s no time and no place for remarks like that,' Flake told the 'Today' show on Wednesday, sitting beside Delaware Democratic Sen. Chris Coons.

'To discuss something this sensitive at a political rally is just not right. It's just not right. I wish he hadn’t have done it. I’ll just say, it’s kind of appalling.' 

Outside a hearing room a few hours later, Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins said that 'the president’s comments were just plain wrong', while Lisa Murkowsi, the Alaska Republican who is also a key swing vote said: 'The president's comments yesterday mocking Dr. Ford were wholly inappropriate and in my view, unacceptable.'

And Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee tweeted: 'I plead w all: stop personal attacks &destruction of Dr Ford &her family or Jdg Kavanaugh &family.'

Final Senate floor votes from Flake and Collins are among just a few that stand in Kavanaugh's way; Flake set the FBI's wheels in motion last week by agreeing to a pause in the confirmation process while the customary background check was reopened and expanded.

Flake's condemnation of Trump came as it emerged the FBI has not questioned Ford, despite mounting belief that the bureau is close to ending its background investigation into the nominee, with a vote promised this week by the Republican leadership on Kavanaugh's confirmation.

There were also new questions over Ford's testimony, with a former boyfriend coming forward anonymously to claim she had not show signs of claustrophobia or fear of flying, which she had claimed to suffer from, and that she had coached a friend in how to take a polygraph, which she had explicitly denied. 

Ford's friend then came forward to say claims she had been coached by the accuser were untrue. 

U.S. Sen Jeff Flake (left), a frequent critic of Donald Trump, slammed him Wednesday morning alongside Democratic Sen. Chris Coons (right) for what he called the president's 'appalling' attacks on Christine Ford in a Tuesday night rally

Trump mocked the sexual assault accuser of his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh at a rally in Southaven, Misssissippi, drawing howls of laughter from 11,000 people over her failure to recall key details of the event she claims happened in 1982

Maine Republican Susan Collins on Wednesday called Trump's rally rant 'just plain wrong'. Her vote is one of five crucial swing votes of which Mitch McConnell needs at least two to get Kavanaugh confirmed

No regrets: Trump continued his attack on the Democrats over Kavanaugh on Twitter Wednesday despite coming under fire for his mocking of Christine Ford

Agents are known to have spoken to at least six people involved in the allegations.

One of those is Mark Judge, the high school friend of Kavanaugh who was accused of being in the room when the nominee allegedly tried to rape Ford, while the other is Debbie Ramirez, the second accuser.

They have also spoken to Patrick 'P.J.' Smyth and Leland Keyser, both of whom Ford said were present, and to Tim Gaudette, whose home Kavanaugh's calendars showed he partied at on July 1, 1982, under the term 'skis'.

And they have spoken to 'Squi' or 'Squee', real name Chris Garrett, who Ford said she dated and who Kavanaugh's calendar put at the July 1 party. 

In the Senate Mitch McConnell, the Republican majority leader, again pledged Wednesday to forge head with a vote 'this week', despite increasing questions from Democrats over the scope of the FBI probe and the secrecy which will surround its conclusions, with only senators being allowed to see it.

Democrats have demanded it is made public in its entirety and that they are briefed directly by the lead agent on its contents. 

WHO THE FBI HAVE QUESTIONED IN THE KAVANAUGH PROBE

Accuser Debbie Ramirez

She says Kavanaugh exposed himself during a dorm party in their freshman year at Yale. Her attorney says she gave a list of 20 potential witnesses to the FBI

Kavanaugh friend Mark Judge

Man who Christine Blasey Ford says was in the room when Kavanaugh tried to rape her. His attorney said his interview spread over Monday and Tuesday. 

Judge, a recovering alcoholic, has denied being present at any such event and said he believed his high school friend's innocence. He also denied claims that he and Kavanaugh spiked drinks with drugs and were present during third accuser Julie Swetnick's alleged gang rape

Kavanaugh friend Tim Gaudette

His house was the venue for a mid-week 'skis' (beers) party on July 1, 1982, according to Kavanaugh's calendars. Ford described a party with an almost identical list of attendees. His attorney confirmed an interview but did not say what Gaudette told agents.

 

Kavanaugh friend P.J. Smyth

He was named by Ford as being at the party downstairs when she was sexually assaulted, and featured on the July 1 'skis' night list of attendees. Has previously said he did not recall such an event.

Kavanaugh friend Chris 'Squi' Garrett

Has been named by Ford as someone she was dating in the summer of 1982, and is on the list of attendees of the 'skis' party. His attorney says he spoke to the FBI but did not disclose his evidence.

Ford friend Leland Keyser

Ford said her longtime friend was at the party where she alleges she was assaulted and was downstairs at the time.  Has denied any memory of such an event but Ford said Leland sent a text message saying she believed her.

But it was Trump's derision for Kavanaugh's first accuser which dominated Republican and Democratic attention Wednesday morning.

In a mock cross-examination at the rally in Southaven, Mississippi, Trump had played both interrogator and interviewee as his audience howled in approving laughter.

'How did you get home? "I don't remember." How did you get there? "I don't remember." Where is the place? "I don't remember." How many years ago was it? "I don't know. I don't know. I don't know",' he play-acted.

What neighborhood was it in? "I don't know." Where's the house? "I don't know. Upstairs. Downstairs. I don't know. But I had one beer! That's the only thing I remember!"' he went on.

Trump said congressional Democrats opposed to Kavanaugh's installation on America's highest court are 'evil people' out to 'destroy' the federal judge.

'A man's life is in tatters. A man's life is shattered,' he said.

In testimony last week Ford conceded that her memory of 36 years ago is foggy and she can't recall many details of a night in 1982 when she claims Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed, groped and tried to undress her, and covered her mouth so she couldn't scream.

But she said his laughter was 'indelible in the hippocampus' and Trump himself called her 'credible' last Friday.

He was unrepentant on Twitter Wednesday, tweeting: 'I see it each time I go out to Rallies in order to help some of our great Republican candidates.

'VOTERS ARE REALLY ANGRY AT THE VICIOUS AND DESPICABLE WAY DEMOCRATS ARE TREATING BRETT KAVANAUGH!

'He and his wonderful family deserve much better.' 

Kavanaugh has flatly denied Ford's account in its entirety, drawing enthusiastic support from the president.

Trump drew limited support Wednesday from Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican senator, who said he didn't 'particularly like' President Trump's impression of Ford, but he thought it was accurate.

'Everything he said was factual. He's frustrated his nominee had been treated so bad,' he asserted.

Graham said that he believes that Ford was treated respectfully in the hearing by Rachel Mitchell, the outside prosecutor, and he believes that women who say they were assaulted need to be heard.

But he also said, in a conversation at The Atlantic Festival: 'Sometimes people are accused of something that they didn't do. So President Trump went through a factual rendition - that I didn't particularly like, and I would tell him knock it off. You're not helping.

'But it can be worse. You can actually kill someone's cat and puncture their tires to get them to shut up,' he said.

The South Carolina was referencing alleged attacks on Katherine Willey and Juanita Broderick - two of former President Bill Clinton's accusers.

Graham said the point is that 'we have come a long way' from the way that women who accused powerful men in 1998 were treated.

'I don’t like what the president said last night. I am the first person to say I want to hear from Dr Ford. I thought she was handled respectfully,' he said. 'I thought that Kavanaugh was treated like crap.'

The live audience booed.

'Well, boo yourself,' he responded, angrily. 'I really believe that Brett Kavanaugh is not a gang-rapist, a sexual predator or a stumbling-bumbling drunk. I don't care if you believe him, because I've known him for 20 years.'

However, as one of a handful of undecided Republicans who control Kavanaugh's fate, Flake's views are more important than those of most political stakeholders, including Graham.

The Arizona senator buckled under pressure from Democrats and endorsed a plan last week to let the FBI reopen its background check into Kavanaugh's past, a process that could conclude in the next 48 hours.   

'Even if no votes are changed in the end,' Flake said, 'to have a pause here and to actually have an FBI investigation gives us all more confidence in the process and that's important.'

McConnell reiterated Wednesday on the the Senate floor that there will be a Kavanaugh confirmation vote this week.  

'The Senate will vote on this nomination this week,' he said and repeated his message in case it wasn't clear: 'The Senate will vote on this nomination this week.'

McConnell's double-down on Trump’s Supreme Court nominee came amid uncertainty about the timing of the FBI investigation. It remains unclear when the Bureau will finish its probe and when senators will see the results.

McConnell made it clear Wednesday that the protesters chasing lawmakers through the hallways and out of Washington D.C. restaurants will not intimidate senators and vowed they 'will vote this week' on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

McConnell took to the Senate floor Wednesday morning to rail against the delays in confirming Kavanaugh, including protestors who have confronted senators, and slamming Democrats, who he claims are moving the goalposts on Trump's nominee.

Christine Blasey Ford testified last week before the Senate Judiciary Committee but Brett Kavanaugh's flat denials of her sex assault allegations have gained the president's enthusiastic backing

Trump lavished in praise Tuesday night during a Mississippi rally but got an earful later on Twitter from Hollywood celebrities and other liberal activists who detest him

'The Senate will vote on this nomination this week,' Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a floor speech Wednesday. Presidential adviser Kellyanne Conway told reporters at the White House that Ford has 'been treated like a Fabergé egg'

'I want to make it clear to these people who are chasing my members down the hall here, or harassing them at the airport or going to their homes, we will not be intimidated by these people,' he said.   

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called on McConnell to hold an all-senators briefing with the FBI agents investigating Kavanaugh and repeated Democrats’ call to make the findings public.

He also said Trump owed Ford an ‘immediate apology’ for his rally speech.

'President Trump’s outright mockery of a sexual assault survivor,’ he said, ‘was reprehensible, beneath the office of the presidency, and beneath common decency from one person to another.'

Presidential adviser Kellyanne Conway told reporters at the White House that Ford has 'been treated like a Fabergé egg by all of us, beginning with me and the president.' She said Trump was 'pointing out factual inconsistencies.'

A fresh possible inconsistency also emerged when an ex-boyfriend of Christine Blasey Ford came forward to contradict her testimony that she was claustrophobic and had trouble flying as a result of her alleged assault.

The mystery ex says he lived with Ford for a time and dated her for a period of six years until he found out that she had been unfaithful. 

And he says he witnessed her coach a friend on passing a lie detector test during that time.

Ford denied under oath that she had ever done anything like that.

'Never,' she told senators as she testified last week against Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh, her alleged attacker.

Ford claimed in testimony that she had not had 'any discussions with anyone ... on how to take a polygraph' and had not 'given any tips or advice to anyone who was looking to take a polygraph test' before taking her own lie detector test in August.

She also claimed at the hearing that she had 'PTSD-like' symptoms from the alleged attack in the '80s.

Sen. Chuck Grassley sent a seething letter to Ford's attorneys on Tuesday evening accusing the sexual assault accuser's lawyers of withholding critical information from the U.S. Senate in response to the latest round of he said, she said.

Grassley, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, demanded Ford's therapy notes and suggested that she intentionally misled lawmakers in her Thursday testimony. Ford says she talked about the alleged incident involving Kavanaugh with her therapist, but has not provided proof to senators, Grassley indicated.

'Your continued withholding of material evidence despite multiple requests is unacceptable as the Senate exercises its constitutional responsibility of advice and consent for a judicial nomination,' he wrote, according to Fox News.

Ford was specifically asked about her experience with lie detector tests at her hearing and about an alleged fear of flying that nearly prevented her from making it to Washington.

However on Wednesday morning a woman who says she was the polygraph taker Ford is accused of coaching came forward to deny that it took place.

Monica McLean made a statement through Ford's legal team which said: 'I have never had Christine Blasey Ford, or anybody else, prepare me, or provide any other type of assistance whatsoever in connection with any polygraph exam I have taken at anytime.' 

Twitter lit up Tuesday night after Trump's rally and its attacks on Ford.

Actress Alyssa Milano, who came forward as a sex assault victim last week and sat behind Ford during Thursday's hearing, led a wave of outrage as Kavanaugh opponents denounced the president. 

Trump's supporters defended him for 'pointing out inconsistencies' in Ford's account.

Alyssa Milano, who came forward as the victim of a sex assault last week and sat behind Christine Blasey Ford as she testified to the Senate, hit Trump on Twitter

Michael Bromwich, one of the lawyers who sat alongside Ford as she testified, disparaged Trump's speech as 'a vicious, vile and soulless attack'

Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer was among those defending Trump for 'pointing out the inconsistencies' in Ford's account

Writing to Donald Trump Jr, Milano said: 'Your father is an a**hole. This is the most misogynist display of barbaric insensitivity that I've ever seen. This is why I didn't report [my abuse]. This right here. Women are watching. And we vote.'

Also venting his anger online was Michael Bromwich, a lawyer who sat alongside Ford during her testimony and also represents Trump antagonist Andrew McCabe, a former depty FBI director. 

'A vicious, vile and soulless attack on Dr Christine Blasey Ford. Is it any wonder that she was terrified to come forward, and that other sexual assault survivors are as well?' Browmich tweeted.

'She is a remarkable profile in courage. He is a profile in cowardice.'

Ari Fleischer, a White House press secretary during the George W. Bush administration, lined up behind Trump.

He wrote: 'He didn’t mock Professor Ford. He pointed out many of the inconsistencies in her account – something the MSM [mainstream media] won’t do, because they’re too invested in attacking Brett Kavanaugh. If the press were balanced, they would have raised the same issues Pres. [Trump] raised here.'

Liberal activist and former Star Trek actor Geroge Takei said Americans should be 'ashamed' of the president. Billy Baldwin called his comments 'the death of shame.'

Bill Baldwin called Trump's comments the 'death of shame [and] compassion' while predicting Republican women will desert the party

David Simon, former journalist and creator of 'The Wire,' called Trump and his supporters 'pigs in s***'

Star Trek actor Geroge Takei said the country should be 'ashamed' of Trump

David Simon, a television writer who created 'The Wire,' described Trump as a 'pig' and ripped into conservatives who laughed along with him.

'The trolls who are about to reply to this message by smearing her further? Pigs,' he added. 'None are worth the good profanity. Just pigs in s****.'

Fred Guttenberg, the father of a teenage boy killed during last year's shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Florida, wrote that Trump 'mocks this great country and the Republican party continues to let it happen.'

'This election must result in the return of divided and accountable government.' 

Trump was speaking at the 'Make America Great Again' rally in support of Mississippi's two incumbent U.S. senators, Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker, both Republicans.

Trump was speaking in support of incumbent U.S. senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (pictured) and Roger Wicker, both of whom face electiontests in November

Due to a special election to fill the seat that Hyde-Smith was appointed to earlier this year, both Senate seats in Mississippi are up for re-election in the November 6 midterm election.

Hyde-Smith joined Trump on the stage at the rally, calling her a 'true Mississippi patriot.'

She praised Trump as 'the best president we have ever had.'

Hyde-Smith was appointed this year to fill the seat of retired Republican Thad Cochran. She faces Republican Chris McDaniel and Democrats Mike Espy and Tobey Bernard Bartee in next month's special election for the two years until the seat would otherwise have come up for election.

Trump said a vote for Espy is a vote for the Democrats' agenda – 'open borders and radical socialism.'

He urged Mississippians to vote Republican in the midterms and said Democrats would 'plunge our country into gridlock and chaos like we've never seen before.'

'Warn the neighbors that we're loud, obnoxious drunks with prolific pukers among us': 'Beach Week' letter written by Brett Kavanaugh to his friends in 1983 surfaces

Brett Kavanaugh once described his high school friends as a 'group of obnoxious drunks' in a letter written ahead of a week of partying in a Maryland condo.

Kavanaugh made the remark in a handwritten letter to seven of his Georgetown Prep classmates in 1983 as they descended on a property in Ocean City for 'Beach Week'.

The letter mostly gives instructions for those arriving at the condo ahead of him, but also includes several off-the-cuff remarks that have taken on new significance after he was accused of assaulting multiple women while drunk.

A section of the letter Kavanaugh wrote to seven of his Georgetown Prep classmates in 1983 as they descended on a property in Ocean City for 'Beach Week', including a suggestion the neighbors should be warned of 'loud, obnoxious drunks' heading their way

The existence of the letter was uncovered by the New York Times, which printed two photocopied pages of it on Tuesday. 

In it, Kavanaugh expresses his fear that his group of friends could be kicked out of the pad they had rented to host their raucous celebrations.

He makes it clear that limits will have to be placed on other boys coming along from school, saying: 'We might have to give the boot or else we might get it ourselves.' 

But, as far as women are concerned, his says: 'I think we are unanimous that any girls we can beg to stay there are welcomed with open... Anyway, I think we're all set.'

He the adds: 'Remember that the eight of us are in charge - we get the beds and we kick people out - no one else.

'The danger of eviction is great and that would suck because of the money and because this week has big potential (interpret as [you] wish.)' 

In a post-script, he says: 'It would probably be a good idea on Saturday the 18th to warn the neighbors that we're loud, obnoxious drunks with prolific pukers among us. Advise them to go about 30 miles.'

The Times contacted Kavanaugh about the letter, who confirmed that he wrote it ahead of 'Beach Week' in the summer of 1983, but refused to comment further.

The letter has the initials 'PJ' at the top, likely a reference to Patrick J. Smyth, a friend from high school who remains close to Kavanaugh to this day.

Kavanaugh is pictured standing second right in a photograph taken on the beach with seven of his Georgetown classmates, though it is not clear if this vacation is the same as the one mentioned in his letter

It is not known exactly who the other seven recipients are, though it likely included Mark Judge, another friend from high school who has been accused of being present when Kavanaugh carried out his alleged assaults at similar events.

It is also significant that the letter is signed 'Bart', a name that Judge has used in his memoirs to describe a hard-drinking friend.

Judge wrote that a friend by the name of Bart O'Kavanaugh had once 'puked in someone's car' and 'passed out on his way back from a party' while describing a culture of 'blackout drinking' at high school.

Senators grilled Kavanaugh over the name when he came before the committee and he claimed he didn't know who Judge was referring to.

That makes the letter problematic for Kavanaugh, who told Amy Klobuchar during his hearing that he had never drunk so much he forgot part or all of what happened the night before.

In a testy exchange, Kavanaugh asked Klobuchar whether she had ever blacked out due to drinking, to which she replied: 'I have no drinking problem, Judge.'

He responded: 'Yeah, nor do I.' 

Senators Cory Gardner of Colorado, Deb Fischer of Nebraska, Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Alaska's Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan have also faced pressure to vote 'no' on Kavanaugh.

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has said that he is 'certain' the FBI report into Kavanaugh will be completed this week, with a vote shortly after.

Republicans are keen to have the issue done and dusted before the November mid-terms, amid the fear that both the House and Senate could flip back to Democrat control, leaving Trump a lame duck.

Indeed, Trump claims his only stipulation to the FBI when he ordered the investigation was that it be completed quickly. 

 

Link hienalouca.com

https://hienalouca.com/2018/10/03/jeff-flake-and-susan-collins-slam-trump-for-appalling-rally-rant-mocking-christine-ford/
Main photo article Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake blasted President Donald Trump on Wednesday for using a political rally to mock the woman who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually abusing her decades ago.
The president used his podium in Mississippi to tell a crowd of 11,000 – and a l...

It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.

Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.

Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca





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