Here's What Kavanaugh's 3rd Accuser Alleges

Julie Swetnick's sworn declaration is released by Michael Avenatti
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 26, 2018 10:25 AM CDT
Updated Sep 26, 2018 12:55 PM CDT
Here's What Kavanaugh's 3rd Accuser Alleges
This undated photo of Julie Swetnick was released by her attorney Michael Avenatti via Twitter, Wednesday, Sept. 26. 2018.   (Michael Avenatti via AP)

Michael Avenatti on Wednesday tweeted a copy of a sworn declaration from Julie Swetnick—the third woman to accuse Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct. In it, she describes meeting Kavanaugh and Mark Judge—friends so close they were "joined at the hip"—around 1980 or 1981 at a Washington, DC, house party and interacting with the two frequently during the early '80s, including at "well over 10" house parties. She first details what she says was Kavanaugh's excessive drinking and inappropriate conduct, which she says included "grinding" against girls and "making crude sexual comments to them." Then she gets to the meat of her accusation:

  • She writes that she avoided drinking the "punch" at these parties in 1981 and 1982 after allegedly learning Kavanaugh, Judge, and others were spiking it with drugs or alcohol "so as to cause girls to lose their inhibitions."

  • She continues, "I also witnessed efforts by Mark Judge, Brett Kavanaugh, and others to cause girls to become inebriated and disoriented so they could then be 'gang raped' in a side room or bedroom by a 'train' of numerous boys. I have a firm recollection of seeing boys lined up outside rooms at many of these parties waiting for their 'turn' with a girl ... These boys included Mark Judge and Brett Kavanaugh."
  • She says she herself was in 1982 a victim of "one of these 'gang' or 'train' rapes where Mark Judge and Brett Kavanaugh were present." She suspects her drink had been spiked with quaaludes.
  • The initial part of her statement details her current and previous security clearances, including from the IRS and departments of State, Justice, and Homeland Security.
  • USA Today reports Kavanaugh released a sharp denial via the White House: "This is ridiculous and from the Twilight Zone. I don't know who this is and this never happened."
  • The president offered his opinion on Twitter: "Avenatti is a third rate lawyer who is good at making false accusations, like he did on me and like he is now doing on Judge Brett Kavanaugh. He is just looking for attention and doesn’t want people to look at his past record and relationships - a total low-life!"
  • The AP reports the Senate Judiciary Committee is reviewing Swetnick's allegations.
  • The Wall Street Journal reports the committee has also released Kavanaugh's prepared testimony for Thursday's hearing. In it, he acknowledges he "drank beer with my friends, usually on weekends. Sometimes I had too many. In retrospect, I said and did things in high school that make me cringe now," but he says sexual assault was not one of them.
(More Brett Kavanaugh stories.)

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