Christine Blasey Ford is sworn in by the Senate Judiciary Committee.Tom Williams/AP
Update: You can read our follow up story on how readers reacted to the hearings here.
Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is testifying in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee about several allegations of sexual misconduct today. His appearance follows testimony from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford this morning, where she detailed how Kavanaugh allegedly assaulted her while she was in high school. Kavanaugh has strongly denied her allegations, as well as other allegations of sexual misconduct from three women.
Ford, a psychology professor at Palo Alto University, said she was “terrified” but felt a responsibility to tell the truth. “My motivation in coming forward was to provide the facts about how Mr. Kavanaugh’s actions have damaged my life, so that you can take that into serious consideration as you make your decision about how to proceed,” she said.
Ford’s testimony led to an outpouring of stories from others who had experienced sexual assault, with one 76-year-old woman calling into C-SPAN to recount being sexually molested as a child. “This brings back so much pain. I thought I was over it,” she said. “But [I’m] not. You will never forget it.”
As the hearing continues, we want to hear from you: How are you reacting to today’s testimony? We may publish a selection of your responses in a follow-up story. You can fill out the form below, send us an email at talk@motherjones.com, or leave us a voicemail at (510) 519-MOJO.
