As Washington watches the highly anticipated testimonies of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and a woman accusing him of sexual misconduct to the Senate Judiciary Committee today, public attention has turned to a third accuser who just stepped forward.
On Wednesday afternoon, Julie Swetnick went public with her allegations against Kavanaugh stemming from high school. Swetnick鈥檚 lawyer Michael Avenatti 鈥� who also represents porn star Stormy Daniels in her suit against U.S. President Donald Trump 鈥� shared her sworn declaration on Twitter and said it had been submitted to the committee for review.
In response, Trump declared that allegations against his Supreme Court pick were 鈥渁ll false to me鈥� during a press conference in New York on Wednesday evening. He also said, however, that his mind could be changed after watching the public hearings.
鈥淚'm going to be watching," he said. "I'm going to see what's said. It's possible they will be convincing. I can be persuaded."
As the future of the country鈥檚 highest court hangs in the balance, Kavanaugh and his accusers will be under intense scrutiny from all sides.
Here鈥檚 a look at the federal appeals court judge鈥檚 accusers and the reactions to their allegations.
Accuser #1: Christine Blasey Ford
Christine Blasey Ford, a college professor in California, was the first to come forward with allegations against Kavanaugh earlier in September. She accused Kavanaugh of forcing her onto a bed, attempting to undress her, and groping her in front of one of his friends at a high school party in Maryland in 1982.
Ford said he was intoxicated at the time and he covered her mouth with his hand when she tried to scream. In prepared testimony released by her lawyers ahead of Thursday鈥檚 hearing, Ford said she believed he was going to rape her before she managed to escape.
Kavanaugh鈥檚 response:
Soon after Ford鈥檚 accusation became public, the Supreme Court nominee denied any wrongdoing in a statement released by the White House.
鈥淚 categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time,鈥� he said.
On Wednesday, Kavanaugh again refuted the accusations against him in a written testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee ahead of the hearing with Ford.
鈥淚 am not questioning that Dr. Ford may have been sexually assaulted by some person in some place at some time,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淏ut I have never done that to her or to anyone. I am innocent of this charge.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 response:
Careful not to alienate female voters ahead of the November mid-term elections, Trump has been relatively measured in his responses to the allegations against his nominee. Following Ford鈥檚 public revelations about Kavanaugh, to share his thoughts on the subject.
鈥淚 have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!鈥� he said.
Accuser #2: Deborah Ramirez
Deborah Ramirez, from Colorado, revealed in an interview on Sept. 23 that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her during a drunken encounter at a dormitory party during the 1983-84 academic year when they were both students at Yale University. She claimed that he thrust his penis into her face and forced her to touch it when she pushed it away.
Kavanaugh鈥檚 response:
In a statement sent to The New Yorker, the appellate judge denied Ramirez鈥檚 accusations against him.
鈥淭his alleged event from 35 years ago did not happen. The people who knew me then know that this did not happen, and have said so. This is a smear, plain and simple. I look forward to testifying on Thursday about the truth, and defending my good name鈥攁nd the reputation for character and integrity I have spent a lifetime building鈥攁gainst these last-minute allegations,鈥� he wrote.
Trump鈥檚 response:
During a press conference in New York on Tuesday, the president called the allegations against Kavanaugh a 鈥渃on game鈥� and attacked Ramirez鈥檚 claims.
"The second accuser has nothing," he said. "The second accuser doesn't even know 鈥� thinks maybe it was him, maybe not. She admits she was drunk. She admits time lapses."
Accuser #3: Julie Swetnick
, Julie Swetnick said she witnessed Kavanaugh 鈥渄rink excessively and engage in highly inappropriate conduct, including being overly aggressive with girls and not taking 鈥楴o鈥� for an answer鈥� at high school parties in Maryland.
She also said Kavanaugh was present at a house party where she was drugged and 鈥済ang raped.鈥� She did not, however, name him as one of her alleged attackers that night.
Kavanaugh鈥檚 response:
Shortly after Swetnick鈥檚 allegations became public, Kavanaugh released a statement in which he denied the latest charges against him.
鈥淭his is ridiculous and from the Twilight Zone. I don't know who this is and this never happened,鈥� he said.
Trump鈥檚 response:
After Swetnick鈥檚 lawyer published her statement in a tweet, Trump dismissed Avanatti as a 鈥渢hird rate lawyer who is good at making false accusations, like he did on me and like he is now doing on Judge Brett Kavanaugh.鈥�
鈥淗e is just looking for attention and doesn鈥檛 want people to look at his past record and relationships - a total low-life!鈥� .
Other accusations:
According to transcripts from interviews between committee investigators and Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court nominee was asked about two other accusations received by Senate offices. One of the allegations, sent in an anonymous letter to Sen. Cory Gardner, claimed there was an incident in a bar in 1998 when Kavanaugh was working for the independent counsel investigating former President Bill Clinton.
The other accusation alleged Kavanaugh engaged in sexual misconduct in college.
Kavanaugh has denied both of the allegations.
With files from The Associated Press
