Rape and male power seem to go hand in hand these days.
A man comes into power and suddenly a hidden part of his past resurfaces; one woman comes forward with an assault accusation, and soon enough another prevails and all the while he ridicules these women by denying the claims. Americans are used to watching this cycle repeat itself in the media. Women are used to watching themselves get dismissed by the public. Yesterday, Dr. Blasey Ford and Judge Kavanaugh sat before the Senate Judiciary Committee presenting their testimonies regarding the events of the summer of 1982.
Ford held back tears as she explained the most vulnerable moment of her life to a majority male audience. Meanwhile Kavanaugh gave his best attempt at convincing the country of his proclaimed innocence. Both insisted that they were sincere, but eventually, the truth may prevail. Kavanaugh submitted his calendar from 1982, presenting what he believed would be exculpatory evidence. Little did he know, one specific day on this calendar would be the perfect evidence against him.
“There were four boys I remember specifically being at the house — Brett Kavanaugh, Mark Judge, a boy named P.J., and one other boy whose name I cannot recall,” Dr. Blasey Ford stated in her testimony. She recalls the incident occurring in the summer of 1982, and specifically remembers which boys attended the gathering. Scribbled onto July first, 1982, Kavanaugh wrote,“Tobin’s House — Workout / Go to Timmy’s for Skis w/ Judge, Tom, PJ, Bernie, Squi.”
Kavanaugh’s July 1 entry was only questioned briefly, yet it perfectly fits into Dr. Ford’s testimony of the night of her assault. The boys she remembers being at the party are listed in the entry, fitting well into the time frame that she described. Coincidence?
PROSECUTOR RACHEL MITCHELL: The entry says, and I quote, go to ‘Timmy’s for skis with Judge, Tom, P.J. Bernie and ... Squi?’ KAVANAUGH: Squi. It’s a nickname. MITCHELL: To what does this refer, and to whom? KAVANAUGH: It looks like we went over to Timmy’s. You want to know their last names, too? I’m happy to do it. MITCHELL: If you could just identify: Is ‘Judge’ Mark Judge? KAVANAUGH: It is. It’s Tim Gaudette, Mark Judge, Tom Kaine, P.J. Smyth, Bernie McCarthy, Chris Garrett.
Rachel Mitchell, the prosecutor hired by the Senate Judiciary to watch over the questioning, didn’t question him further about his calendar. She was stopped by the Republican majority Senate Judiciary immediately after her first attempt at bringing up the entry and wasn’t allowed to speak question Kavanaugh frequently throughout the speech. However, the next 24 hours brought more scrutiny. On September 28, the day after Kavanaugh’s testimony, Senator Whitehouse of Rhode Island pointed out that the calendar serves as corroborating evidence for Ford’s allegations.
“I believe Dr. Ford,” Senator Whitehouse said as he pointed to the calendar. “I may be wrong, but I believed her. I did not find [Kavanaugh] credible. Here’s Kavanaugh’s calendar. Dr. Ford said that Kavanaugh, and Judge, and PJ, and at least one other boy were all at a house. Well, we know Brett Kavanaugh was there, and here’s Judge and here’s PJ. Here are all three named boys and others at a house, just as she said. ‘Ski’s’ is Brewskis. Beer. They were drinking. Just as she said.”
Whitehouse exclaims that with no FBI investigation, there will never be an answer as to what happened. Jeff Flake decided on Friday that a week long investigation into the allegations would be performed, but some limitations have been imposed by the Trump administration. They have made clear that they are completely opposed to an open ended investigation that delve into Kavanaugh’s credibility as a judge.
If Judge Kavanaugh gets sworn into his role in the Supreme Court, what will that tell other victims of sexual assault? If a woman as eloquent and credible as Dr. Blasey Ford comes forward with her trauma and is dismissed, other victims will know that fighting for their justice is hopeless. What will it say about our country if this man secures one of the most powerful positions in the American government with the amount of evidence against him? Women across the country will essentially be told that they will never be heard.
“You cannot tell me Ms. Ford’s allegations were not credible,” Senator Whitehouse stated. “They were credible enough to get her before the senate, and yet she was not given the most basic thing that a witness or victim could be given after they come forward: sincere, or thorough, investigation.”
