Former President George W. Bush said Tuesday that he still supports Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, despite an allegation that Kavanaugh committed sexual assault in his late teens.
“Laura and I have known and respected Brett Kavanaugh for decades, and we stand by our comments the night Judge Kavanaugh was nominated,” Bush told Politico in a statement.
Bush had previously expressed support for Kavanaugh’s character, saying, “He is a fine husband, father and friend – and a man of the highest integrity.”
“He will make a superb Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States,” he added.
{mosads}Kavanaugh’s character has come under doubt after his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, came forward over the weekend.
Ford says that Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed and attempted to force himself on her at a party in the early 1980s.
Kavanaugh has denied her claim and both parties will be given the opportunity to testify at a hearing Monday, though Ford has not yet confirmed she will attend.
The allegations first entered the national stage last Thursday, one week before Kavanaugh’s confirmation vote was scheduled to occur.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) announced last Thursday that she had a letter containing secret allegations against Kavanaugh that she was bringing to the FBI. Feinstein has had the letter since July.
Conservatives have bashed Feinstein and other Senate Democrats for not bringing the allegations forward during Kavanaugh’s hearing, when he could have answered questions regarding them under oath.
“Why didn’t the Democrats bring it up then?” President Trump asked during a speech Tuesday. “Because they obstruct and because they resist.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConell (R-Ky.) also accused Democrats of using the allegations to obstruct Kavanaugh’s confirmation, which was expected to pass easily.
“After Democrats have spent weeks and weeks searching for any possible reason that the nomination should be delayed, now, now, they choose to introduce this allegation,” McConnell said Monday from the Senate floor, ripping Democrats for not raising the issue in “the proper forum.”