Brett Kavanaugh

Is the Kavanaugh confirmation being deliberately derailed for political reasons?

The Senate Judiciary Committee says it is reviewing new allegations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Attorney Michael Avenatti provided a statement from his client, Julie Swetnick, to the committee.

Republicans thundered into an all-out campaign to save Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination Monday as a second woman accused him of a long-ago sexual assault. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell accused Democrats of a "smear campaign," Kavanaugh himself complained of "smears, pure and simple" and President Donald Trump dismissed allegations against his nominee as "totally political."

A second allegation of sexual misconduct has emerged against Judge Brett Kavanaugh, a development that has further imperiled his nomination to the Supreme Court, forced the White House and Senate Republicans onto the defensive and fueled calls from Democrats to postpone further action on his confirmation.

President Donald Trump challenged the woman accusing his Supreme Court nominee of sexual assault by name Friday, saying that if the alleged attack was that "bad" then she would have filed charges.

When Clarence Thomas arrived at the Supreme Court in 1991 after a bruising confirmation hearing in which his former employee Anita Hill accused him of sexual harassment, fellow justice Byron White said something that stuck with him.