Christine Blasey Ford Delivers Credible, Emotional Testimony Alleging Kavanaugh Sexual Assault, He Responds with Partisan Rant

On September 27, 2018, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her at a house party in 1982 when she was 15 and he was 17. Ford delivered four hours of credible, detailed, emotionally raw testimony describing how Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge trapped her in a bedroom, how Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed, groped her, attempted to remove her clothing, and covered her mouth when she tried to scream—leaving her fearing she might accidentally be killed. Ford stated she was “100 percent certain” it was Kavanaugh who assaulted her. Kavanaugh responded with an angry, partisan rant, attacking Democrats, invoking Clinton conspiracy theories, refusing to support an FBI investigation, and displaying a complete lack of judicial temperament. Despite Ford’s compelling testimony, Republicans proceeded to confirm Kavanaugh.

Ford’s Testimony: “Indelible in the Hippocampus”

Dr. Ford’s testimony was remarkable for its specificity, emotional authenticity, and scientific precision. She described being pushed into a bedroom where Kavanaugh and Judge were “drunkenly laughing” during the attack, recalled specific details about the house layout, and explained the psychological trauma that had persisted for decades. When asked about her strongest memory of the incident, Ford replied in a voice breaking with emotion: “Indelible in the hippocampus is the laughter, the uproarious laughter between the two and having fun at my expense.” Ford described how Kavanaugh covered her mouth with his hand when she tried to scream, and how she feared she might “accidentally” be killed if she couldn’t breathe. She explained that she was only able to escape when Judge jumped on top of them, briefly disrupting the assault and allowing her to flee to a bathroom and then leave the house.

Ford’s Credibility and Civic Duty

Ford emphasized that she felt it was her “civic duty” to come forward publicly, despite knowing it would upend her life and subject her to death threats and harassment. She testified that she had initially contacted her congresswoman and The Washington Post through a confidential tip line, hoping the information could be conveyed to the White House and Senate without her identity being revealed. When her identity leaked and became public, Ford agreed to testify despite enormous personal costs. Republican members of the all-male Judiciary Committee panel delegated their questioning to Rachel Mitchell, a veteran prosecutor who specialized in sex crimes cases, in an apparent attempt to avoid the optics of male senators aggressively questioning a sexual assault survivor.

Kavanaugh’s Angry, Partisan Response

In stark contrast to Ford’s measured, credible testimony, Kavanaugh responded with an emotional, partisan outburst that raised serious questions about his judicial temperament and credibility. Kavanaugh angrily attacked Democratic senators, suggested the allegations were part of a conspiracy orchestrated by the Clintons (“revenge on behalf of the Clintons”), and made bizarre references to his drinking habits, repeatedly insisting “I like beer!” in response to questions about his high school and college alcohol consumption. Rather than supporting a thorough FBI investigation that might corroborate or refute Ford’s allegations, Kavanaugh evaded questions and refused to call for such an investigation. His testimony revealed not the demeanor of a thoughtful jurist but the defensive rage of someone facing accountability. Senator Lindsey Graham amplified Kavanaugh’s partisan framing, launching into an angry tirade against Democrats and calling the hearing “the most unethical sham since I’ve been in politics.”

Significance

The September 27, 2018 hearing featured a stark contrast: Dr. Christine Blasey Ford delivered credible, detailed, emotionally devastating testimony about sexual assault that she was “100 percent certain” Kavanaugh committed, while Kavanaugh responded with partisan rage, conspiracy theories, and refusal to support a proper investigation. The hearing was watched by millions of Americans and became a defining moment in the #MeToo movement—demonstrating both the courage required for survivors to come forward and the institutional willingness to ignore their testimony when politically convenient. Despite Ford’s compelling account, Senate Republicans proceeded to confirm Kavanaugh just nine days later, following a severely limited FBI investigation that didn’t even interview Ford or Kavanaugh. The hearing revealed that credible sexual assault allegations, obvious temperament problems, and possible perjury would not prevent confirmation if Republicans controlled the Senate and wanted the nominee confirmed. Ford’s testimony—particularly her description of the “uproarious laughter” that remained “indelible in the hippocampus”—will endure as a moment when a woman’s truth was heard but ultimately dismissed in service of partisan power.