Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation has been been roiled in recent days by Christine Blasey Ford’s allegation that he sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers at a party in the early 1980s. Kavanaugh has vehemently and repeatedly denied the accusation. Ford’s allegations have raised many questions — including about how and when they were made public. Republicans have pointed out that Democrats acted on the information just days before the Senate Judiciary Committee was slated to vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination. Democrats have stressed that Ford has spoken privately about her experience, years before Kavanaugh was nominated to the high court. Here is what we know about the accusations, when those involved knew about them and how Washington is responding. Summer 1982 Alleged assault. Christine Blasey Ford says this is when she was attacked by Kavanaugh. She said his friend Mark Judge was also present. Ford was 15 and Kavanaugh was 17 at the time. See below: Kavanaugh unequivocally denied the accusation when it became public, 36 years later. 1983 Kavanaugh graduates high school. Kavanaugh and Mark Judge graduate from Georgetown Prep High School. Kavanaugh’s page in the yearbook describes him as part of the “Keg City Club – 100 Kegs or Bust.” Ford’s allegations have raised many questions — including about how and when they were made public. 1993-1994 Kavanaugh’s first background check. Kavanaugh serves as a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. He undergoes his first FBI background check for the position. 1997 Friend writes of drunken past. Mark Judge’s memoir “Wasted: Tales of a GenX Drunk” is published, detailing drunken escapades starting in high school, including “100 Kegs or Bust.” 2001-2006 Bush White House. Kavanaugh works in the George W. Bush White House, first in the counsel’s office then as assistant and staff secretary to the president. He undergoes FBI background checks, triggered by his appointment to these positions. May 2006 Kavanaugh confirmed to federal bench. The U.S. Senate votes 67-30 to put Kavanaugh on the U.S. Court of Appeals. Again, the new role includes an FBI background check. 2012 Ford tells therapist, husband about assault. While in couples’ therapy, Ford describes being sexually assaulted by members of “an elitist boys school” who went on to become “high-ranking” in society, according to the therapist’s notes, which were made available to the Washington Post. Ford’s husband recalls her using the last name “Kavanaugh” to describe her attacker, and also that the attacker was a federal judge. 2013 Ford again raises assault with therapist. Ford describes a “rape attempt” during her teen years while in individual therapy, according to therapist notes obtained by the Washington Post. Nov. 17, 2017 Kavanaugh on Supreme Court list. President Donald Trump adds Kavanaugh to his list of potential Supreme Court nominees. Late 2017 Ford details story to neighbor. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, Ford tells her neighbor and friend Rebecca White her story of assault, according to the Mercury News. Ford does not name Kavanaugh specifically, but said she feared being attacked if she went public. June 27 Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announces his retirement. Kavanaugh is instantly discussed as a top contender to replace him. Ford reaches out to someone she describes as a ‘local government representative’ with her story about Kavanaugh. July 6 Ford contacts an official and Washington Post about assault. Ford reaches out to someone she describes as a “local government representative” with her story about Kavanaugh. At some point in early July, she also contacts a Washington Post tipline. July 9 Kavanaugh nominated to Supreme Court. Trump introduces Kavanaugh at the White House. July 30 Ford writes Feinstein. Ford writes a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., detailing her allegations against Kavanaugh, according to a copy of the letter obtained by CNN. August, date unknown Ford takes polygraph test. According to the Washington Post, which saw the results, a polygraph recommended by Ford’s attorney concludes she is truthful when summarizing her allegation. Sept. 4-7 Kavanaugh hearings. Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Sept. 8 Senators hear rumors of letter. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told the PBS NewsHour and MSNBC that another Democratic senator, not Feinstein, told him around this time that Feinstein had a letter which makes an accusation about Kavanaugh. He does not get details. Sept. 12 News of the letter breaks. The Intercept publishes a story indicating the existence of a secret letter which makes unspecified allegations of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh. It reports Feinstein is not releasing it. Feinstein sends the letter to the FBI. Feinstein refers the letter to the FBI, with the accuser’s name redacted. FBI puts letter in Kavanaugh’s background file. The agency says it received the letter in the evening and follows standard procedure by including the letter in its Kavanaugh file. The FBI does not initiate a criminal investigation, pointing to statute of limitation and jurisdiction issues. Sept. 13 Kavanaugh vote announced. The Judiciary Committee announces it will vote on Kavanaugh on Sept. 20. Feinstein speaks. Feinstein releases a statement saying she received information from someone concerned about Kavanaugh’s nomination. The individual involved “strongly requested confidentiality,” Feinstein said, acknowledging she also referred the issue to the FBI. Senate Judiciary Committee receives updated Kavanaugh file with letter. Kavanaugh ‘unequivocally and categorically’ denies the allegations. Sept. 14 Kavanaugh denial. In a statement, Kavanaugh unequivocally and categorically denies the allegations. Sept. 16 Ford goes public. Christine Blasey Ford goes public with her accusations in a Washington Post story, saying that she wanted to remain anonymous but leaks about her accusations made that impossible. Sept. 17 Committee delays vote, sets up new hearing. The Judiciary Committee announces a delay in the committee vote and a planned public hearing for Sept. 23, at which both Ford and Kavanaugh will testify. Kavanaugh issues another denial. He releases a statement saying: “This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describes—to her or to anyone. Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making the accusation until she identified herself yesterday.”<doc-sep>Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh leaves his home Sept. 19 in Chevy Chase, Md. | Win McNamee/Getty Images Kavanaugh Confirmation Timeline: How an allegation against Kavanaugh came to light and shook Washington Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's seemingly all-but-guaranteed confirmation was thrown off course after an allegation became public that he had sexually assaulted a woman when they were both in high school. Christine Blasey Ford brought her claim anonymously over the summer, but it took months to break out into public view. Here is a timeline of how Ford's accusation came to light and how Kavanaugh and President Donald Trump have responded: July 30: Feinstein receives a confidential complaint Ford wrote Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, a confidential letter alleging that Kavanaugh climbed on top of her at a party in the 1980s, held her down and groped her. Ford initially described the incident to Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), who later forwarded the letter to Feinstein. Feinstein said she kept the letter’s existence private at the time to respect Ford’s request for confidentiality. Ford had already contacted The Washington Post but declined to speak on the record. Late August: Ford decides to stay quiet Ford decided coming forward would probably not affect Kavanaugh's confirmation, and she decided to stay quiet. “Why suffer through the annihilation if it’s not going to matter?” she told The Washington Post of her thinking at the time. Sept. 12: Feinstein shares the story with Democrats Feinstein described the contents of the letter to other Democrats on the Judiciary Committee, according to The New York Times. Several of them urged her to go to the FBI or to make the letter public, the paper reported. That same day, the Intercept reported that Senate Judiciary Committee members wanted to see the document, but Feinstein would not let them. Sept. 13: Feinstein says she sent information about Kavanaugh to FBI Feinstein released a brief and cryptic statement saying she had “received information from an individual concerning the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court” and that she sent the letter to the Justice Department. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell chastised Feinstein for keeping the letter secret until the last minute, and the White House called it an orchestrated political move to delay Kavanaugh’s confirmation. White House counsel Don McGahn got a copy of the letter shortly after Feinstein released her statement and quickly forwarded it to Capitol Hill, a White House aide told POLITICO. Sept. 14: Kavanaugh denies the still-anonymous allegation Kavanaugh said in a statement: “I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time.” Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) released a letter signed by 65 women who said they knew Kavanaugh in high school and that “he has always treated women with decency and respect.” Sept. 16: Ford reveals herself in The Washington Post In a bombshell Post interview, Ford identified herself as Kavanaugh’s accuser. She said she had already been contacted by news outlets asking about Kavanaugh, making it was clear that her identity had leaked. Sept. 17: Ford and Kavanaugh agree to testify Debra Katz, an attorney for Ford, said her client hoped to tell "her story in a manner that is a fair proceeding." Kavanaugh issued a new statement saying he had not previously known who the accuser was and that "I have never done anything like what the accuser describes — to her or to anyone." "I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity," he said. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) told reporters that Kavanaugh told him he was not at the party where the assault allegedly took place; a spokesman from Hatch's office later clarified that Kavanaugh had said he did not attend any parties like the one described. Trump said he was open to a "full process" to air the allegation, though he called Kavanaugh "as high a quality individual as you'll ever see." Lawmakers scheduled a hearing for the following Monday. Sept. 18: Ford calls for an FBI investigation Ford's attorneys told the Senate Judiciary Committee that she wanted the FBI to investigate her allegation, throwing into question whether she would appear at the Sept. 24 hearing. Sept. 19: Trump says he wants Ford to testify “I really want to see her. I really would want to see what she has to say,” Trump said. “If she doesn’t show up, that would be unfortunate."<doc-sep>Kavanaugh, however, has a record of issuing categorical denials in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, such as his claim never to have exploited documents stolen from Senate Democrats . He has issued an equally categorical denial when it comes to having any knowledge about the behavior of his longtime friend and mentor, former 9th Circuit Chief Judge Alex Kozinski. Both Kavanaugh and Ford will — if Ford accepts the Senate Judiciary Committee’s invitation — testify under oath next week, and Kavanaugh’s confirmation may come down to who is more believable. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s credibility and truthfulness has become central in the final stretch of his confirmation process. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, a crucial swing vote, has said that if she believes the sexual assault allegations of his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, over the denials of Kavanaugh, she will vote against him. Kozinski resigned in December 2017 after articles in the Washington Post exposed years of sexual harassment. Though Kavanaugh claims to have been “gut-punched” by the revelations of Kozinski’s behavior, the outlines of it have been public in various forms for decades. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, on September 5 gave Kavanaugh the opportunity to respond to claims that he must have known about the allegations against Kozinski. Hatch asked Kavanaugh if he was on the “Easy Rider gag list,” a listserv of friends, colleagues, and journalists to whom Kozinski frequently distributed crude material. Kavanaugh told Hatch, “I don’t remember anything like that, Senator.” Hatch pressed him: “Did you know anything about these allegations?” “Nothing.” “OK. Before they became public last year?” “No. … It was a gut punch for me.” Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, asked Kavanaugh the same questions later that day, describing the allegations against Kozinski as an “open secret.” Hirono: “Are you telling us that you may have received a steady diet of what people on the list have described as ‘a lot of vulgar jokes, very dirty jokes,’ but you don’t remember it?” Kavanaugh: “No, I don’t remember anything like that.” Hirono: “Have you otherwise ever received sexually suggestive or explicit emails from Judge Kozinski even if you don’t remember whether you were on this gag list or not?” Kavanaugh: “So Senator, let me start with, no woman should be subjected to sexual harassment in the workplace, and —” Hirono: “Judge Kavanaugh, you already went through all of that. And I will get to your perspective about making sure that women in the judiciary do not get sexually harassed. I just want to ask you, during and after your clerkship with Judge Kozinski, did you ever witness or hear of allegations of any inappropriate behavior or conduct that could be described as sexual harassment by Judge Kozinski?” Kavanaugh: “No, Senator. And I worked in Washington, D.C. There were 10 judges in the courthouse with him in Pasadena. Prominent federal judges in the courthouse with him. Worked side by side with him day after day while he was chief judge in the 9th Circuit.” Hirono: “To be clear, while this kind of behavior on the part of Judge Kozinski was going on for 30 years — it was an open secret — you saw nothing, you heard nothing, and you obviously said nothing. Judge Kavanaugh, do you believe the women who recently came forward to accuse Judge Kozinski of this kind of behavior?” Kavanaugh: “I have no reason not to believe them, Senator.” Hirono: “This is why the Me Too movement is so important. Because often in these kinds of situations where there are power issues involved, as certainly there are between judges and clerks, that, often, you know, it’s an environment where people see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing. And that’s what we have to change.” Kavanaugh: “I agree with you, Senator. I agree completely.” Kozinski, according to the Washington Post, for years would sexually harass colleagues, force them to view pornography in his chambers, send it to them using federal servers, and lobby the court to stop monitoring internet activity in the judiciary. According to L. Ralph Mecham, former director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Kozinski disabled the software put in place by the United Judicial Conference and moved the porn-sharing to his personal website. He left the bench in disgrace — but with his pension still intact. Attorney Cyrus Sanai, who first blew the whistle on Kozinski and has long tangled publicly with the judge, said earlier this week that federal court employees had information to share with the Judiciary Committee about what Kavanaugh knew about Kozinski, and would share under the right conditions. Kavanaugh’s efforts to distance himself from Kozinski appear increasingly strained when lined up against a timeline of the pair’s professional lives. A few years ago, in a light moment, Kozinski quipped that he was surprised he lasted as long as he did. “I made it by dint of age, years of service, and having deftly avoided impeachment,” he explained. Kavanaugh and Kozinski: A History 1975-1976 Alex Kozinski clerks for 9th Circuit Court Judge Anthony Kennedy. 1980-1981 Kozinski is deputy legal counsel to President-elect Ronald Reagan. Kozinski also serves in the Office of the Special Counsel, where he faces scrutiny for allegedly helping to facilitate the firing of Jack Spadaro, a Department of Interior whistleblower. January-June 1981 Kozinski is assistant White House counsel. Early 1980s Kavanaugh allegedly sexually assaults Christine Blasey Ford in the Maryland suburbs. Ford told the Washington Post she believed it took place in 1982. August 20, 1982 Senate confirms Kozinski as chief judge of U.S. Claims Court. October 1, 1982 Kozinski’s term begins. 1983 Kavanaugh graduates from Georgetown Prep. 1985 Kozinski ends his tenure as chief judge of U.S. Claims Court. 1985 Reagan nominates Kozinski to the 9th Circuit. After approving his nomination, the Judiciary Committee takes the unusual step of re-opening the hearing, after former Kozinski employees charge Kozinski with “sadistic” and “abusive” behavior. Nevertheless, the Senate confirms Kozinski to the 9th Circuit. 1987 Kavanaugh graduates from Yale College. 1990 Kavanaugh graduates from Yale Law School. 1990-1991 Kavanaugh clerks for 3rd Circuit Judge Walter Stapleton. 1991-1992<doc-sep>WASHINGTON – Senate Republicans insisted Tuesday on a truncated process and timetable for determining whether a 36-year-old claim of sexual assault should derail Brett Kavanaugh’s march to the Supreme Court. Refusing to consider Democrats’ demands for an FBI investigation or an expanded public hearing with additional witnesses, Republican leaders said California professor Christine Blasey Ford should get one chance next week to tell her story against Kavanaugh’s categorical denial. “She’s going to be given the opportunity to be heard on Monday,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said. “She can do it privately if she prefers or publicly if she prefers. Monday is her opportunity.” But, Ford's attorney Lisa Banks sent a letter on Tuesday night, addressed to Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa and obtained by CNN, that said Ford would only testify following an FBI investigation. Republicans' insistence on keeping to a strict timeline to consider the accusation about Kavanaugh’s high school behavior stands in contrast to their posture in 2016, when they waited 14 months to fill a Supreme Court seat rather than confirm President Barack Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland. On the other hand, Democrats – hoping to win a Senate majority at the polls in November and deny President Donald Trump his second Supreme Court justice – sought to string out the process. A longer investigation into Kavanaugh’s past could boost their chances of defeating his nomination and put pressure on Republicans, in light of the #MeToo movement’s backlash against sexual harassment and assault. “We should not be rushing to judgment with a sham hearing on Monday,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said. “A sham hearing would send a very clear message that women are not valued in this country.” Democrats would prefer a spectacle similar to the one that unfolded in 1991, when Anita Hill's accusation of workplace sexual harassment against Clarence Thomas nearly upended his Supreme Court nomination. Thomas was confirmed, 52-48, but only after nearly two dozen witnesses testified at a hearing to consider her allegations. California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, who was first informed of Ford's accusation in July when the professor requested anonymity, denounced Republicans' efforts to limit next week's hearing to two witnesses. "Compare that to the 22 witnesses at the 1991 Anita Hill hearing, and it’s impossible to take this process seriously," Feinstein said. "This is another attempt by Republicans to rush this nomination and not fully vet Judge Kavanaugh.” Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said his staff reached out to Ford "three or four times" to map out plans for a public hearing without receiving a response. "It kind of raises the question, do they want to come to the public hearing or not?” Grassley said. Debra Katz, the lawyer representing Ford, told CNN Monday her client is willing to testify about the alleged attack. Ford said that during a party in a Maryland suburb, Kavanaugh tried to force himself upon her and covered her mouth when she tried to scream. Kavanaugh, 53, a federal appeals court judge chosen by Trump to succeed retired Justice Anthony Kennedy, agreed to appear before the committee again after a four-day hearing this month that was interrupted repeatedly by protesters opposed to his nomination. He denied Ford's accusation. Trump hailed Kavanaugh twice Tuesday, calling him "a great gentleman" and "not a man that deserves this." He blamed the impasse on Democrats. "They just resist, and they just obstruct,” Trump said. In preparation for the hearing, Republican staff on the Judiciary Committee conducted phone interviews Monday, which Democrats boycotted in protest. Committee spokesman Taylor Foy said staffers spoke with Kavanaugh, whose "answers were forthright and candid." They also reached out to Mark Judge, who Ford said was in the room during the high school incident. Judge sent a letter through his attorney saying he did not want to testify, did not remember being at the party and "never saw Brett act in the manner Dr. Ford describes." Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson said his party's effort to slow down the process has more to do with opposition to his nomination than political payback. "If it were up to Democrats, Trump wouldn’t get to nominate a 'yes' man to the court at all," he said. "So they’re going to do what they can to put the brakes on Kavanaugh." Contributing: Eliza Collins, Maureen Groppe, Nicole Gaudiano, David Jackson and Kevin Johnson<doc-sep>
(CNN) — Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh said on Monday he would be willing to speak with US senators to refute an allegation of physical and sexual assault shortly after his accuser said through her attorney that she would be willing to tell her side of the story in testimony before Congress. The fast-developing story has set Kavanaugh’s nomination on an uncertain course, just days ahead of a scheduled committee vote. Here’s everything we know about how the nomination arrived at this point: The early 1980s : Christine Ford said that while she and Kavanaugh were high school students at their respective schools in Maryland, they both went to a party. Ford alleged that at this party, she was pushed into a bedroom and an inebriated Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed while his friend Mark Judge was watching and laughing. She said Kavanaugh groped her, tried to take off her clothes and placed his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream. Ford said she managed to escape when Judge jumped on top of them. Kavanaugh and Judge have denied the allegations, and Ford said she did not speak about the incident for years. : Christine Ford said that while she and Kavanaugh were high school students at their respective schools in Maryland, they both went to a party. Ford alleged that at this party, she was pushed into a bedroom and an inebriated Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed while his friend Mark Judge was watching and laughing. She said Kavanaugh groped her, tried to take off her clothes and placed his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream. Ford said she managed to escape when Judge jumped on top of them. Kavanaugh and Judge have denied the allegations, and Ford said she did not speak about the incident for years. Ford told The Washington Post that she thought it happened in the summer of 1982, when she would have been 15 and the newspaper said Kavanaugh would have been 17. 2012 : While at couples therapy with her husband, Ford told the Post she described the alleged incident in detail for the first time. Her husband, Russell Ford, recalled to the Post that she talked during their 2012 sessions about the incident, mentioning Kavanaugh’s last name and that he was a federal judge who might be on the Supreme Court eventually. Ford provided portions of the therapist’s notes to the paper, which described an incident without mentioning Kavanaugh by name. The Post said the notes referred to four boys involved, which Ford said was an error made by her therapist. Ford told the Post four boys at the party, but only two were in the room. 2013 : Notes from an individual therapy session said Ford talked about a “rape attempt” from when she was a teenager, according to the Post. July 2018 : Ford reached out to the Post’s tip line as Kavanaugh’s name appeared on the shortlist to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy. “Around the same time,” the Post said, Ford contacted her member of Congress, California Democratic Rep. Anna Eshoo. July 9, 2018 : President Donald : President Donald Trump nominated Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court. Late July : Ford opted to contact California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein : Ford opted to contact California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein via a letter through Eshoo’s office. In the letter, Ford requests Feinstein keep the matter confidential. Early August : On the advice of her attorney Debra Katz, Ford took a polygraph test. The Post said Katz provided the paper with the results of the test, which was administered by a former FBI agent. The results concluded Ford was truthful when she said a statement summarizing her allegations was accurate, according to the newspaper. Late August : As Kavanaugh’s nomination proceeded, Ford said she decided she did not want to go public with her accusations given the expectation that he would be confirmed. She told the Post that her thinking was, “Why suffer through the annihilation if it’s not going to matter?” September 4-7 : The Senate Judiciary Committee : The Senate Judiciary Committee holds contentious hearings on Kavanaugh in which the nominee was lauded by Republicans and faced with regular interruptions from protesters. No mention is made of the allegations that would surface days later in the media.