WASHINGTON (NEWS CENTER Maine) — US Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, facing allegations of sexual assault ahead of his nomination vote, testified Thursday before members of the Senate Judiciary Committee following the prior testimony of accuser Christine Blasey Ford.
Kavanaugh's opening statement was openly emotional and at times seemed angry as he defiantly refused to be "intimidated from withdrawing from this process."
"You may defeat me in the final vote," the US circuit judge said, "but you’ll never get me to quit. Never.”
Near the conclusion of his statement, Kavanaugh read aloud an op-ed letter penned by Sarah Day of Yarmouth, Maine, published Sept. 10 in the Kennebec Journal/Morning Sentinel.
Day wrote in the op-ed that she was a White House staff assistant under Kavanaugh, then Oval Office Operations staff secretary, from 2002 to 2006.
► Read the full op-ed letter via CentralMaine.com ◄
"I saw a man who was meticulous and engaged with the work he was doing," Day wrote. "I saw someone with a deep reverence for the presidency and our government … Brett was also an advocate for young women like me."
NEWS CENTER Maine tried to contact Ms. Day, and received this response late Thursday night;
From 2002 to 2006, I worked at The White House for President Bush, and during that time, I got to know Judge Kavanaugh quite well. He was a quiet and encouraging force to the female members of the staff, like me. Judge Kavanaugh worked to provide me with opportunities outside of my normal duties. He boosted my confidence in my place in the Administration, and I know he did the same for others. I never saw Brett behave with anything but the utmost decency and respect towards everyone, woman or man. I was honored to support Judge Kavanaugh with my opinion piece from September 10, and I am honored to reiterate my support for him today.
Day said she was leaving town and would be unavailable for any other comment on Judge Kavanaugh.
Day was listed as a town chair for Sen. Susan Collins' 2014 campaign.
