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A 2015 clip of Brett Kavanaugh joking about his days at an elite high school has resurfaced and is going viral

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WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 05: Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee during the second day of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill September 5, 2018 in Washington, DC. Kavanaugh was nominated by President Donald Trump to fill the vacancy on the court left by retiring Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

  • A 2015 clip of Brett Kavanaugh making a joke about the elite Maryland high school he attended has resurfaced at an inconvenient time for the Supreme Court nominee. 
  • Kavanaugh faces allegations of sexually assaulting a woman along with the help of a friend when they were all teenagers at a high school party. 
  • Kavanaugh and the friend, Mark Judge, attended Georgetown Prep.
  • Kavanaugh and Judge are also accused of being involved in gang rapes at parties while they were in high school.
  • In 2015, Kavanaugh joked that "what happens at Georgetown Prep stays at Georgetown Prep."

A 2015 clip of Judge Brett Kavanaugh making a joke about the elite Maryland high school he attended has resurfaced at an inconvenient time for the Supreme Court nominee. 

Kavanaugh currently faces allegations of sexually assaulting a woman when they were both teenagers with the help of one of his friends from school.

The woman, Christine Blasey Ford, alleges Kavanaugh attempted to force himself onto her at a party in the early 1980s. Kavanaugh's friend, Mark Judge, is accused of being his accomplice in the alleged act. 

Additional allegations against Kavanaugh and Judge were brought to light on Wednesday. A woman named Julie Swetnick, who's represented by Attorney Michael Avenatti, alleges Kavanaugh and Judge were involved in the gang rape of girls at parties when they were in high school. Swetnick also claims both were at a party as teenagers where she was gang raped. 

Kavanaugh and Judge both attended Georgetown Prep, one of the top high schools for boys in the DC area, and graduated in 1983. Judge is the author of two memoirs, "Wasted" and "God and Man at Georgetown Prep." In both, he details the drinking and debauchery he took part in while at Prep.

While delivering remarks at the Columbus School of Law in March 2015, Kavanaugh made a jocular reference to his alma mater: "We had a good saying that we’ve held firm to to this day as the dean was reminding me before the talk, which is what happens at Georgetown Prep stays at Georgetown Prep. That’s been a good thing for all of us."

Both Kavanaugh and Judge have both vehemently denied Ford and Swetnick's allegations, which could derail Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination. 

Kavanaugh and Ford are set to testify on her allegation before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. 

Judge last Tuesday issued a statement claiming he had no memory of the alleged assault involving Ford and said he did not wish to testify, rejecting calls from Senate Democrats for him to do so. 

Barbara Van Gelder, Judge's lawyer, on Wednesday doubled down on this in the wake of Swetnick's allegations and said Judge is not "publicly talking about these matters during the pendency of the confirmation process."

Meanwhile, Judge has reportedly fled the Washington, DC, area as a result of the accusations he faces and is holed up in a beach house in Bethany Beach, Delaware.

SEE ALSO: Mark Judge: Meet Brett Kavanaugh's high-school friend and the other man named in Christine Ford's allegations against the Supreme Court nominee

DON'T MISS: Brett Kavanaugh’s friend Mark Judge breaks silence about alleged sexual assault incident but says he will not testify

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NOW WATCH: Inside the Trump 'MAGA' hat factory


I've been traveling the world for 6 months, and these are the must-have apps I discovered for each of the 12 countries I visited

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33China HuashanMountain MostDangerousHike

  • As Business Insider's international correspondent, I've spent the past six months traveling through Hong Kong, China, SingaporeGreece, Israel, and Russia, among other places.
  • Most countries these days have homegrown apps that are specifically tailored to the needs of the people who live there.
  • Knowing which apps are most used when visiting a country can make your trip more efficient and seamless. I decided it would be fun to reveal the homegrown apps I used in each country I visited.
  • Among the many, many apps I used were WeChat, KakaoTalk, Naver Maps, Go-Jek, and Grab.

As Business Insider's international correspondent, I've spent the past six months traveling through Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Greece, Israel, and Russia, among other places.

Traveling for a living is a fun, exhilarating, and, quite frankly, exhausting experience. But the best way to make it more fun and less exhausting is to have a digital toolkit — i.e., a smartphone loaded up with every app I need to get things done as efficiently as possible.

When I get off a plane, I want to know how much money to take out of the ATM, how to hail a cab, where the best hole-in-the-wall restaurant is for dinner, and how to say, "I'd like to order 10 of those, please."

But contrary to many Americans' expectations,  not every country uses GoogleMaps or Uber. Most countries these days have homegrown apps that are specifically tailored to the needs of the people who live there. Researching which apps are most used in each country I visited made traveling much easier.

With 12 countries checked off on the trip so far (and who knows how many to go), I decided it was time to reveal the apps I used in each country. 

Perhaps you'll find some inspiration for your next trip abroad.

SEE ALSO: I've been traveling the world for 6 months, and these are the apps I can't live without

Anywhere: ExpressVPN ($12.95/month)

If you plan on traveling to China, Russia, or any other country with a limited internet, plan on getting ExpressVPN. VPNs, or virtual private networks, create a secure internet tunnel connecting where you are with some other place on the network, like the US. If you want to get over China's Great Firewall, VPNs are the way to do it.

ExpressVPN is not the cheapest VPN around but, in my experience, it's the fastest and most reliable.

Download ExpressVPN »



Anywhere: Google Translate (free)

Yes, Google Translate can teach you how to say "Nǐ hǎo" — but did you know you can download entire languages for offline translation, or hold it up to signs or menus for instant translation?

Download Google Translate »



Hong Kong: OpenRice (free)

The quality of restaurant and other small business recommendations in any place you visit depends entirely on having an active community for a particular app. OpenRice doesn't have the best interface in the world, but it is what Hong Kongers use most to find that perfect bowl of noodles.



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The 12 largest superyachts at the 2018 Monaco Yacht Show, ranked

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monaco yacht show

  • The Monaco Yacht Show, yachting's biggest event, kicked off on September 26.
  • More than $3.5 billion worth of yachts are on display, with an average length of 168 feet.
  • Here's a look at the 12 largest superyachts at the Monaco Yacht Show.

The Monaco Yacht Show, often dubbed yachting's most prestigious event, kicked off on September 26.

On display in the glittering Port Hercules are 121 superyachts, collectively worth $3.5 billion. Individually, the average value of each superyacht is around $31 million.

Of these superyachts, 42 are making their worldwide debut and 45% are less than two years old. But equally as impressive as their worth and age is their size — the average length of superyachts on display is around 168 feet, an increase from last year's Monaco Yacht Show. The average volume has also increased by nearly 15%.

But that's nothing compared to the show's superstars — the giant superyachts that cast that average into the shadows. The biggest yacht, Aquarius, is 312 feet, while the biggest debut, Dar, comes in at 295 feet.

We rounded up the 12 largest superyachts on display at the Monaco Yacht Show, which are all more than 230 feet. Here's what that looks like.

SEE ALSO: 28 photos show how the 1% live it up at the Monaco Yacht Show, from cruising in on helicopters to partying aboard multi-million dollar yachts

DON'T MISS: 9 outrageous yachts appearing at the Monaco Yacht Show owned by some of the world's richest billionaires

12. Axioma

Length: 236 feet

Owned by Russian billionaire Dmitry Pumpyansky, motor yacht Axioma features an infinity swimming pool, Jacuzzi, gym, massage room, and steam room — perfect for a little self care. Her charter rates range from $700,722 to $747,829 a week.



11. Solo

Length: 236 feet

Motor yacht Solo is making her debut at the Monaco Yacht Show. Not only does she look beautiful, she's also silent and efficient, promising a smooth ride. Onboard is a winter garden, nearly 20-foot swimming pool, and a superyacht beach club with a hammam, or Turkish bath.



10. Cloud 9

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Owned by former chairman of BB Retail Brett Blundy, motor yacht Cloud 9 charters for nearly $900,000 a week during the winter. Everything on board was reportedly designed for Blundy, including bedroom suites named after Star Wars characters and various chess sets throughout the yacht, according to The Guardian.



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Trump is launching negotiations with Japan to create a new trade agreement

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shinzo abe donald trump

  • The US and Japan announced intentions to start negotiations on a new free trade agreement on Wednesday.
  • The announcement came after a meeting between President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
  • The joint announcement suggests that the two countries would not impose new tariffs on each other during the course of the agreement.
  • Trump and Abe's deal comes against the backdrop of the growing trade war between the US and China.

The US and Japan announced Wednesday that the two countries plan to negotiate a bilateral free trade agreement as part of President Donald Trump's bid to reshape American trade policy.

Following a meeting between Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the US and Japan released a joint statement announcing the start of talks.

"The United States and Japan will enter into negotiations, following the completion of necessary domestic procedures, for a United States–Japan Trade Agreement on goods, as well as on other key areas including services, that can produce early achievements," the statement said.

Robert Lighthizer, the US Trade Representative, told reporters that the administration planned to seek fast-track trade negotiation powers from Congress under the current Trade Promotion Authority. This would allow Trump to make a deal subject only to a majority vote in Congress. The full negotiation process is likely to take months or years.

The move comes during a period of serious upheaval for US trade policy. Trump initiated a trade war with China in July that shows no signs of slowing down, and steel and aluminum tariffs on all imports to the US have strained relationships with allies.

But this is also the second attempt by Trump to try and deescalate those tensions. In July, Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced a preliminary trade agreement designed to get the allies on the same page. No formal free trade deal has emerged from that handshake agreement.

The US is currently maintains 12 bilateral free trade agreements, according to the US Trade Representative and International Trade Commission, and two major regional free trade agreements.

In addition, the statement appears to block the imposition of additional tariffs during the negotiations.

"The United States and Japan will conduct these discussions based on mutual trust, and refrain from taking measures against the spirit of this joint statement during the process of these consultations," the two sides said. "In addition, we will make efforts for the early solution of other tariff-related issues."

While the development does not reverse Trump's tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, the statement indicates that the US would not impose further tariffs on Japan over the course of talks. This is particularly important given the ongoing investigation by the Trump administration into tariffs on imported autos and auto parts.

Japanese carmakers in particular were worried about the possible effects of a new auto tariff on their businesses.

SEE ALSO: China's latest move shows it's committed to fighting Trump in the trade war for the long haul

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NOW WATCH: Inside the Trump 'MAGA' hat factory

The 22 women who have accused Trump of sexual misconduct

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Trump with 2012 Miss Universe, Miss Teen USA, and Miss USA.

  • At least 22 women have accused President Donald Trump of sexual misconduct between the 1970s and 2013.
  • Renewed attention has been brought to the allegations amid the #MeToo movement and a national conversation concerning sexual misconduct.
  • Trump continues to deny all of the accusations, calling the women "liars."

President Donald Trump said during a press conference on Monday that his view of the sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is "absolutely" influenced by the multiple allegations of sexual assault and harassment that have been made against him. 

The president said these "false allegations" against him were made by "women who got paid a lot of money to make up stories about me." And then alleged that the "mainstream media" refused to report on evidence that the accusations were made up. 

As a national conversation on sexual misconduct is gripping the country from Hollywood to Capitol Hill, some renewed attention has been focused on the sexual misconduct allegations that at least 22 women have made against Trump.

A deluge of women made their accusations public following the October 2016 release of the "Access Hollywood" tape, in which Trump was recorded boasting about grabbing women's genitals in 2005. Some others made their stories public months before the tape's release, and still others came forward as recently as December.

Trump has dismissed all of the allegations — which include ogling, harassment, groping, and rape — as "fabricated" and politically motivated accounts pushed by the media and his political opponents, and promised to sue all of his accusers. In some cases, he and his lawyer have suggested that Trump didn't engage in the alleged behavior with a certain woman because she was not attractive enough.

"Every woman lied when they came forward to hurt my campaign," the Republican nominee said during a 2016 rally. "Total fabrication. The events never happened. Never. All of these liars will be sued after the election is over."

Trump has not yet made good on his promise to sue any of the women — although one, Summer Zervos, has sued him for defamation after he called all of his accusers liars – and the White House says that Trump's election proves the American people don't consider the allegations disqualifying.

"The people of this country, at a decisive election, supported President Trump, and we feel like these allegations have been answered through that process," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters on December 11, after several of the president's accusers appeared on national television to rehash their allegations.

But despite Trump's denials, 50% of voters — 59% of women and 41% of men — surveyed in a Quinnipiac poll released December 19 think the president should resign as a result of the sexual misconduct allegations against him. Several Democratic lawmakers have recently called on Trump to resign over the accusations.

One accuser, Samantha Holvey, who recently spoke out again about her experience with Trump as a Miss USA pageant contestant, said that while his election was painful, she and others see the #MeToo movement as an opportunity to "try round two."

"We're private citizens, and for us to put ourselves out there to try and show America who this man is and especially how he views women, and for them to say 'meh, we don't care' — it hurts," Holvey said on NBC News' "Megyn Kelly Today" in December. "And so now it's just like, all right, let's try round two. The environment's different. Let's try again."

Here are all of the allegations — in chronological order — made by 22 named women:

SEE ALSO: Trump responds to women who have accused him of sexual misconduct, saying they're politically motivated

DON'T MISS: Democrats and Republicans have both had hypocritical responses to the outpouring of sexual misconduct allegations

Jessica Leeds

Allegations:

Jessica Leeds told the New York Times in October 2016 that Trump reached his hand up her skirt and groped her while seated next to her on a flight in the late 1970s.

"He was like an octopus. His hands were everywhere," Leeds said, adding that she fled to the back of the plane.

During an interview on NBC News' "Megyn Kelly Today" in December, Leeds added that she was at a gala in New York three years after the incident on the plane when she ran into Trump, who recognized her and called her a c---.

"He called me the worst name ever," she said. "It was shocking. It was like a bucket of cold water being thrown over me."

Trump's response: 

Trump denied the allegations and during a rally in October 2016, suggested that Leeds wasn't attractive enough for him to assault.

"People that are willing to say, 'Oh, I was with Donald Trump in 1980, I was sitting with him on an airplane, and he went after me,'" Trump said. "Believe me, she would not be my first choice."



Ivana Trump

Allegations:

In a 1990 divorce deposition, Trump's first wife and the mother of his three eldest children Ivana Trump accused her then-husband of raping her in a fit of rage in 1989.

Ivana said Trump attacked her after he underwent a painful "scalp reduction" procedure done by a doctor she had recommended, tearing her clothes and yanking out a chunk of her hair.

"Then he jams his penis inside her for the first time in more than 16 months. Ivana is terrified … It is a violent assault," Harry Hurt III, who obtained a copy of the deposition, wrote in a 1993 book about Trump. "According to versions she repeats to some of her closest confidantes, 'he raped me.'"

Ivana later slightly altered her allegation, saying that while she felt "violated" on that occasion, she hadn't accused Trump of raping her "in a literal or criminal sense."

"[O]n one occasion during 1989, Mr. Trump and I had marital relations in which he behaved very differently toward me than he had during our marriage," Ivana wrote in a 1993 statement. "As a woman, I felt violated, as the love and tenderness, which he normally exhibited towards me, was absent. I referred to this as a 'rape,' but I do not want my words to be interpreted in a literal or criminal sense."

Ivana is mother to Donald Jr., Eric, and Ivanka Trump.

Trump's response:

Trump called Hurt's description of Ivana's allegation "obviously false" in 1993, according to Newsday. Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, argued in 2015 that his client could not have raped Ivana because "you cannot rape your spouse."

"There's very clear case law," he said.

Cohen later recanted, saying his comment was "inarticulate."



Kristin Anderson

Allegations:

Kristin Anderson, a photographer and former model said Trump reached under her skirt and touched her vagina through her underwear at a New York City nightclub in the early 1990s.

Anderson, then in her early 20s, said she wasn't talking with Trump at the time and didn't realize he was sitting next to her when he groped her without her consent.

"So, the person on my right who, unbeknownst to me at that time was Donald Trump, put their hand up my skirt. He did touch my vagina through my underwear, absolutely. And as I pushed the hand away and I got up and I turned around and I see these eyebrows, very distinct eyebrows, of Donald Trump," she told The Washington Post in October 2016.

Anderson said she and her friends, who were talking together around a table at the time of the incident, were "very grossed out and weirded out," but thought "Okay, Donald is gross. We all know he's gross. Let's just move on."

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Trump's response:

"Mr. Trump strongly denies this phony allegation by someone looking to get some free publicity," Hope Hicks, the president's then-spokeswoman and current White House communications director, told the Post in October 2016. "It is totally ridiculous."



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Trump says Democrats would vote down George Washington for Supreme Court: 'Didn't he have a couple of things in his past?'

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George Washington

  • President Donald Trump on Wednesday said Democrats probably wouldn't even vote in favor of George Washington if he nominated him for the Supreme Court. 
  • "If we brought George Washington here, and we say this is George Washington, the Democrats would vote against him," Trump told reporters.
  • Trump was addressing sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh. 

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said Democrats probably wouldn't even vote in favor of George Washington if he nominated him for the Supreme Court. 

"If we brought George Washington here, and we say this is George Washington, the Democrats would vote against him," Trump said to reporters while addressing questions about Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh during a press conference in New York.

The president referred to Democratic Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and his party as "con artists."

"He may have had a bad past. Who knows?" Trump said of Washington.

During a marathon press conference, Trump railed at Democrats, who he said oppose Kavanaugh's nomination for purely political reasons. He repeatedly referred to sexual assault allegations against the judge as a "con job." 

Kavanaugh has been accused of sexual assault or misconduct by three women: Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez, and Julie Swetnick. 

Kavanaugh and Ford are set to testify on her allegations against him before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. 

As new allegations arose against Kavanaugh on Wednesday, Senate Democrats called for Thursday's hearing to be delayed. Senate Democrats have led the charge in ensuring Kavanaugh's accusers are heard, also calling for the FBI to investigate the allegations. Along the way, Senate Republicans and the president have accused Democrats of intentionally delaying the confirmation process. 

The Supreme Court nominee has vehemently denied the allegations against him and Trump has stood by Kavanaugh amid the avalanche of accusations. 

Trump on Wednesday said he believed many the allegations against the judge to false, but he stopped short of calling Kavanaugh's accusers "liars."

SEE ALSO: Mark Judge: Meet Brett Kavanaugh's high-school friend and the other man who's becoming central to the allegations against the Supreme Court nominee

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NOW WATCH: Inside the Trump 'MAGA' hat factory

Trump claims the trade war with China has had 'absolutely no impact on the economy'

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donald trump

  • President Donald Trump talked about the economic impact of the his tariffs on steel, aluminum, and Chinese products during a rare press conference on Wednesday.
  • "And it's had no impact on our ... economy, which I said it wouldn't," Trump said.
  • This claim is contradicted by numerous US businesses that are complaining of increased costs due to the tariffs. 

President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed the trade conflict with China has not had any effect on the US economy, despite American businesses warning about pain caused from the tariffs.

At a press conference in New York City following meetings at the United Nations, Trump said tariffs on steel, aluminum, and Chinese products are not hurting the US.

"A lot of money is coming into our coffers," Trump said of the new tariffs. "And it's had no impact on our — absolutely, by the way — no impact on our economy which I said it wouldn't." 

While macroeconomic data such as inflation and GDP growth has remained strong since the start of trade threats, Trump's claims fly in the face of anecdotal stories from US businesses around the country.

For instance, Ford announced on Wednesday that the steel tariffs have cost the company $1 billion. Other smaller businesses have been forced to lay off employees or delay investment plans due to increased costs from the tariffs.

Inflation for particular products hit by the tariffs is also on the rise, such as washing machines, which could indicate that the pain will spread out to the broader economy.

As an example of the benefits of the tariffs, Trump pointed to the American steel industry and said the sector is being "rebuilt overnight."

"In fact steel is like the hottest industry there is, if you look at what happened in steel we're charging 25% tariffs on steel," Trump said.

The president also claimed that US Steel is opening up at least eight plants in the wake of the tariffs and Nucor is also opening up plants. While Nucor is opening two smaller mills, US Steel is not planning on opening any plants — rather, it plans to invest more in their current operations.

In addition to the tariff concerns, Trump also hit on a series of other trade issues during the press conference:

  • Trump touted the agreement between the US and Japan to start negotiations on a free trade agreement between the two countries. The president said Japanese President Shinzo Abe agreed to but more American natural gas and military equipment.
  • Trump also touted the revised free trade agreement with South Korea. "Means a lot of business for our farmers, we're opening up for our farmers, opening up for a lot of different groups," Trump said. "We're going to be able to sell much more than double the number of automobiles that we were allowed under a deal that was totally defective that was there before."
  • Trump warned that Canada needs to come to the table to revise the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, and complained about the country's dairy tariffs.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Inside the Trump 'MAGA' hat factory

3 of the same senators who were on the Judiciary Committee when Anita Hill testified are still on it. Here's what the makeup was then compared to now.

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WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 06: Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) (L) talks with ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) during the thrid day of Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill September 6, 2018 in Washington, DC. Kavanaugh was nominated by President Donald Trump to fill the vacancy on the court left by retiring Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

  • When Anita Hill testified that then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas sexually harassed her in 1991, all 14 members of the Senate Judiciary Committee were white men.
  • Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Orrin Hatch of Utah, and Democrat Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont are still on the committee.
  • Today, all of the Republicans on the committee are white men. Four of the Democrats are women, and three of the Democrats are people of color.
  • Christine Blasey Ford is scheduled to testify before the committee about her sexual assault allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Thursday.

Back in 1991 when Anita Hill testified that then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas had sexually harassed her, it was before an all-white, all-male Senate Judiciary Committee.

That image, and the cultural issues that Hill's story brought up, inspired a record number of women to run for office, prompting 1992 to be called "The Year of the Woman."

On Thursday, Christine Blasey Fordwill testify before the committee that Supreme Court justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when the two were in high school. Kavanaugh will also testify on Thursday.

Today, four of the Democrats on the committee are women, and three Democrats are people of color. All of the Republicans are white men.

Three of the senators — Republicans Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Orrin Hatch of Utah, and Democrat Patrick Leahy of Vermont, were actually on committee when Hill testified, and are still on it today.

Here's who was on the Senate Judiciary Committee then and now:senate judiciary committee members clarence thomas brett kavanaugh

SEE ALSO: How to watch the Christine Blasey Ford and Kavanaugh hearings live — and what to expect

DON'T MISS: Senators will vote on Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation one day after Christine Blasey Ford testifies about her sexual assault claim against him

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Inside the Trump 'MAGA' hat factory


Trump clashes with CNN's Jim Acosta after he asks why the president always seems to side with men accused of sexual assault

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donald trump jim acosta

  • President Donald Trump had a combative exchange with CNN's Jim Acosta during a wild press conference on Wednesday.
  • Trump addressed the sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
  • Acosta asked Trump to call on female reporters next, prompting Trump to demand Acosta explain what he meant.
  • Acosta then asked why Trump usually sides with men accused of sexual misconduct, rather than accusers.
  • Trump replied that it's possible he'll change his mind after Thursday's hearing.

President Donald Trump and CNN's Jim Acosta held a fiery back-and-forth exchange during a press conference Wednesday afternoon while discussing the sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Trump, who had called only on male reporters for the previous questions, appeared offended when Acosta prefaced his question by asking that Trump call on female reporters next.

"What does he mean by that? Explain," Trump interrupted. "What does that mean? What does it mean?"

But when Acosta replied that it would be "great" if a female reporter could ask a question about the issue, Trump quickly agreed.

"I wouldn't mind it at all, no. I wouldn't mind it at all. Wouldn't make any difference to me. Go ahead," he said.

But the conversation quickly grew tense again, after Acosta asked why Trump typically sides with men who have been accused of sexual misconduct, rather than their accusers.

Acosta referred to figures like Roy Moore, the Republican Senate candidate from Alabama, and Rob Porter, the former White House staff secretary. Moore was accused of sexually harassing and assaulting teenage girls, while Porter was accused of abusing his ex-wives.

"Well first of all, I wasn't happy with Roy Moore, let's get that straight," Trump said, though he vehemently defended Moore during his campaign. Trump added that it was possible that the testimony of Kavanaugh's accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, will make a difference.

Ford, who has alleged Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in the early 1980s when the two were teenagers, is set to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

"It's possible I'll hear that and I'll say, 'Hey, I'm changing my mind.' That is possible," Trump said. "We want to give them a chance to speak."

Acosta is notorious for getting into heated back-and-forths with White House officials during press briefings, and getting heckled at Trump rallies.

Trump did end up calling on a female reporter at the press conference next.

Watch a clip of the exchange below:

SEE ALSO: Meet Rachel Mitchell, the woman who will question Ford about her Kavanaugh allegations at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

DON'T MISS: CNN's Jim Acosta describes the bizarre scene as he was heckled and asked for selfies at Trump's fiery rally

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Trump says he rejected a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau amid an increasingly hostile NAFTA fight

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donald trump justin trudeau canada

  • President Donald Trump said he rejected an offer to have a bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
  • During a press conference Wednesday, Trump pointed to Trudeau's unwillingness to back down in North American Free Trade Agreement talks as why he rejected the meeting.
  • Trump also appeared to take a swipe at Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland, the country's chief NAFTA negotiator.
  • The US is threatening to leave Canada out of a revised NAFTA, instead moving forward with a bilateral deal with Mexico.

President Donald Trump turned down a one-on-one meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during this week's United Nations summit due to trade tensions.

Trump claimed he rejected the meeting due to Trudeau's unwillingness to budge in negotiations over revisions to the North American Free Trade Agreement, known as NAFTA.

"Because his tariffs are too high and he doesn't seem to want to move and I've told him forget about it," Trump said.

A spokesperson for Trudeau disputed Trump's claim, telling Business Insider that "no meeting was requested."

The president also took an apparent swipe at Chrystia Freeland, Canada's minister of foreign affairs and the country's chief negotiator in the NAFTA talks

"We're very unhappy with the negotiations and the negotiating style of Canada. We don't like their representative very much," Trump said.

The comments come as Canada and the US are engaged in talks to revise NAFTA, the two-decade-old trade pact that includes Mexico.

Trump put pressure on Canada by reaching a bilateral agreement with Mexico to update a series of rules on labor rights and auto manufacturing. Following the US-Mexico agreement, Trump has threatened to exclude Canada and move forward with just the bilateral deal.

So far the US and Canada have not been able to come to an agreement on a slew of issues and Trump said that "Canada has a long way to go."

Issues outstanding include Canada's protection of its dairy industry, a dispute resolution system that allows each NAFTA member to file a grievance against another, and protections for Canada against future US tariffs.

Trump also threatened to hit Canadian cars and auto parts with additional tariffs if the country does not make a deal.

"If Canada doesn't make a deal with us, we're going to make a much better deal," Trump said. "We're going to tax the cars that come in, we will put billions and billions of dollars into our Treasury, and frankly we'll be very happy because it's actually more money than you can make under any circumstance making a deal."

A spokesperson for the Canadian government did not immediately return a request for comment.

SEE ALSO: Trump claims the trade war with China has had 'absolutely no impact on the economy'

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College girlfriend of Kavanaugh friend says she's willing to talk to FBI about explosive allegations

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Judge Brett Kavanaugh

  • Elizabeth Rasor, who dated Brett Kavanaugh's high school friend Mark Judge in college, says she is willing to talk with the FBI about her claim that Judge told her about having group sex with a drunk woman in high school. 
  • Julie Swetnick, a third woman who came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct involving Kavanaugh, alleges that Kavanaugh and Judge were present during "gang rapes" of teenage girls at high school parties in the early 1980s. 
  • Judge's alleged story and and Swetnick's accusations are putting renewed pressure on Senate Republicans to call for an FBI investigation into the claims and to subpoena Judge to testify before the committee. 

Elizabeth Rasor, a former girlfriend of Brett Kavanaugh's high school friend Mark Judge, said on Wednesday that she's willing to speak with the FBI about her claim that Judge told her about having group sex with a drunk woman in high school.

Judge is alleged by Christine Blasey Ford to have been in the room when Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a house party in the early 1980s. 

A third woman, Julie Swetnick, came forward on Wednesday with sexual misconduct allegations against both Kavanaugh and Judge that prompted renewed attention around Rasor's claims.

In a sworn declaration made public on Wednesday by attorney Michael Avenatti, Swetnick said Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge engaged in "abusive and physically aggressive behavior toward girls" at house parties in high school in the early 1980s.

Swetnick, a 55-year-old Washington resident, said Kavanaugh and Judge helped the teenage girls become "inebriated and disoriented so they could then be 'gang raped' in a side room or bedroom by a 'train' of numerous boys" during the parties. 

"I have a firm recollection of seeing boys lined up outside rooms at many of these parties waiting for their 'turn' with a girl inside the room," she said. "These boys included Brett Kavanaugh and Mark Judge." 

Swetnick also alleged that Kavanaugh and Judge were present when she was "gang raped" at a party in 1982, during which she believes she was drugged with a sedative. Kavanaugh has categorically denied all of the allegations of misconduct made against him and called Swetnick's claims "ridiculous and from the Twilight Zone" in a Wednesday statement.

Rasor is willing to speak with the FBI and testify before the Senate, according to a letter from Rasor's lawyer to the Senate Judiciary Committe that was obtained by The Washington Post.

"Although Ms. Rasor does not welcome the unwanted attention that would inevitably result if she were to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee," the letter says. "She believes that it is her duty as a citizen to tell the truth about what happened."

Rasor's willingness to testify could increase pressure on Senate Republicans to call for an FBI investigation into the multiple sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh and to subpoena Judge. Only Kavanaugh and Ford are set to testify before the Senate committee on Thursday. 

Rasor initially made her claims an interview with The New Yorker last week. Rasor, who met Judge at Catholic University and dated him for three years, told the magazine that Judge confessed to her that he and other boys took turns having sex with a drunk woman once during high school. Rasor said Judge appeared to believe the encounter was consensual.

Rasor reached out to The New Yorker after Judge publicly denied engaging in any sexual misconduct during his high school years at Georgetown Preparatory School, and called the allegations that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted Christine Blasey Ford at a party in the early 1980s "absolutely nuts."

 "I can't stand by and watch him lie," Rasor told The New Yorker of Judge.

Read Swetnick's full declaration: 

 

SEE ALSO: How to watch the Christine Blasey Ford and Kavanaugh hearings live — and what to expect

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'I am terrified': Christine Blasey Ford details her sexual-assault allegation and the aftermath of going public in her opening statement

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  • Christine Blasey Ford released the prepared remarks she is scheduled to deliver to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. 
  • In her opening statement, Ford describes the alleged assault in detail, discusses how she struggled with impact of it for years, and explains how she came to the decision to go public with her story.

Christine Blasey Ford, the California psychology professor who alleges that Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when the two were in high school, released the prepared remarks she is scheduled to deliver to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. 

Ford, who first made her allegations known in a letter to members of the Judiciary Committee, provided a detailed account of the alleged assault, during which she says Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed, groped her, and held his hand over her mouth as she screamed, and described the effect the alleged attack had on her life, how she came to the decision to make her allegations public, and how that choice has impacted her family. 

"I am here today not because I want to be. I am terrified. I am here because I believe it is my civic duty," she wrote. 

Ford said it took her years to say anything about the alleged assault to anyone. And she described how she struggled with the trauma of it for years and first named Kavanaugh as her attacker during a couples counseling session in May 2012, detailing the incident to her therapist. 

"Brett's assault on me drastically altered my life. For a very long time, I was too afraid and ashamed to tell anyone the details," she wrote, later adding, "I did my best to suppress memories of the assault because recounting the details caused me to relive the experience, and caused panic attacks and anxiety."

Ford said that while she confided in a few friends about the alleged assault in the subsequent years, calling her attacker a prominent Washington lawyer and judge, she didn't name Kavanaugh outside of therapy until July, when she saw media reports that he was on Trump's short list for the Supreme Court. She then made the decision to contact her congresswoman's office and The Washington Post's confidential tip line. 

In the weeks that followed, Ford said she "agonized daily" over whether to go public with her allegations, and revealed the threats and harassment she and her family have experienced since she came forward in a Sept. 16 Post report.

She said that while she and her family have received an "outpouring" of support from friends, her community, and strangers across the country, they've also been the targets of "constant harassment and death threats" and "been called the most vile and hateful names imaginable." 

"My greatest fears have been realized – and the reality has been far worse than what I expected," she wrote, adding that she and her family were forced out of their Palo Alto home and have been living in "various secure locals, with guards" for the last 10 days. 

The professor insisted that she is not motivated by political opposition to Kavanaugh, but instead by a desire to better inform lawmakers about a man who could serve a life term on the country's highest court. 

"I am a fiercely independent person and I am no one's pawn," she wrote. "My motivation in coming forward was to provide the facts about how Mr. Kavanaugh's actions have damaged my life, so that you can take that into serious consideration as you make your decision about how to proceed." 

Since Ford came forward, two other women have made sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh. Deborah Ramirez alleges that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her and thrust his penis in her face while the two were undergraduates at Yale University. And Julie Swetnick said Kavanaugh engaged in "abusive and physically aggressive behavior toward girls" at house parties in high school in the early 1980s and was present when she was "gang raped" by a group of teenage boys at one of these parties. Kavanaugh has vehemently denied all of the allegations. 

Read Christine Blasey Ford's remarks in full here:

SEE ALSO: 'This is ridiculous and from the Twilight Zone': Kavanaugh denies third accuser's allegations

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GOP support for Kavanaugh and Trump is plummeting

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  • Support for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has fallen to its lowest levels since President Donald Trump announced his selection in July, according to new polling. 
  • Opposition to Kavanaugh's nomination now exceeds support for the nominee. 
  • Support for Kavanaugh among Republican women has dropped 18 points after the second of three sexual misconduct allegations were made against the judge. 

Support for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has fallen to its lowest levels since President Donald Trump announced the pick in July — and Republican women are a key reason for that.  

Opposition to Kavanaugh's nomination now exceeds support for it.

An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll has 43% of Americans opposing his nomination and 38% supporting it, while a new Morning Consult poll says 37% oppose the nomination and 34% support it.

Kavanaugh suffered an 11-point drop in net support from Republicans over the last week, according to Morning Consult — and this includes an 18-point drop in support from Republican women. Overall, 58% of GOP voters support his confirmation to the country's highest court, while 11% oppose it.

Morning Consult also found that GOP support for Trump dropped alongside support for his SCOTUS pick, falling 16 points since a similar poll last week. Among women, support for the president dropped 19 points, with 68% approving and 26% disapproving. (The poll's results for Republican voters have a four point margin of error).

Both polls were conducted before a third accuser, Julie Swetnick, came forward with allegations on Wednesday that Kavanaugh plied teenage girls with drugs and alcohol so that they could be "gang raped" at high school house parties in the early 1980s.

Kavanaugh and one of his accusers, Christine Blasey Ford, are scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, and nearly 60% of Americans say they will be following the proceedings closely, according to The Marist poll.

That poll also found that about a third of Americans (32%) believe Ford's claims that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a party in the early 1980s, while 26% believe Kavanaugh's denials, and 42% don't know who to believe.

But a large majority of Americans believe that if Kavanaugh did indeed attack Ford, he should not be confirmed to the Supreme Court. Nearly 60% say that if Ford's allegations are true, Kavanaugh isn't fit to sit on the country's highest court, but a majority of Republicans (54%) say the judge should be confirmed even if the allegations of sexual misconduct are true, according to The Marist poll. 

Public opinion is markedly more supportive of the alleged victims in this case than it was in 1991, when law professor Anita Hill alleged that Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas sexually harassed her in the workplace. Hill testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee then, too, in a highly publicized spectacle.

The Morning Consult poll surveyed 1,966 registered voters between Sept. 20-23 and has a margin of error of 2 percentage points. And the Marist poll surveyed 997 adults between Sept. 22-24 and has a margin of error of 3.9 percentage points.

SEE ALSO: How to watch the Christine Blasey Ford and Kavanaugh hearings live — and what to expect

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Here are all the sexual-misconduct allegations against Brett Kavanaugh

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  • Brett Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court nominee, is facing multiple allegations of sexual misconduct.
  • Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez, and Julie Swetnick have publicly accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct in high school and college, and another anonymous allegation has surfaced.
  • Kavanaugh has categorically denied the allegations and is testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, is facing multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct, and is testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

The allegations from three named accusers are from the 1980s, when Kavanaugh was in high school and college, and there are signs of at least one more to come. He has denied each of the accusations.

Though the Trump administration has repeatedly waved off the accusations and defended Kavanaugh, congressional lawmakers are split on how to proceed. Republicans want to get Trump's Supreme Court pick confirmed, but Democrats have long called for a delay in voting so the FBI can investigate the allegations.

Christine Blasey Ford says Kavanaugh assaulted her in high school

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Christine Blasey Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University, wrote a letter in July to Rep. Anna Eshoo and Sen. Dianne Feinstein that said Kavanaugh assaulted her at a party in Bethesda, Maryland, when the two were in high school.

On September 16, The Washington Post published an article that identified Ford as the accuser and detailed her allegation that a "stumbling drunk" 17-year-old Kavanaugh pinned her down, put his hand over her mouth, and groped her while his friend watched.

"I thought he might inadvertently kill me," Ford told The Post of Kavanaugh. "He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing."

The Post said it corroborated Ford's account with an interview with her husband, a lie-detector test from her lawyer, and notes from therapy sessions that included mentions of a "rape attempt" by students from an "elitist boys' school" who would become "highly respected and high-ranking members of society in Washington."

Ford has alleged that Kavanaugh's friend Mark Judge was in the room and said she was able to get away after Judge jumped on them. Judge, now a conservative writer, has said he didn't doesn't remember "any of that stuff going on with girls."

Deborah Ramirez alleges an incident of sexual misconduct in college

On Sunday, a week after The Post published Ford's account, The New Yorker published an article detailing an allegation from Deborah Ramirez, a former Yale University classmate of Kavanaugh's who said Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at a dorm-room party during the 1983-84 school year, when he was a freshman.

Ramirez said she was reluctant to come forward because she was drinking at the time of the incident and there are gaps in her memory, though she said she could recall key details.

"I remember a penis being in front of my face," she told The New Yorker. "I knew that's not what I wanted, even in that state of mind."

Ramirez also recalled another student nearby yelling, "Brett Kavanaugh just put his penis in Debbie's face."

The New Yorker said that it contacted several classmates but that many didn't respond, declined to comment, or said they didn't remember or attend the party.

One classmate said he was 100% sure he heard at the time that Kavanaugh had exposed himself to Ramirez, and the magazine said he independently recalled many details Ramirez had outlined, including that a male student egged Kavanaugh on.

The classmate told The New Yorker he remembered the incident as a "big deal" that had "been on my mind all these years when his name came up." He also recalled Kavanaugh as being "relatively shy" but someone who could become "aggressive and even belligerent" when drunk.

As of Thursday morning, over 1,200 Yale alumnae had signed a letter in support of Ramirez.

Julie Swetnick says Kavanaugh was present at 1980s parties where she and other women were 'gang-raped'

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Another woman, Julie Swetnick, signed a sworn declaration alleging that she witnessed Kavanaugh and Judge display "abusive and physically aggressive behavior toward girls" during a series of house parties in the 1980s, where the boys would "spike" punch with drugs or alcohol to cause girls to lose their inhibitions or ability to say "no."

Swetnick alleges that this was done so that girls could be "gang-raped" by a "train" of boys, and that she was one of the victims.

"I have a firm recollection of seeing boys lined up outside rooms at many of these parties waiting for their 'turn' with a girl inside the room," Swetnick said in her declaration.

Swetnick is being represented by the attorney Michael Avenatti, who has become infamous for representing the porn star Stormy Daniels in her lawsuits against Trump, and for considering a 2020 presidential run himself.

Swetnick gave her first on-camera interview to Showtime's "The Circus," which is set to air on Sunday. In an interview preview that aired Thursday, Swetnick said she believes her allegations against Kavanaugh should disqualify him for a seat on the Supreme Court.

"He's going to have that seat for rest of his life. If he's gonna have that seat legitimately, all these things should be investigated, because from what I experienced first-hand, I don't think he belongs on the Supreme Court," she said.

An anonymous letter to a senator laid out another accusation — but lawmakers are skeptical

Senate Republicans have also questioned Kavanaugh about the contents of an anonymous letter sent to Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado, which alleges that Kavanaugh physically assaulted a woman in 1998.

The letter-writer alleges that his or her daughter, several friends, and Kavanaugh had been drinking in Washington, DC, when Kavanaugh assaulted one of them in full view of the others.

"When they left the bar (under the influence of alcohol), they were all shocked when Brett Kavanaugh shoved her friend against the wall very aggressively and sexually," the letter reads.

It goes on to say that the alleged victim and the letter-writer's daughter both have decided to "remain anonymous."

Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Senate Judiciary Committee chair, believes there is "no reason to assign the letter credibility," according to his spokesman, Taylor Foy.

Taylor Foy, a spokesman for Grassley, said there is "no reason to assign the letter credibility."

"We're dealing with an anonymous letter about an anonymous person, and anonymous friend," Kavanaugh reportedly told lawmakers when asked about it, according to NBC News.

Kavanaugh denies the allegations

Brett Kavanaugh Trump

Kavanaugh has categorically denied each of the allegations in separate statements.

Of Ford's allegation, he said:

"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 this accusation until she identified herself yesterday. 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."

In response to Ramirez's allegation, he said:

"This alleged event from 35 years ago did not happen. The people who knew me then know that this did not happen, and have said so. This is a smear, plain and simple. I look forward to testifying on Thursday about the truth, and defending my good name — and the reputation for character and integrity I have spent a lifetime building — against these last-minute allegations."

Of Swetnick's allegation, Kavanaugh said: "This is ridiculous and from the Twilight Zone. I don't know who this is and this never happened."

In response to a question from Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this month whether he had ever "committed any verbal or physical harassment or assault of a sexual nature" as a legal adult, Kavanaugh said under oath that he hadn't.

On Monday afternoon, Kavanaugh sent a letter to Sen. Chuck Grassley, the chairman of the committee, and Feinstein, its ranking Democrat, calling the allegations "smears" that "debase our public discourse."

"They are also a threat to any man or woman who wishes to serve our country," Kavanaugh wrote. "Such grotesque and obvious character assassination — if allowed to succeed — will dissuade competent and good people of all political persuasions from service."

Kavanaugh and his wife, Ashley Kavanaugh, also gave an interview to Fox News, where he denied each of the allegations. He added that he didn't necessarily doubt that Ford was a victim of sexual assault — but that he was not the perpetrator.

"The truth is I've never sexually assaulted anyone, in high school or otherwise," Kavanaugh said. "I am not questioning and have not questioned that perhaps Dr. Ford at some point in her life was sexually assaulted by someone at some place, but what I know is I've never sexually assaulted anyone."

Lawmakers are split on next steps

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 06: Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) (L) talks with ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) during the thrid day of Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill September 6, 2018 in Washington, DC. Kavanaugh was nominated by President Donald Trump to fill the vacancy on the court left by retiring Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Ford and Kavanaugh are both testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

It's unclear what will happen after the hearing — certain lawmakers have already said they don't expect the testimony to change their views on Kavanaugh.

Sen. Lindsey Graham told Fox News on Sunday that unless new information surfaced, he would vote in favor of Kavanaugh.

"What am I supposed to do? Go ahead and ruin this guy's life based on an accusation? I don't know when it happened, I don't know where it happened, and everybody named in regard to being there said it didn't happen," Graham said.

Senate Democrats have continued to demand the FBI investigate the allegations, while Republicans have already scheduled a vote for Friday.

The Trump administration has repeatedly defended Kavanaugh. Trump has described him as a "fantastic man," and told reporters during a raucous press conference Wednesday that the multiple allegations against Kavanaugh were a "big fat con job."

SEE ALSO: Trump and the White House have come out swinging at the new sexual-assault allegations against Kavanaugh, painting them as a smear campaign

READ MORE: Brett Kavanaugh writes letter calling new accusations 'grotesque and obvious character assassination,' says he 'will not be intimidated into withdrawing'

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'The first thing that struck me ... was that you're terrified. That's not right.': Independent prosecutor Rachel Mitchell apologizes for Ford's fear as she testifies against Kavanaugh

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Christine Blasey Ford and counsel Rachel Mitchell

  • When Christine Blasey Ford delivered her opening statement before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday describing her allegation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh assaulted her, she said she was "terrified."
  • Independent prosecutor Rachel Mitchell, who the Republicans hired to question Ford, apologized for Ford's fear.
  • "The first thing that struck me from your statement this morning was that you're terrified. I just wanted to let you know I am very sorry. That's not right," Mitchell said.

  • Watch live updates of Ford's testimony and the entire hearing here.

When Christine Blasey Ford delivered an emotional opening statement accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of groping and attempting to undress her in high school before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, she expressed how frightened she was to come forward.

"I am here today not because I want to be. I am terrified," she said. "I am here because I believe it is my civic duty."

Before independent counsel Rachel Mitchell began questioning Ford, she first apologized for her "terror" in delivering the remarks.

"Good morning Dr. Ford, we haven't met, but I'm Rachel Mitchell," she said. "The first thing that struck me from your statement this morning was that you're terrified. I just wanted to let you know I am very sorry. That's not right."

Mitchell, an experienced sex crimes prosecutor from the special victims unit in the Maricopa, Arizona district attorney's office, has been hired by the Senate Judiciary Committee as an independent counsel to question Ford. Republican members of the committee are yielding their allotted time to her to ask their questions.

Ford is testifying as part of the process to confirm Kavanaugh as a US Supreme Court justice. She alleges that a drunken 17-year old Kavanaugh pushed her onto a bed and attempted to rape her during a 1982 house party in suburban Maryland when she was 15. He has denied the allegations.

Watch the full exchange below:

Read Business Insider's full coverage of the Ford-Kavanaugh hearing:

SEE ALSO: Meet Rachel Mitchell, the woman questioning Ford about her Kavanaugh allegations at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

SEE ALSO: Kavanaugh hearing LIVE: Supreme Court nominee and accuser Christine Blasey Ford testify before the Senate in historic hearing over sexual assault allegation

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Christine Blasey Ford says the strongest memory she has of Kavanaugh's alleged sexual assault was 'the uproarious laughter'

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  • Christine Blasey Ford said Thursday the strongest memory she has of the alleged sexual assault by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was when he and his friend allegedly laughed at her expense.
  • "I was underneath one of them, while the two laughed. Two friends having a really good time with one another," she said.
  • Ford also said she was 100% certain that it was Kavanaugh who attacked her, and she had not mistaken him for a different man.
  • Kavanaugh has denied Ford's allegations.
  • Follow our live coverage of the hearing.

Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, told lawmakers during her Senate testimony on Thursday that the strongest memory from the attack was the "uproarious laughter" from Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge.

Asked by Sen. Patrick Leahy to describe a detail she "cannot forget," Ford recalled how she felt she was the object of the boys' laughter.

"Indelible in the hippocampus is the laughter. The uproarious laughter between the two, and they're having fun at my expense," she said. "I was underneath one of them, while the two laughed. Two friends having a really good time with one another."

Ford has alleged that Kavanaugh and Judge pushed her into a room while they were at a party in the early 1980s, and that Kavanaugh groped and attempted to undress her as he held her down until Judge jumped on them and Ford was able to escape.

Kavanaugh has categorically denied the allegations, while Judge has issued a statement saying he has no memory of the incident.

During her testimony on Thursday, Ford also told the lawmakers she's 100% certain Kavanaugh was the one who attacked her.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, alluded to theories that were floated in recent days suggesting that Ford had mistaken Kavanaugh for a different man.

"You were very clear about the attack. Being pushed into the room, you say you don't know quite by whom, but that it was Brett Kavanaugh that covered your mouth to prevent you from screaming, and then you escaped," Feinstein said to Ford on Thursday. "How are you so sure that it was he?"

"The same way that I'm sure that I'm talking to you right now," Ford replied. "It's just basic memory functions, and also just the level of norepinephrine and epinephrine in the brain that sort of, as you know, that neurotransmitter encodes memories into the hippocampus so the trauma-related experience then is kind of locked there whereas other details kind of drift."

When Feinstein asked whether it could be a case of mistaken identity, Ford responded, "Absolutely not."

Watch a clip of Ford's remarks below:

 

SEE ALSO: Here are all the sexual-misconduct allegations against Brett Kavanaugh

DON'T MISS: Meet Rachel Mitchell, the woman questioning Ford about her Kavanaugh allegations at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

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Fox News host Chris Wallace on Christine Blasey Ford's testimony: 'This is a disaster for the Republicans'

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  • The Fox News host Chris Wallace said Christine Blasey Ford's emotional testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on her allegation of sexual assault against Brett Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court nominee, amounted to a disaster for Republicans.
  • "This was extremely emotional, extremely raw, and extremely credible," Wallace said, adding, "This is a disaster for the Republicans."
  • Ford alleges that Kavanaugh forced himself on her, groped her, and tried to undress her at a party when they were in high school.
  • Follow live coverage of the hearing here.

The Fox News host Chris Wallace on Thursday said Christine Blasey Ford's emotional testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on her allegation of sexual assault against Brett Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court nominee, amounted to a disaster for Republicans.

"This was extremely emotional, extremely raw, and extremely credible," Wallace said, adding, "This is a disaster for the Republicans."

Wallace added: "She obviously was traumatized by an event."

His colleague Bret Baier said that hearing Ford's testimony was "a totally different thing" than reading about her allegation.

Ford alleges that Kavanaugh forced himself on her, groped her, and tried to undress her at a party when they were in high school with the help of a friend, Mark Judge. She said that Kavanaugh covered her mouth to mask her screams and that at times she worried he'd accidentally kill her.

During her opening remarks on Thursday, Ford said she was "terrified" to be there but felt it was her "civic duty."

Ford's testimony elicited tears from some members of the audience.

Kavanaugh, who is also set to testify on Thursday, has vehemently denied the allegations.

Read Business Insider's full coverage of the Ford-Kavanaugh hearing:

SEE ALSO: Christine Blasey Ford says she decided to come forward after reporters were sitting outside of her house and showing up in her classroom where she taught

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Christine Blasey Ford describes encountering Mark Judge at a supermarket weeks after the alleged assault: 'He looked a little bit ill'

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Christine Blasey Ford testimony

  • In her testimony on Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee about her allegation that Brett Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court nominee, sexually assaulted her in the 1980s, Christine Blasey Ford said that weeks later when she saw Kavanaugh's friend Mark Judge, who she says was in the room, "he looked a little bit ill."
  • Ford said Judge was laughing and playing loud music as Kavanaugh pinned her down on a bed and groped her. Judge has denied the allegation.
  • Follow live updates from Ford's testimony here.

In her testimony on Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee about her allegation that Brett Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court nominee, sexually assaulted her in the 1980s, Christine Blasey Ford said that weeks later when she saw Mark Judge, who she says was in the room, he looked "a little bit ill."

Responding to a question from Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Ford recounted seeing Judge at a Safeway grocery store in suburban Maryland "six to eight weeks" after the alleged assault.

"Mark Judge looked like he was working there and arranging the shopping carts," she said. "I said hello to him, and his face was white and very uncomfortable saying hello back. And we had previously been friendly at the times that we saw each other over the previous two years."

She continued: "I wouldn't characterize him as not friendly — he was just nervous and not really wanting to speak with me. And he looked a little bit ill."

Judge seemed to refer to working at a grocery store in high school in an excerpt from his memoir, "Wasted: Tales of a Gen X Drunk," in a paragraph where he discusses suffering "catastrophic hangovers" that made "getting through the day an Olympic event."

"This was never more evident to me than when, to raise money for football camp, I spent a few weeks working as a bag boy at the local supermarket," he wrote.

Ford said in her opening statement that Judge was in the room where Kavanaugh assaulted her at a gathering in suburban Maryland in the summer of 1982. She alleged that Kavanaugh pinned her on a bed and groped her, placing his hand over her mouth to keep her from crying out.

Earlier in her hearing, Ford accused Judge of aiding and participating in the assault.

"They locked the door and played loud music, precluding any successful attempt to yell for help," Ford said.

"They both laughed as Kavanaugh tried to disrobe me in their highly inebriated state," she said, adding that she even made eye contact with Judge at several points, hoping he would help her.

Judge denied the allegations in a statement from his attorney submitted to the committee. He has not responded to Democratic calls for him to testify under oath.

Watch the full exchange:

Read Business Insider's full coverage of the Ford-Kavanaugh hearing:

SEE ALSO: Mark Judge: Meet Brett Kavanaugh's high-school friend and the other man who's becoming central to the allegations against the Supreme Court nominee

DON'T MISS: LIVE: Christine Blasey Ford says she's '100%' certain Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in high school

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How 'the Forrest Gump of Republican politics' Brett Kavanaugh became the Supreme Court's most pivotal nomination in decades, now embroiled in sexual misconduct allegations

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  • President Donald Trump nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh to replace the retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy on the US Supreme Court.
  • Kavanaugh was born and bred in the Washington, DC area and has a long history in conservative circles.
  • His journey to the US Supreme Court has been so star-studded, one senator once called him the "Forrest Gump" of Republican politics.
  • Kavanaugh's nomination seemed like a sure thing, until three women came forward to publicly accuse him of sexual misconduct in high school and college. He has denied the allegations.
  • He and the first accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, are testifying about her allegations before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

President Donald Trump nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh, 53, to replace the retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy on the US Supreme Court.

"There is no one in America more qualified for this position, and no one more deserving," Trump said at the announcement in July, joining the many Republicans who praised the Ivy League-educated veteran of George W. Bush's administration.

But Kavanaugh has a tough confirmation process ahead of him. Republicans' 51-49 hold on the Senate puts Kavanaugh in a precarious spot.

He has so far had to weather stiff resistance from Democratic lawmakers, scores of protesters who disagree with his views on issues including gun and abortion rights, and now multiple sexual misconduct allegations.

Christine Blasey Ford, 51, accused a teenaged Kavanaugh of forcing himself on her at a high school party in the early 1980s. Deborah Ramirez, a former Yale University classmate of Kavanaugh's, said Kavanaugh exposed himself to her without her consent at a dorm-room party during his freshman 1983-84 school year.

Kavanaugh categorically denied Ford and Ramirez's accounts in separate statements.

Top Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin once called Kavanaugh the "Forrest Gump of Republican politics", because he was present for so many key moments in modern political history.

As Kavanaugh continues his confirmation process, here's a look at how the Washington, DC born-and-bred conservative rose to become the court's most pivotal nomination in decades:

SEE ALSO: Here are all the sexual misconduct allegations against Brett Kavanaugh

DON'T MISS: Here's an evolving count of which senators are voting for Trump's Supreme Court pick

Brett Kavanaugh was born Feb. 12, 1965, in Washington, DC.

Source: NPR



He attended Georgetown Preparatory School, an all-boys school in Rockville, Maryland. He was staff for the school newspaper, played on the school's varsity football team, and was captain of the basketball team.

Source: Washingtonian



Trump's first Supreme Court nominee, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, also attended Georgetown Prep and graduated two years before Kavanaugh.

Sources: Washingtonian, Business Insider



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

You can now fly with weed out of Los Angeles International Airport

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LAX

  • Travelers are now allowed to pack marijuana along with their other travel essentials when flying out of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). 
  • A statement published on the official website of LAX reads, "In accordance with Proposition 64, the Los Angeles Airport Police Department will allow passengers to travel through LAX with up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and eight grams of concentrated marijuana." 
  • While the Federal government still considers marijuana illegal, the sale and recreational consumption of the drug has been legalized in California and eight other states. 

In a policy that would have seemed unheard of only a few years ago, travelers are now allowed to pack marijuana along with their other travel essentials when flying out of Los Angeles International Airport. 

Airport police say they will not arrest or stop you if they find marijuana, colloquially known as weed or pot, in your carry-on travel bags. 

The official website of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) released their new marijuana policy that in-part states, "In accordance with Proposition 64, the Los Angeles Airport Police Department will allow passengers to travel through LAX with up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and eight grams of concentrated marijuana." 

Proposition 64, was a referendum passed by California and made effective January 1, 2018. 

According to NBC 4 Los Angeles, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) can still refuse people entry to board flights if they find amounts of marijuana the federal government considers illegal in travelers carry-on bags, but police will not confiscate it unless it exceeds the one-ounce legal limit amount in the state of California. 

This issue is mainly about jurisdiction, as the new LAX security policy is not applicable to other states or countries where marijuana is not yet legalized, like Texas or Singapore. 

While the Federal government still considers marijuana illegal, the sale and recreational consumption of the drug has been legalized in California, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Washington, D.C., Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts.  

Some took to Twitter to comment on the new LAX policy:

 

 

 

SEE ALSO: 20 crazy things people have tried to smuggle past the TSA at airports

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