Fox contributor: Report of sexual assault by Brett Kavanaugh is “an attempted political assassination of a character”

Tammy Bruce: Democrats “want this to be now a trial in public by allegation and gossip. And it really denigrates what women” have "tried to do for generations, which is to be taken seriously. And now we see it just as another tool in a tool che

From the September 17 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends:

Video file

AINSLEY EARHARDT (CO-HOST): This is a tough one. You have one woman saying something that happened 30 years ago. He is vehemently denying it. What are your thoughts about this?

TAMMY BRUCE (FOX CONTRIBUTOR): Look, this is the problem. And we can't really address her allegations in a way because we don't know what happened. We don't have the benefit of a real justice system framework of an accuser making the accusation and the accused being able to defend himself or herself. We don't have that. What we do know though is this, from the start here, [Sen.] Dianne Feinstein [(D-CA)] had an allegation that she says is credible, yet said and did nothing about it.

EARHARDT: We never heard about it in the hearing. She knew about it then.

BRUCE: She had interviews with Judge Kavanaugh. She didn't tell the committee. She didn't tell the FBI. She waited until effectively everything else they had done did not work and so it was like a Hail Mary pass, confirming -- and this is my main point -- confirming that this was exclusively a political act. It was effectively an attempted political assassination of a character. An attempt to get -- use an experience like this as a cudgel. And this is my concern, is that as Americans see and deal with one of the most important issues facing women, and regardless again of what we can address about what she is accusing, they want this to be now a trial in public by allegation and gossip. And it really denigrates what women, what we've tried to do for generations, which is to be taken seriously. And now we see it just as another tool in a tool chest. And for those of us who are survivors of sexual assault, of domestic violence, of violence in general, it really moves us into another arena of being just used and the experiences being used. And that's what, of course, breaks my heart. It's a dynamic that no one is discussing. And it clearly has just been used now as a political hatchet to affect someone. And I think that for all of us, it's heart-breaking.

EARHARDT: We don't know exactly know what happened. We are not negating the allegations here. It's just the timing of it that a lot of Republicans are questioning now.

 

Related:

Wash. Post: California professor, writer of confidential Brett Kavanaugh letter, speaks out about her allegation of sexual assault

Previously:

Face the Nation and This Week fall short in Kavanaugh hearing coverage after the nominee gave false testimony under oath

Study: After hearing, AP is still quoting more pro-Kavanaugh voices in its Supreme Court coverage

Fact-checkers are failing at dealing with anti-abortion misinformation