Second woman claims sex misconduct by Kavanaugh
She says Supreme Court nominee thrust his genitals in her face at 1980s college party
WASHINGTON : US President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was hit by a second accusation of sexual misconduct on Sunday.
The latest claims came with Mr Kavanaugh was already facing a hearing where his testimony was to be weighed against that of a university professor who has separately accused him of assault.
Senate Democrats are now investigating a bombshell claim by Ms Deborah Ramirez, 53, who says Mr Kavanaugh exposed himself to her during a 1980s college party at Yale University, thrust his genitals in her face and caused her to touch them without her consent, according to The New Yorker.
Mr Kavanaugh denied the story, calling it "a smear, plain and simple".
"The people who knew me then know this did not happen, and have said so," the conservative judge said in a statement.
Like Dr Christine Blasey Ford, a professor accusing him of assaulting her when they were teenagers at a 1980s high school party, Ms Ramirez wants the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate, and Democratic lawmakers are backing the demands.
Dr Ford agreed to testify on Thursday after a week-long standoff that saw her forced to leave her California home as she faced death threats and Mr Trump attacked her credibility.
Mr Kavanaugh said he wishes to testify as soon as possible to clear his name.
According to The New York Times, he has calendars from the summer of 1982 he plans to share, showing he was out of town most of that time with no indication of the party of concern.
He and Dr Ford will testify separately, the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmed.
On Sunday, Senator Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the judiciary committee, urged the panel to halt proceedings in light of the latest allegation.
She said in a statement: "I also ask that the newest allegations of sexual misconduct be referred to the FBI for investigation and that you join our request for the White House to direct the FBI to investigate the allegations of Christine Blasey Ford as well as these new claims."
Lawyer Michael Avenatti - who represents porn star Stormy Daniels in the dispute over her claim she was paid to remain silent about an alleged tryst with Mr Trump - shared an e-mail exchange on Twitter in which he promised the committee evidence of further misconduct by Mr Kavanaugh at 1980s house parties.
He confirmed he was not representing Ms Ramirez.
'SMEAR'
White House spokesman Kerri Kupec dismissed Ms Ramirez's allegation as "the latest in a coordinated smear campaign by the Democrats designed to tear down a good man".
Mr Lindsey Graham, who is on the panel that must approve Mr Kavanaugh's nomination before it goes to the full chamber,did not expect Dr Ford's testimony to change his mind.
"What am I supposed to do? Go ahead and ruin this guy's life based on an accusation?" he told Fox News Sunday. "Unless there's something more, no, I'm not going to ruin Judge Kavanaugh's life over this." - AFP
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