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Brett Kavanaugh calls sexual assault allegations a “coordinated effort,” says he won’t withdraw

Brett Kavanaugh calls the sexual assault allegations weighing on his Supreme Court confirmation a “coordinated effort to destroy my good name” and “smears, pure and simple” in a new letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“I will not be intimidated into withdrawing from this process,” Kavanaugh wrote in the Monday letter. “The coordinated effort to destroy my good name will not drive me out. The vile threats of violence against my family will not drive me out. The last-minute character assassination will not succeed.”

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Two women have publicly accused Kavanaugh — President Donald Trump’s pick — of sexual misconduct. Christine Blasey Ford, a California research psychologist, alleged he pinned her to a bed and groped her during a teen party in the early 1980s. Deborah Ramirez alleged in The New Yorker on Sunday that he exposed himself to her and thrust his penis in her face during a drunken college party at Yale University a year or so later. Michael Avenatti, the attorney for Stormy Daniels, also said on Twitter that he is representing a possible third woman with “credible information” about the judge.

Yet, Kavanaugh is not backing down. If confirmed, the 53-year-old D.C. Circuit Court judge would shift the high court to a conservative majority. His letter seemed to stress that he’s faced enough, after 31 hours of testimony before the Senate panel, closed-door questioning and responding to more than 1,200 written questions.

“There is now a frenzy to come up with something—anything—that will block this process and a vote on my confirmation from occurring,” Kavanaugh wrote in the letter. “These are smears, pure and simple. And they debase our public discourse.”

Kavanaugh and Ford are set to separately testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, and the Washington Post reported that female staff attorneys will be questioning the judge and his accuser, though other logistical details may still be in question. (Sen. Dianne Feinstein called for that hearing to be postponed following the New Yorker report, but it’s not clear if that effort will be successful.) Both Kavanaugh and Ford have faced death threats since the accusations came to light.

Women across the country rallied in support of Ford and Ramirez on Monday by walking out of their workplaces and classrooms and gathering on Capitol Hill in protest. A Fox News poll of 1,003 registered voters last week showed support for Kavanaugh has dropped amid the allegations against him.