The Judiciary Committee released a bizarre letter Tuesday from a former TV weatherman in DC recounting his recollections about the “sexual preferences” of a woman who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct.
A committee press release touting the letter, titled “Judiciary Committee Receives Statement Regarding Swetnick Allegations,” emphasized excerpts from the letter focused on accuser Julie Swetnick’s alleged past sexual practices and provided a link to the full letter. The Twitter account for the office of Judiciary Republican Orrin Hatch (UT) also tweeted out the letter, explaining that the sender, now based in Utah, first reached out to Hatch’s office about the “information” last week.
The letter from Dennis Ketterer, a former weatherman for the local station WJLA, kicks off with a mention of his Emmy award, before recalling his interactions in the 1990s with Julie Swetnick, who has claimed that a teenage Kavanaugh attended parties where women, including herself, were gang raped.
In releasing the letter’s unvetted claims in full, the Judiciary Committee seems to be putting in play the prior sexual activities of self-identified sexual assault victims.
Ketterer and Swetnick developed a “physical” relationship, his letter said, and he recalled a conversation with her about her sexual activities in high school. Swetnick told Ketterer, according to the letter, that she “first tried sex with multiple guys while in high school and still liked it from time-to-time.”
For his part, Ketterer wrote in the letter that Swetnick never confided in him about her alleged assault, though it’s not clear why she would or should have done so.
“Julie never said anything about being sexually assaulted, raped, gang-raped or having sex against her will,” the letter said. “She never mentioned Brett Kavanaugh in any capacity.”
Ketterer concludes the letter by writing, “based on my direct experience with Julie, I do not believe her allegations against Mr. Kavanaugh.”
Swetnick’s attorney, Michael Avenatti did not respond to TPM’s inquiry.
