Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) took a page from President Trump’s book and lashed out against lawyer Michael Avenatti in response to new allegations against Brett Kavanaugh.
In a statement on Wednesday, Graham called Avenatti a “lawyer to porn stars” — he represents Stormy Daniels, who has alleged a sexual affair with Trump — who had “taken this debacle to an even lower level.”
He also went on to question the latest accuser’s story, saying he has a “difficult time believing” someone who attended multiple parties “where women were routinely gang raped and not report it.”
Read the full statement below:
“Judge Kavanaugh has just emphatically denied the recent allegation being levied by Michael Avenatti and his client. He says he does not know the woman in question and emphatically denies the accusations. I would remind everyone that dozens of women who knew Judge Kavanaugh during the time period in question completely vouch for his good character.
“Mr. Avenatti first tweeted Sunday night that he had new and explosive information, and he was immediately contacted by the Senate Judiciary Committee to provide information. He has chosen to release these claims the day before Mrs. Ford’s hearing and two days before a vote.
“From my view, just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, it just did. The lawyer to porn stars has just taken this debacle to an even lower level. I hope people will be highly suspicious of this allegation presented by Michael Avenatti.
“I have a difficult time believing any person would continue to go to – according to the affidavit – ten parties over a two-year period where women were routinely gang raped and not report it. I also find it curious these charges were not brought forward until 2018, two days before a confirmation vote.
“Why would any reasonable person continue to hang around people like this? Why would any person continue to put their friends and themselves in danger? Isn’t there some duty to warn others?
“This is outrageous, internally inconsistent, and I hope the U.S. Senate will see this for the smear campaign that it is.
“It is outrageous to suggest that Brett Kavanaugh at any time in his life behaved this way. His life is inconsistent with any of these allegations. All women who have worked with and for Brett Kavanaugh when he was in a position of power have nothing but glowing things to say about the way he has conducted himself.
“This is a decent man who has lived an honorable life and is being smeared by the likes of Michael Avenatti.
“I very much believe in allowing people to be heard. But I am not going to be played, and I’m not going to have my intelligence insulted by the Michael Avenattis of the world. I will not be a participant in wholesale character assassination that defies credibility.
“If Republicans bail out on this good man because of the smears and character assassination perpetrated by Michael Avenatti, we deserve our fate.”
