‘Charlatans’: Grassley Refers Swetnick, Avenatti To DOJ Over Kavanaugh Claims

Screengrab of clip of Julie Swetnick aired on Morning Joe Sept. 27, 2018.
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Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) on Thursday referred Julie Swetnick, who accused Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of multiple types of sexual misconduct during his confirmation hearings, and her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, to the Justice Department for investigation. Grassley alleged they misled the committee about the accusations.

In a 12-page letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and FBI Director Christopher Wray, Grassley laid out contradictions in Swetnick and Avenatti’s claims about Kavanaugh, including in a widely watched NBC News interview with Swetnick, and concluded: “When charlatans make false claims to the Committee – claims that may earn them short-term media exposure and financial gain, but which hinder the Committee’s ability to do its job – there should be consequences.”

Avenatti responded on Twitter shortly afterward, saying he and Swetnick “welcome the investigation as now we can finally get to the bottom of Judge Kavanaugh’s lies and conduct.”

Read Grassley’s full referral below:

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