Martha McSally says she’d vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh
Oct 3, 2018, 6:54 PM | Updated: Oct 4, 2018, 10:41 am
(AP Photo/Matt York)
PHOENIX — U.S. Rep. Martha McSally of Arizona, who was sexually abused when she was in high school, said she would vote to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court despite allegations against him.
The Republican Senate candidate told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Mac & Gaydos on Wednesday that her “heart goes out” to Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault when they were in high school.
However, McSally said unless the FBI uncovers new information that supports Ford’s story, “I would vote for Brett Kavanaugh.”
“We also need fairness where individuals can’t just have one person without any corroboration impact such an important decision,” she said.
McSally is running against Democrat and fellow congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema for the seat being vacated by Republican Jeff Flake, whose request for an FBI investigation into Ford’s allegations delayed the full Senate vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation.
Members of the U.S. House aren’t involved in the Supreme Court confirmation process.
McSally said she was “frustrated” with Democrats for the way they’ve dealt with Ford, who told her story during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that had the nation riveted last week.
“The fact the she appeared to not even know they offered to come out to California to meet with her, that it could have happened in private, I think is a travesty,” she said.
McSally said she was sexually abused in high school by a coach who was fired after she reported it. She also said she experienced harassment while she served in the U.S. Air Force.
“I would hope, as somebody who’s dealt with this personally and dealt with it also in the military, that maybe we could have this conversation about ‘Hey, let’s prevent the next assault and abuse from happening,’” she said.
“But let’s make sure that people are not susceptible to false allegations, that just because someone says something doesn’t make it true.”