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Trump doubles down on support for Kavanaugh, blames Dems for trying to destroy 'wonderful man'

President Donald Trump reaffirmed his support for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in a tweet late Monday and blamed Democrats for working to destroy a “wonderful man” by casting a series of “false acquisitions.”
The support comes amid new allegations of decades-old sexual misconduct against the nominee.
“The Democrats are working hard to destroy a wonderful man, and a man who has the potential to be one of our greatest Supreme Court Justices ever, with an array of False Acquisitions the likes of which have never been seen before,” Trump tweeted.
Christine Blasey Ford has accused Kavanaugh of covering her mouth and trying to remove her clothing at a party in the early 1980s, when they were both in high school. The New Yorker reported allegations from Debbie Ramirez on Sunday, who claimed Kavanaugh exposed himself to her during a party at Yale University when he was a freshman.
Michael Avenatti, the attorney for porn star Stormy Daniels, said he has information that Kavanaugh and high school friend Mark Judge had plied women with drugs and alcohol at parties so other men could gang rape them. Kavanuagh called the allegations "totally false and outrageous."
In an exclusive interview with Fox News’ Martha MacCallum on Monday, Kavanaugh denied the allegations against him and said he wants a “fair process where I can defend my integrity, and I know I'm telling the truth.”
"What I know is the truth, and the truth is I've never sexually assaulted anyone," Kavanaugh said. "I want a fair process where I can defend my integrity, and I know I'm telling the truth. I know my lifelong record, and I'm not going to let false accusations drive me out of this process. I have faith in God and I have faith in the fairness of the American people."
Kavanagh and Ford are set to testify at a hearing on Thursday after days of back-and-forth negotiations between Ford's legal team and Senate Republicans.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who delivered a nationally televised speech on the Senate floor Monday defending Kavanaugh, vowed an up-or-down vote on the nominee after the planned hearing on Thursday.
“This shameful smear campaign has hit a new low," McConnell said, recalling that Democrats had promised to stop a generational rightward shift on the Supreme Court by "any means" available. "Senate Democrats are trying to destroy a man’s personal and professional life."
McConnell also reiterated that none of the allegations against Kavanaugh -- including the claims published Sunday in The New Yorker and last week by The Washington Post -- had any first-hand corroboration.
Republicans on the Judiciary Committee do not expect, however, to be able to vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation until Friday at the absolute earliest. That would almost certainly mean that the Supreme Court would be without a ninth justice when its next term begins Oct. 1, a date set by federal law.

Judge appears ready to dismiss Stormy Daniels lawsuit against Trump: report

Adult film actress Stormy Daniels, speaks during a ceremony for her receiving a City Proclamation and Key to the City in West Hollywood, Calif.  (AP)

A U.S. federal judge in Los Angeles on Monday appeared poised to throw out adult film actress Stormy Daniel’s defamation lawsuit against President Donald Trump on free-speech grounds, Reuters reported. 
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, sued the president in April over a tweet in which he denied her claims of being subtly threatened by a man in a Las Vegas parking lot in 2011.
TRUMP MOCKS STORMY DANIELS' SKETCH OF 'NONEXISTENT' HARASSER: 'TOTAL CON JOB'
Daniels said the man was threatening her for going public about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. Trump has denied the affair took place, and cast doubt on her story of being threatened.
“A sketch years later about a nonexistent man. A total con job, playing the Fake News Media for Fools (but they know it)!” Trump tweeted.
Daniels’ attorney Michael Avenatti said the tweet damaged her credibility by portraying her as a liar. Trump’s attorneys have asked a federal judge in Los Angeles to dismiss the suit.

To allow the complaint to go forward and to have one consider this to be defamatory in the context it was made would have a chilling effect.
- U.S. District Judge James Otero

Judge S. James Otero said Monday that the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of free-speech protects Trump from defamation, but did not issue a formal ruling.
“To allow the complaint to go forward and to have one consider this to be defamatory in the context it was made would have a chilling effect,” Otero said during the hearing.
Avenatti told reporters he expects a ruling within days and plans to appeal if the suit is dismissed.

File: Michael Avenatti, the attorney for porn actress Stormy Daniels replies to questions by reporters during a news conference in front of the U.S. Federal Courthouse in Los Angeles.  (AP)

Otero scheduled a hearing Dec. 3 to discuss Trump’s efforts to dismiss another lawsuit by Daniels over a hush-money agreement related to their alleged affair.
Daniels sued Trump and his former lawyer Michael Cohen, who negotiated the deal, so she could speak publicly about the alleged affair without fear of reprisal. Cohen had threatened to sue her for $20 million.
COMPANY SET UP BY MICHAEL COHEN OFFERS TO DROP STORMY DANIEL’S HUSH-MONEY AGREEMENT
Lawyers for Trump and Cohen now say the deal that paid Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet was invalid and they won't sue her for breaking it. Cohen has pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations for arranging payments to both Daniels and a former Playboy model to influence the election.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bradford Betz is an editor for Fox News. Follow him on Twitter @bradford_betz.

Ted Cruz heckled by protesters in DC restaurant: video

Republican U.S. Senator Ted Cruz takes part in a debate for the Texas U.S. Senate with Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke, in Dallas.  (AP)

A group of protesters in Washington, D.C., shouted down Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and his wife in a restaurant Monday night, according to video footage that was posted on Twitter.
The group appeared to chastise Cruz over Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who is facing multiple sexual assault allegations. Two one-minute video clips were posted to the Twitter page of a group called “Smash Racism DC.”
The group’s Facebook page states that it is “united” in the fight against the “Nazis, Ku Klux Klan.”
In the first video clip, a group of protesters approach Cruz and his wife at a restaurant table, repeatedly shouting, “We believe survivors!”
“Hi, I’d love to talk to with about Brett Kavanaugh tonight. I’m a constituent, love to know what your vote is gonna be tonight. I know that you’re very close friends with Mr. Kavanaugh,” says a woman off camera. “Do you believe survivors?”
“Senator, I have a right to know what your position is on Brett Kavanaugh,” she continues.
“God bless you, mam,” Cruz says amid the shouts.
“Bless you as well, I really appreciate you,” the woman responds. “I’m a survivor of sexual assault, mam. I believe all survivors. There are now three people who have come forward and who have said that Brett Kavanaugh has attacked them. I know that you’re close friends with him. Could you talk to him about that? Could you talk to him about his position?”
Cruz then appears to get up and head for the exit with his wife.
“How are you gonna vote sir?” the woman asks.
In the second video, the protesters continue shouting, “We believe survivors!” as Cruz is seen struggling to get through the crowd.
“Beto’s way hotter than you, dude!” says one protestor off camera, in reference to Democratic congressman Beto O’Rourke, Cruz’s challenger for his U.S. Senate seat.
“Excuse me, let my wife through,” Cruz says to the hostile crowd.
As Cruz nears the exit a woman is heard shouting, “Are you going to confirm your best friend Kavanaugh?”
Another protester shouts: “Sexist, racist, anti-gay!”
When Cruz leaves the restaurant, the protesters cheer. A restaurant worker appears, telling the group to leave.
Cruz has pushed for Christine Blasey Ford, one of Kavanaugh’s accusers, to testify in public, according to The Texas Tribune.
"These allegations are serious and deserve to be treated with respect," Cruz said in a statement. "Professor Ford should have a full opportunity to tell her story before the Judiciary Committee, and Judge Kavanaugh should have a full opportunity to defend himself. That hearing should be sooner, rather than later, so the committee can make the best assessment possible of the allegations."
Cruz's office did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.
Bradford Betz is an editor for Fox News. Follow him on Twitter @bradford_betz.

Avenatti says more Kavanaugh accusations will go public within 48 hours: 'I state facts and have evidence to back it up'

Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for adult-film star Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against President Trump, now says he has a client who will reveal allegations against embattled Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh within 48 hours -- shortly before Kavanaugh is set to testify in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee amid other sexual misconduct accusations.
"Let me just be really clear about something," Avenatti said in an interview with CNN on Monday night. "They know that I do not traffic in rumor and nonsense. I state facts and I have evidence to back it up. I would not make these allegations lightly."
Earlier Monday, Avenatti said that the unnamed woman knew Kavanaugh around the time of high school but attended a different school. The woman, according to the attorney, has had multiple security clearances from the U.S. government, including the State Department and Justice Department.
"I’m highly confident in the accusations that are going to be made by my client," Avenatti said. "As it relates to the woman whose name will be publicly disclosed, multiple security clearances have been issued by the federal government."
Asked if he was prepared to prove his client's allegations, Avenatti said that "it is our burden. We are going to embrace and meet it."
In a separate interview Monday night on MSNBC, Avenatti said he thought "there very well may be a criminal complaint relating to this conduct."
Kavanaugh has been accused of committing sexual misconduct decades ago by Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez. He has denied all the claims.
Ford said a friend of Kavanaugh's, Mark Judge, witnessed her alleged assault. Judge denied it as well.
GOP SENATORS DEFEND KAVANAUGH: 'WE'RE IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE HERE'
Avenatti revealed new claims Sunday on Twitter. His client, he said, had knowledge of Kavanaugh, Judge and others in high school "targeting women with alcohol/drugs in order to allow a ‘train’ of men to subsequently gang rape them."
Kavanaugh elaborated on his denials in an exclusive Fox News interview on Monday, while explaining the environment where he grew up.
"Yes, there were parties and the drinking age was 18 and yes, the seniors were legal and had beer there," he said. "And, yes, people might have had too many beers on occasion ... I think all of us have probably done things we look back on in high school and regret or cringe a bit. But that's not what we're talking about. We're talking about an allegation of sexual assault. I've never sexually assaulted anyone."
Avenatti wasn't buying the judge's explanation.
"I think it's just absolutely unbelievable and I think the American people are smarter than this," he said.