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.

Democrat Snake Pit Political Cartoons

Feinstein, other Dems largely silent on abuse claims against Keith Ellison

As top Democrats speak out on sexual misconduct claims against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, they've been largely silent on physical and verbal harassment claims against one of their own: Rep. Keith Ellison, a top Democratic National Committee (DNC) official.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, revealed earlier this month she knew of the initial accusations that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted a woman in the early 1980s, when he and the accuser were teenagers. Feinstein, D-Calif., called for an immediate postponement of the Kavanaugh nomination process Sunday night after another woman publicly claimed he harassed her. Feinstein said the serious allegations deserve a “fair, independent” investigation from the FBI.
Kavanaugh has denied both accusers' claims strongly.
Meanwhile, Ellison’s ex-girlfriend, Karen Monahan, on Sunday claimed there's been a smear campaign against her to help her husband. Last week, she said many Democrats haven't believed her claims: “I've been smeared, threatened, isolated from my own party.”
Asked for comment on the accusations against Ellison, Feinstein's office did not respond.
Monahan has said Ellison sent her threatening text messages and once screamed obscenities at her as he dragged her off a bed by her feet. She tweeted Sunday: “I said this would happen early on. Keith is getting others to write commentary, sharing personal info, like being sexually abused, making false statements about who broke up, how it happened, etc. He will stop at nothing. #WhyIDidntReport victims get smeared, shamed,lied on.”
She continued in a tweet addressed to Ellison: “This isn't right. This is not going away and you are making it worse for you, your family and district by lying, smearing, getting others to do your dirty work, victim shaming, etc.  You know I have the video and more. I am still trying to offer grace and a way out.” She did not appear to clarify her tweets.
Ellison has pushed back on allegations of domestic abuse in their relationship, saying his accuser made up the story about him.
The Minnesota Democrat running for state attorney general also has dismissed a medical record that named him as the abuser, but said he could not be sure more people wouldn't “cook up” allegations against him.
His representatives didn’t return Fox News’ request for comment.
In a Facebook post last month, Monahan’s son, Austin, wrote that he saw a video of Ellison “screaming and calling her a f------ b----’ and telling her to get the f--- out of his house.” His mother later said her son's claims were “true.”
Last Wednesday, as Fox News reported, Monahan published a medical document in which a doctor wrote that Monahan “states that she was in a very stressful environment for years, emotional and physical abuse by a partner with whom she is now separated.”
“She identifies the individual she was involved with as Congressman Ellison, and she is worried about retribution if she identifies him publicly,” the document added.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT KEITH ELLISON ABUSE CLAIMS
Ellison, who serves as deputy chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), decried Monahan’s story as “not true” and assured that an “ongoing investigation” will conclude that Monahan’s claims are false. Speaking at a televised debate last week, he dismissed the medical record, saying it was written a year after his relationship with Monahan ended.
When pressed whether the investigation would be done before the election, Ellison said it was an independent investigation and he wasn't sure about the timetable.
Doug Wardlow, a Republican opponent, wasn’t satisfied with Ellison’s answer, saying Monahan’s claims would not be reviewed by an actual independent investigator. “It’s not an independent investigation!” he said. “It’s independent by your friends and fellow party members. That’s not an independent investigation.”
Fox News' Chad Pergram and Lukas Mikelionis contributed to this report.
Frank Miles is a reporter and editor covering geopolitics, military, crime, technology and sports for FoxNews.com. His email is Frank.Miles@foxnews.com.

Hillary Clinton’s attack on the Electoral College is only her latest act of desperation -- and denial

Last week on Twitter, Hillary Clinton issued a call to arms to her loyal supporters, telling them that progressives must “fight back” against the Republicans and stop the GOP’s assault on America’s democracy.
“The president is waging war on the truth. The administration is undermining the national unity that makes democracy possible. And then there's the breathtaking corruption.”
Clinton listed a slew of policies that Democrats should embrace to stop President Trump as well as shore up the electoral system. A few ideas were refreshingly non-partisan, like mandatory paper ballots to backup electronic voting machines.
But also in the mix was the return of a favorite punching bag for Clinton supporters: abolishing the Electoral College.
It’s a demand she first made back in 2000, insisting that America adopt a national popular vote to directly select our president rather than letting a group of state electors do it for us.
Had the country adopted her proposal, recent political history would read very differently. For starters, we’d be debating the legacy of President Al Gore instead of President George Bush.
And, yes, we would also be debating the current successes and failures of a President Hillary Clinton rather than President Donald Trump. As her supporters are fond of saying, Mrs. Clinton won the popular vote but lost the all-important Electoral College.
Just like Al Gore.
Yet Clinton’s continued demand for change ignores a rather inconvenient bit of truth: 14 Democratic nominees before her were able to win the Electoral College and go on to the White House.
Roosevelt did it four times, in fact. Barack Obama twice.

While claiming that “our democracy is in crisis” and “our institutions and traditions under siege,” her remedy is an unambiguous assault on the constitution and a siege against the traditions that have served 14 Democrats quite well.

In other words, America doesn’t have a broken electoral system in need of fixing. Rather, Hillary Clinton was simply a broken candidate.
But instead of acknowledging any degree of ownership over her loss, Clinton and her supporters continue to point fingers at everything and everyone else. Activists like Michael Moore, for example, have raged in particular that the Electoral College is “racist.”
He promised to “lead the charge” to disband it.
Meanwhile, media partners like The New York Times have thrown their weight behind legislation – dubbed the “Interstate Compact” – that would effectively gut the Electoral College through legislative trickery. In short, state electors would be forced to vote for whomever wins the national popular vote, regardless of how a candidate performs in a particular state.
In other words, the electors from Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania would have been compelled to vote for Clinton in 2016 even though their states went for Trump.
Clinton would now be in the White House.
Most reasonable people see this proposal for what it is: an act of political desperation. In fact, constitutional scholars have made the case that the Interstate Compact is a violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 if not the constitution itself.
And that is the greatest irony of Clinton’s latest Tweetstorm.
While claiming that “our democracy is in crisis” and “our institutions and traditions under siege,” her remedy is an unambiguous assault on the constitution and a siege against the traditions that have served 14 Democrats quite well.
Just not her.
None of this is to say that Clinton doesn’t have a point on the importance of electoral reforms. Indeed, most Americans would likely support things like a return to paper ballots to avoid a hacked election.
But by attacking the constitution in such a transparent way, she and her supporters have reminded the nation not only of the importance of the Electoral College but why so many of us have rejected her candidacy for president. Twice.
It’s a lesson that disgruntled Democrats would be wise to remember.
Bryan Dean Wright is a former CIA officer and member of the Democratic Party who resides in Oregon. He contributes on issues of politics, national security, and the economy. Follow him on Twitter @BryanDeanWright.

James Woods refuses to delete meme that he says got him locked out of Twitter

FILE: Actor James Woods poses at the premiere of the film "Bleed for This" at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif.  (AP)

Actor James Woods has been locked out of his Twitter account over a two-month-old tweet that was found to be in violation of the tech company’s rules.
The tweet, posted July 20, included a hoax meme that said it came from Democrats and encouraged men not to vote in the midterm elections.

The meme that Woods posted in July said #LetWomenDecide and #NoMenMidterm. Woods acknowledged the tweet was "not likely" real.  (Twitter)

Woods said he received an email from Twitter on Thursday saying the tweet "has the potential to be misleading in a way that could impact an election."
The email said Woods can use his account again if he deletes the tweet, but would be suspended from the social media platform permanently if there are repeated abuses.
Woods told The Associated Press Sunday, he interpreted the message to mean he’ll be allowed back on Twitter only if he decides to do what Twitter says.
"Free speech is free speech — it's not Jack Dorsey's version of free speech," Woods said, referring to Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey.
"The irony is, Twitter accused me of affecting the political process, when in fact, their banning of me is the truly egregious interference," Woods said. "Because now, having your voice smothered is much more disturbing than having your vocal chords slit. If you want to kill my free speech, man up and slit my throat with a knife, don't smother me with a pillow."
Twitter told the AP that it doesn't comment on individual accounts for privacy and security reasons. A spokesman for the social media platform said by email that he had nothing more to share when asked if Dorsey would respond directly to Wood's comments.
Fox News reached out to Twitter early Monday but did not immeidately hear back.
His Twitter page is still online, though he can't access it. Many of his recent tweets include his views of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her decades ago.
KAVANAUGH ACCUSER CHRISTINE FORD OPENS DOOR TO TESTIFYING NEXT WEEK
Woods, who has more than 1.7 million Twitter followers and is outspoken in his conservative views, believes he was singled out. He said the original tweet was reposted by his girlfriend Friday and had been retweeted thousands of times by Sunday. His girlfriend's account wasn't locked, which he said proves his claim.
The meme, posted in July, said #LetWomenDecide and #NoMenMidterm. It claimed to be from a Democratic group, but it was determined to be a hoax campaign to encourage liberal men not to vote in November, according to the website knowyourmeme.com. Woods called it a parody.
Woods acknowledged the meme likely wasn't real in the original tweet, saying: "Pretty scary that there is a distinct possibility this could be real. Not likely, but in this day and age of absolute liberal insanity, it is at least possible ..."
Social media companies like Twitter have come under pressure to flag hate speech and posts that could influence elections offline. Numerous conservative and right-wing groups have protested that the tech companies disproportionately target them over liberal-leaning groups. Dorsey testified before the GOP-led House Energy and Commerce Committee earlier this month, as the committee examined whether Twitter has censored conservatives.
TWITTER CEO JACK DORSEY ADMITS CONSERVATIVE STAFFERS ‘DON’T FEEL SAFE TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS’ AT LIBERAL TECH GIANT
Woods said he wants open discourse, and called the situation a dangerous precedent for free speech.
"I wish this were about an unknown Twitter user so that I could be even more passionate about it," Woods said. "This is not about a celebrity being muzzled. This is about an American being silenced — one tweet at a time."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bradford Betz is an editor for Fox News. Follow him on Twitter @bradford_betz.

Grassley promises evaluation of new claims against Kavanaugh, hits Dems for withholding info

Sen. Chuck Grassley, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, late Sunday slammed Senate Democrats for withholding information from the committee regarding new sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
The Iowa Republican said the committee will attempt to evaluate the new claims, but said in a statement “it appears that they [Democrats] are more interested in a political takedown" than “pursing allegations through a bipartisan and professional investigative process.”
His office released the statement after two new allegations emerged against Kavanaugh.
Deborah Ramirez, 53, a former Yale classmate, said he exposed himself and thrusted his penis in her face during a drunken dormitory party, according to an article in The New Yorker.
Ramirez claimed Kavanaugh exposed himself to her while she was intoxicated during a drinking game in the 1983-84 academic year, when Kavanaugh was a freshman. She also claimed she inadvertently touched Kavanaugh's penis when she pushed him away and says the incident left her "embarrassed and ashamed and humiliated."
The report stated that the magazine had not corroborated that Kavanaugh was at the party in question. An anonymous male classmate said he was told that Kavanaugh had exposed himself to Ramirez within the following days.
Ramirez admitted to the magazine that she does not fully remember the alleged incident because she had been drinking at the time. The magazine also reported that Ramirez spent six days "carefully assessing her memories and consulting with her attorney" before telling the full version of her story.
Kavanaugh says the event “did not happen” and that the allegation is “a smear, plain and simple.”
A White House spokeswoman adds in a second statement that the allegation is “designed to tear down a good man.”
Grassley’s office said the committee’s majority staff learned about the allegations in the magazine’s article. His statement read that Democratic staff were aware of the allegations, but did not inform Republican staffers.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called the timing of the new allegations “very suspicious.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Ct., called on a full FBI investigation and said the committee cannot "in good conscience" vote on the nomination at this point.
Michael Avenatti, the attorney for Stormy Daniels, on Sunday alleged that he had knowledge that Kavanaugh and high school friend Mark Judge targeted women with drugs and alcohol in order to "allow a 'train' of men to subsequently gang rape them."
He did not state the source of his evidence and did not name any alleged victims.
Grassley’s office said it reached out to Avenatti to find out more information about his allegations and requested that he provide any new information.
Avenatti posted a letter he wrote to Mike Davis, the chief counsel on nominations for the Senate Judiciary Committee.
He wrote that he had “significant evidence of multiple house parties” in the 1980s where Kavanaugh, high school friend Mark Judge and others would target women with alcohol and drugs in order to take advantage of them sexually, including gang rapes. He said to expect additional evidence in the coming days.
Avenatti included a list of questions for Senate investigators to ask Kavanaugh, including: "Did you ever attend any house party during which a woman was gang raped or used for sex by multiple men?"
Neither Kavanaugh nor Judge immediately responded to Avenatti's accusations.
Kavanaugh is slated to testify Thursday about the first allegation of sexual assault, dating back from a high school party more than 35 years ago. His accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, is also set to testify.
Kavanaugh, 53, an appellate court judge, has denied Ford's allegation and said he wanted to testify as soon as possible to clear his name.
"This alleged event from 35 years ago did not happen. The people who knew me then know that this did not happen, and have said so," Kavanaugh responded. "This is a smear, plain and simple. I look forward to testifying on Thursday about the truth, and defending my good name--and the reputation for character and integrity I have spent a lifetime building--against these last-minute allegations."
In response to the New Yorker report, Judiciary Committee ranking member Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., called on the committee's Republicans to postpone all proceedings related to Kavanaugh's nomination and refer Ramirez's allegation to the FBI.
Edmund DeMarche is a news editor for FoxNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @EDeMarche.

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