Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley Sends Message to False Accusers
Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, left, and liberal activist lawyer Michael Avenatti.
Michael Avenatti and his client Julie Swetnick have been referred for criminal prosecution relating to false accusations made against Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Ms. Swetnick was the third accuser to make unsubstantiated allegations against the nominee.
In a letter sent Thursday to Attorney General Jeff Sessions at the Justice Department (DOJ) and Director Christopher Wray at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Senate Judiciaru Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Ia., cites potential violations of 18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 1001 and 1505, which respectively define the federal criminal offenses of conspiracy, false statements and obstruction of Congress.
“When a well-meaning citizen comes forward with information relevant to the committee’s work, I take it seriously. It takes courage to come forward, especially with allegations of sexual misconduct or personal trauma. I’m grateful for those who find that courage,” Chairman Grassley said in a statement. “But in the heat of partisan moments, some do try to knowingly mislead the committee. That’s unfair to my colleagues, the nominees and others providing information who are seeking the truth.”
The referral seeks further investigation only, and is not intended to be an allegation of a crime. Avenatti, who also represents Stormy Daniels, is known as a Democratic operative and the media public relations industry’s version of a slip-and-fall lawyer. He attacked Chairman Grassley on Twitter.
“It is ironic that Senator Grassley now is interested in investigations. He didn’t care when it came to putting a man on the SCOTUS for life,” he tweeted. “We welcome the investigation as now we can finally get to the bottom of Judge Kavanaugh’s lies and conduct. Let the truth be known.”
It is ironic that Senator Grassley now is interested in investigations. He didn’t care when it came to putting a man on the SCOTUS for life. We welcome the investigation as now we can finally get to the bottom of Judge Kavanaugh’s lies and conduct. Let the truth be known.
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) October 25, 2018
“Maybe if Grassley was actually a lawyer that knew something about the law, he would realize what he has done,” he tweeted in a follow up. “He just opened up Pandora’s box as it relates to Justice Kavanaugh’s conduct. It is Christmas in October!”
Maybe if Grassley was actually a lawyer that knew something about the law, he would realize what he has done. He just opened up Pandora’s box as it relates to Justice Kavanaugh’s conduct. It is Christmas in October!
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) October 25, 2018
Initially, Ms. Swetnick alleged in a signed statement on September 26 to have witnessed Judge Kavanaugh at “gang rape” parties and claimed to have become a victim of one of the ten she attended while in college.
Justice Kavanaugh would’ve been in high school at the time.
Nevertheless, she backpedaled during an interview with MSNBC that aired on October 1, leaving nothing but insinuations and vague claims. Then, the Senate Judiciary Committee received a signed statement from Mr. Dennis Ketterer, the former Democratic candidate for Congress and weatherman for WJLA Channel 7 in Washington.
Mr. Ketterer had a relationship with Ms. Swetnick, and claimed in the statement made under penalty of perjury that sh “liked toe have sex with more than one guy at a time.” In fact, it’s one of the main reasons he ended the relationship.
“During a conversation about our sexual preferences, things got derailed when Julie told me that she liked to have sex with more than one guy at a time,” the signed statement reads. “In fact sometimes with several at one time. She wanted to know if that would be ok in our relationship.”
Further, Mr. Ketterer claimed under penalty of perjury, she never mentioned the alleged incident with the judge or the gang rapes.
“It stifles our ability to work on legitimate lines of inquiry. It also wastes time and resources for destructive reasons. Thankfully, the law prohibits such false statements to Congress and obstruction of congressional committee investigations,” Chairman Grassley added. “For the law to work, we can’t just brush aside potential violations. I don’t take lightly making a referral of this nature, but ignoring this behavior will just invite more of it in the future.”
This is the second criminal referral to come out of the committee relating to false accusations made against Justice Kavanaugh. Last month, Chairman Grassley referred for criminal investigation another individual who made false sexual-assault allegations, which were then investigated by committee staff before the individual recanted the claims on social media.
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