Third woman makes sexual misconduct allegations about Supreme ...

Jessica Estepa USA TODAY

Published 1:18 PM EDT Sep 26, 2018

Julie Swetnick, a client of attorney Michael Avenatti, alleged in a signed statement released Wednesday that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh would drink to excess and "engage in abusive behavior" toward teenage girls while he was in high school.

In an explosive statement released by Avenatti, Swetnick claimed that in the 1980s she witnessed efforts by Kavanaugh and his classmate, Mark Judge, to get teenage girls "inebriated and disoriented so they could then be 'gang raped' in a side room or bedroom by a 'train' of numerous boys."

"I have a firm recollection of seeing boys lined up outside rooms at many of these parties waiting for their 'turn' with a girl inside the room," she alleged in the statement. "These boys included Mark Judge and Brett Kavanaugh."

Swetnick alleged she became one of the victims of "one of these 'gang' or 'train' rapes." She did not say that Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her.

Kavanaugh called Swetnick's allegations "ridiculous" in a statement released by the White House on Wednesday.

"This is ridiculous and from the Twilight Zone," he said. "I don’t know who this is and this never happened."

President Donald Trump knocked Swetnick's lawyer, Avenatti, in a tweet Wednesday afternoon. Avenatti also represents porn star Stormy Daniels in her lawsuits against Trump.

"Avenatti is a third rate lawyer who is good at making false accusations, like he did on me and like he is now doing on Judge Brett Kavanaugh," the president tweeted. "He is just looking for attention and doesn’t want people to look at his past record and relationships - a total low-life!"

For his part, Avenatti called for an FBI investigation into Swetnick's allegations.

"Under no circumstances should Brett Kavanaugh be confirmed absent a full and complete investigation," he said on Twitter.

Avenatti also said he is still waiting for a response from Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, over Swetnick's allegations about Kavanaugh. He included emails he exchanged with Grassley's staff earlier this week.

Committee spokesman Taylor Foy said Avenatti provided Swetnick's signed declaration on Wednesday.

Two other women, Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez, have come forward with their own allegations against Kavanaugh. Ford alleged that Kavanaugh held her down and tried to remove her clothes while they were both in high school. Ramirez alleged that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her while they were freshmen at Yale University. Kavanaugh vehemently has denied their allegations.

More: Brett Kavanaugh's 1982 calendar being used as evidence against sexual assault allegations

More: Kavanaugh accusers Ford, Ramirez admit memory gaps: Here's what trauma experts say

More: Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford offers Senate 4 she told about assault claims

Ford and Kavanaugh are set to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

Swetnick, a resident of Washington, D.C., said she was a graduate of Gaithersburg High School in Maryland. She currently holds clearances for her work with the Treasury Department, U.S. Mint and the IRS.

In Swetnick's statement, she said she met Kavanaugh and Judge in the early 1980s at a house party. She described the two as "extremely close friends."

"There is no question in my mind that Mark Judge has significant information concerning the conduct of Brett Kavanaugh during the 1980s, especially as it relates to his actions toward women," she said. Ford, the first woman to accuse Kavanaugh of assault, alleged that Judge was present for that incident.

Swetnick alleged she attended more than 10 parties where Kavanaugh and Judge were present, where she witnessed the two drinking excessively and engaging in "highly inappropriate conduct, including being overly aggressive with girls and not taking 'No' for an answer." The behavior included grabbing girls and fondling them without their consent, she alleged.

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