An attorney for Deborah Ramirez has confirmed that the FBI has reached out to the Boulder resident as part of an additional background investigation of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
Ramirez is the second person to come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh. She came forward after Christine Blasey Ford, a California professor, accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault. Ford testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday about the allegations, which she said occurred when they were in high school.
“We can confirm the FBI has reached out to interview Ms. Ramirez and she has agreed to cooperate with their investigation,” said John Clune, an attorney for Ramirez, in an emailed statement. “Out of respect for the integrity of the process, we will have no further comment at this time.”
that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her while she was at a dorm party during the 1983-84 academic year at Yale University.
Kavanaugh has denied her story.
We can confirm the FBI has reached out to interview Ms. Ramirez and she has agreed to cooperate with their investigation. Out of respect for the integrity of the process, we will have no further comment at this time.
— John Clune (@CluneEsq)
that the FBI had started contacting people as it began the additional background investigation of Kavanaugh. The bureau is also following up on the allegations by Ford, according to the newspaper.
After Thursday’s hearing, in which both Ford and Kavanaugh testified, the committee voted to move the Supreme Court nomination to the Senate but requested an additional FBI investigation into the allegations over the next week.
Republican leaders and President Donald Trump called Friday for an investigation, and the FBI reportedly has been moving quickly.
FBI agents have not yet reached out to a third woman, Julie Swetnick, ɳ she witnessed Kavanaugh engaged in “excessive drinking and inappropriate contact of a sexual nature with women in the early 1980s,” said her attorney, Michael Avenatti, on Twitter.
“We have yet to hear from the FBI,” he said in a tweet. “When and if we do, we will promptly disclose to them all information and witnesses in our possession.”
We have yet to hear from the FBI. When and if we do, we will promptly disclose to them all information and witnesses in our possession. We continue to request this opportunity as we have been doing for days. My client is telling the truth and deserves to be heard and not shammed.
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti)
The Washington Post also contributed to this report.