A secret letter sent by Senator Dianne Feinstein to the FBI accuses Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh of attempting to force himself on a teenaged girl when both were in high school, according to a new report by Ronan Farrow and Jane Mayer at The New Yorker.
“In the letter, the woman alleged that, during an encounter at a party, Kavanaugh held her down, and that he attempted to force himself on her,” The New Yorker article states. “She claimed in the letter that Kavanaugh and a classmate of his, both of whom had been drinking, turned up music that was playing in the room to conceal the sound of her protests, and that Kavanaugh covered her mouth with his hand.”
Kavanaugh issued a statement refuting the allegations, saying, “I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time.”
His classmate said simply, “I have no recollection of that.”
At the time, Kavanaugh was a high school student at the prestigious private Catholic Georgetown Preparatory School, in Bethesda. The woman, who has asked to not have her name revealed, was a student at a nearby school. All three were minors at the time.
Late Thursday the FBI announced it was refusing to investigate the accusation. It forwarded the letter to the White House.
Farrow is a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist whose work brought down film producer Harvey Weinstein, and late last week CBS chairman Les Moonves. Farrow and Mayer’s joint report last year led to the resignation of NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.