Hatch calls Ford an ‘attractive, good witness’

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) on Thursday referred to the woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault as an “attractive, good witness.”

Hatch made the comment about Christine Blasey Ford during a recess in the middle of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing where Ford spent the morning testifying. 

{mosads}”It’s too early to say,” Hatch said in response to a question about Ford’s credibility, according to audio released by McClatchy. “I don’t think she’s un-credible. I think she’s an attractive, good witness but it’s way early.”

“What do you mean by attractive, sir?” a reporter asked.

“In other words, she’s pleasing,” Hatch replied.

Hatch’s spokesman clarified his remarks in a tweet shortly after, saying Hatch was referring to her personality.

“Hatch uses ‘attractive’ to describe personalities, not appearances,” spokesperson Matt Whitlock wrote. “If you search his past quotes you’ll see he’s used it consistently for years for men and women he believed has compelling personalities.”  

Hatch uses “attractive” to describe personalities, not appearances. If you search his past quotes you’ll see he’s used it consistently for years for men and women he believed has compelling personalities.

— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) September 27, 2018

Hatch has railed against each of the three women who have publicly accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct this week. 

He previously accused Ford of being “mixed up” and called the allegation from Deborah Ramirez “phony.” Ramirez has accused Kavanaugh of exposing himself without her consent during a party at Yale University in the 1980s.

Hatch encouraged the committee to move forward in the process to confirm Kavanaugh after a third woman, Julie Swetnick, on Wednesday publicly accused Kavanaugh of engaging in a pattern of exploitative behavior with women in high school.