*By Carlo Versano*
Prof. Christine Blasey Ford ー emotional and at times defiant ー read an opening statement during Thursday's hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee in which she said, in no uncertain terms, that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in the early 1980s at a house party when they were both teenagers in Maryland.
For the first time since the allegations were made public earlier this month, the country both saw and heard Dr. Ford, who opened her testimony by stating, "I am terrified."
She continued, "I am here, because I believe it is my civic duty."
Ford's opening statement turned more resolute when she described death threats she has received since coming forward in an article in The Washington Post.
"Apart from the assault itself, these past couple of weeks have been the hardest of my life. I have had to relive this trauma in front of the world," she said.
She also pushed back forcefully on critics who said she couldn't possibly remember an attack from so long ago ー and referenced pundits and operatives who have proposed the idea that she was acting as part of a Democratic hit job on Kavanaugh's nomination.
"I am an independent person, and I am no one's pawn," Ford said.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says the White House has confidence the Secret Service is “going to get to the bottom of this.”
Americans are segregating by their politics at a rapid clip, helping fuel the greatest divide between the states in modern history.
China has restricted exports of high-tech metals gallium and germanium, which are critical to making chips, in response to the U.S. blocking them from access to advanced chips.
A federal judge in Louisiana has restricted the Biden administration from communicating with social media platforms regarding content.
Russia said it's in contact with the U.S. over the imprisonment of journalist Evan Gershkovich.
They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly.
Former President Donald Trump reportedly pressured former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey to overturn the state's 2020 election results.
Former President Donald Trump reportedly pressured former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey to overturn the state's 2020 election results.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are "beyond their sell-by date" in an interview with The New York Times.
Overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating affirmative action in higher education had been leading goals of the conservative legal movement for decades. In a span of 370 days, a Supreme Court reshaped by three justices nominated by President Donald Trump made both a reality.
