*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.
To many observers, the efforts to roll back two policies that disproportionately help Black students and other students of color reflect a backlash to racial progress in higher education.
Most GOP-controlled states have already imposed bans, including 14 at every stage of pregnancy.
Former Texas Republican Congressman Will Hurd announced he is running for president.
The Supreme Court ruled that a man convicted to 27 years in prison on gun charges won't be able to challenge his conviction.
A Florida judge has struck down a ruling that banned Medicaid payments for transgender healthcare in the state.
A Moscow court on Thursday ruled that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich must remain in jail on espionage charges until at least late August, rejecting the American journalist’s appeal to be released.
The Supreme Court ruled against the Navajo Nation on Thursday in a dispute involving water from the drought-stricken Colorado River.
A resolution to impeach President Joe Biden is likely to face a House vote this week as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy remains opposed to it right now.
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito accepted a 2008 trip to a luxury fishing lodge in Alaska from two wealthy Republican donors, one of whom repeatedly had interests before the court, and he did not disclose the trips on his financial disclosure for that year, ProPublica reports.
President Joe Biden made his first public comments about his son Hunter Biden's plea deal with federal prosecutors on two misdemeanor tax charges. This follows several critical comments by Republicans, who blasted the agreement as a "sweetheart deal."
