J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh waits to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee for the third day of his confirmation hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington, September, 2018.
- Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her during their high school years in the 1980s, has moved out of her house and hired private security because of death threats she has received since coming forward.
- Ford, a mother of two teenagers, has received vulgar emails and messages on social media, a New York Times report said.
- "From what I've heard you have 6 months to live, you disgusting slime," one of the messages reportedly read.
- Ford and her attorney have yet to respond to invitations to testify at a public hearing about her allegations against Kavanaugh.
Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who accused Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her during their high school years in the 1980s, has moved out of her house and hired private security detail because of death threats she has received since coming forward.
A person familiar with the matter told The New York Times that Ford, a mother of two teenagers, began receiving vulgar emails and messages on social media.
"From what I've heard you have 6 months to live, you disgusting slime," one of the messages allegedly read.
The Times' source added that Ford has also received supportive messages after giving her account of the alleged incident: "Ninety percent of people think she's a hero and are extremely supportive of her, and 10 percent want her to die immediately," the person told the newspaper.
In July, Ford initially wrote about her allegation in a letter that was eventually sent to Sen. Diane Feinstein of California, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. At the time, Ford reportedly expected her story to remain confidential and her identity anonymous. Ford decided to go public with her account after it was leaked and inaccurate reports emerged.
"These are all the ills that I was trying to avoid," Ford said to The Washington Post. "Now I feel like my civic responsibility is outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation."
The committee's planned vote for Kavanaugh's confirmation on Thursday was delayed after Democrats and a few key Republican lawmakers expressed hesitation about moving forward. The committee announced on Monday it would hold a public hearing next week for Kavanaugh and Ford.
Kavanaugh has denied the allegation and said he would testify to "refute this false allegation" and "defend my integrity."
Until late Tuesday, Ford and her attorney had not yet responded to the committee's hearing request. It soon emerged that the attorney sent a letter to the Republican Senate Judiciary chairman Chuck Grassley, asking that the FBI investigate Ford's accusations against Kavanaugh to "ensure that the crucial facts and witnesses in this matter are assessed in a non-partisan manner."
The letter revealed Tuesday evening confirmed The New York Times' earlier reporting about threats Ford has received, saying Ford has "been the target of vicious harassment and even death threats."
Ford's attorney continued, according to CNN: "We would welcome the opportunity to talk with you and Ranking Member Feinstein to discuss reasonable steps as to how Dr. Ford can cooperate while also taking care of her own health and security."