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Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono isn't going to tolerate the smear campaign she says Republicans are queueing up against Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who has accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault. But when Hirono got up to the mic at a Tuesday news conference, her message wasn't just for Senate Republicans or the White House—in a candid moment, Hirono took aim at all men."Let me just add one thing here," Hirono said Tuesday, as Connecticut Senator Rick Blumenthal began taking questions from the press. "I think we all know when something is unfair, when something smells—and we all know this."Hirono focused specifically on Ford's treatment among political higher-ups. "This is so patently unfair to her, and what bothers me and gets me so angry is, the White House is victimizing this person," Hirono continued. "Why should we participate in a victimization of someone who has the courage come forward?"If the allegations are true, he said, "I think it'd be hard for senators not to consider who the judge is today—because that's the issue." Hatch continued, "Is this judge a really good man? And he is. And by any measure he is."On Monday, Debra Katz, Ford's lawyer, told CNN that her client knows Hatch—as well as other government officials and the general public—are ready to tear her down."She's now going to have to live with the tremendous efforts by people to annihilate her and to try to discredit her," Katz said. "We all know what she's going to have to withstand as a result of having come forward."
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When a reporter asked Hirono if she thinks it helps Ford that there are women sitting on the Senate Judiciary Committee, herself included, to hear Ford's testimony during Monday's hearings, Hirono said she thinks it does—but it shouldn't fall to women alone to bring Ford justice."Guess who’s perpetuating all these kinds of actions?" Hirono said. "It’s the men in this country. And I just want to say to the men in this country: Just shut up and step up. Do the right thing for a change."Ford and Kavanaugh will appear before Hirono and the rest of the 21-member Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday—Ford, to provide her account of Kavanaugh's alleged assault of her at a high school party more than three decades ago, and Kavanaugh, to defend himself against accusations he "categorically and unequivocally" denies.Senate Republicans, led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have been scrambling to save Kavanaugh's seat on the bench, especially as Kavanaugh would have been up for a vote in the judiciary committee on Thursday, had Ford's allegations not come to light. Some members of the committee, like Iowa Senator Orrin Hatch, have already made clear their opinions that sexual assault allegations dating back to high school shouldn't disqualify a nominee from being confirmed to a seat on the highest court in the country.
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In some ways, Hirono has long been preparing for this exact moment in Kavanaugh's confirmation process. Starting in January, Hirono made it part of her protocol as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee to ask all judiciary nominees about their history concerning sexual misconduct.Since nominees are under oath when answering the committee's questions, lying about past sexual misconduct allegations means a nominee will have also perjured themselves.During Kavanaugh's hearings, however, Hirono only asked about any accusations of sexual harassment or assault from Kavanaugh's time as a "legal adult." Ford alleges Kavanaugh assaulted her as a minor, when he was 17.Still, Hirono sees no reason why Ford's accusations shouldn't be treated with the utmost seriousness."Seventeen is not exactly a baby, either," Hirono told Politico on Tuesday. "These are serious allegations. She has a very credible story. I believe her. And now we have to do more than say, ‘Well, look at the timing!’ and ‘Well, it’s all politically motivated!’ This has to be taken seriously.”