As soon as rumors began of the anonymous, decades-old allegation of sexual misconduct against Judge Brett Kavanaugh, many couldn’t help but recall a similar situation involving a conservative judge appointed by a Republican president 27 years ago.
Some conservatives say the allegations are simply a Hail Mary attempt to derail Kavanaugh’s confirmation, similar to what happened to Justice Clarence Thomas.
This attack was the beginning of the tsunami of lies that continues to target due process of the law to this day. Fortunately it failed then with #JusticeThomas and it will fail again with soon-to-be #JusticeKavanaugh pic.twitter.com/MARxCOquXR
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) September 15, 2018
“This attack was the beginning of the tsunami of lies that continues to target due process of the law to this day,” tweeted conservative actor James Woods. “Fortunately it failed then with #JusticeThomas and it will fail again with soon-to-be #JusticeKavanaugh.” (RELATED: Anita Hill Speaks Out On Kavanaugh Allegations)
Erick Erickson called the move “their Anita Hill stunt.”
Y’all, check this out from @McCormackJohn. The Dems are pulling their Anita Hill stunt on Kavanaugh. https://t.co/l3qQbT1eB6
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) September 14, 2018
Some commentators nixed the comparisons on the basis that Hill’s allegations were even more credible than the ones against Kavanaugh.
Uh, Anita Hill testified publicly under oath and was cross-examined. We don’t even know who Kavanaugh’s accuser even IS! Not to mention, Kavanaugh was allegedly 17 years old! You people can NOT be serious about this BS analogy. It’s a joke, right?! https://t.co/JJROCIldYI
— John Ziegler (@Zigmanfreud) September 14, 2018
About those Anita Hill comparisons:
1991: Hill comes forward publicly
2018: Claims are anonymous1991: Hill makes detailed allegations
2018: Public hasn’t seen the claims1991: Hill alleges professional misconduct
2018: Anonymous refers to high schoolNot close to the same.
— David French (@DavidAFrench) September 14, 2018
Clarence Thomas’s accuser was named Anita Hill.
What is the name of Brett Kavanaugh’s accuser? https://t.co/x1L8783Bcp
— Jeremiah Stephan Dunleavy IV (@JerryDunleavy) September 14, 2018
Liberals, on the other hand, drew different comparisons:
Of course, Orrin Hatch, whose treatment of Anita Hill in defense of Clarence Thomas was repulsive, would blow off allegations against Brett Kavanaugh. https://t.co/0quYQIEybz
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) September 14, 2018
Ronan Farrow’s article on Brett Kavanaugh’s sexual assault is damning.
The question: How much have we grown as a nation since Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill?
The answer if Kavanaugh is confirmed: Not much.
— Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) September 14, 2018
What’s becoming clear to me with this Kavanaugh allegation is how little has changed since Anita Hill spoke out against Clarence Thomas https://t.co/etVjnUS2BQ
— Amanda Terkel (@aterkel) September 14, 2018
My suspicion is that the biggest story in American politics right now is what right wingers are doing to lay the groundwork to try to Anita Hill whomever wrote the letter to Anna Eshoo re Kavanaugh.
Because the odds Kavanaugh has no idea who wrote this letter are… LOW.
— Jeff Hauser (@jeffhauser) September 13, 2018