Ashley Kavanaugh sitting behind her husband.
While Brett Kavanaugh angrily responded to Christine Ford’s allegations during his testimony today, many noticed the sad woman sitting behind him and dressed in a black dress. The brown-haired woman is his wife, Ashley Estes Kavanaugh. At one point, his voice broke and he had to pause as he spoke about the effect the allegations have had on his two daughters, and Ashley appeared to be choking back tears as he spoke.
Ashley seated behind Brett
Ashley Kavanaugh has been supporting her husband through all the allegations. Until she and Brett appeared on Fox News this week, she stayed out of the spotlight after the allegations surfaced.
They walked down the hall, hand-in-hand, as they headed to the room where he was going to testify.
Judge Brett Kavanaugh walks into the hearing room holding hands with his wife Ashley. During his confirmation hearing, Kavanaugh would walk in without her, instead surrounded by White House personnel and bearing a big smile. Today his demeanor is strikingly different —>
She walked in with him, hand-in-hand, as he appeared to testify.
GettyShe walked in with him.
And she has been sitting behind him, showing support, ever since.
Getty
In this video clip, you can see her watching Brett as he talks about how the allegations have affected the women in his life.
“I intend no ill will toward Dr. Ford,” a tearful Brett Kavanaugh says. “The other night, Ashley and my daughter Eliza said their prayers, and little Eliza, all of 10 years old, said to Ashley, ‘We should pray for the woman.’ That’s a lot of wisdom from a 10 year old.”
Despite not appearing much publicly at first, she hasn’t been immune from the fallout. She has received death threats since the allegations came out, USA Today reported. She received threatening emails at work, where she’s the town manager. They included messages like “My condolences to you for being married to a rapist. Although you probably deserve it,” and “F*** YOU AND YOUR RAPIST HUSBAND.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that she also received emails that read “May you, your husband and your kids burn in hell” and telling her to “put a bullet” in her husband.
Closeup of Ashley Kavanaugh watching her husband testify.
Ashley and Brett have been married since 2004. They have two daughters, Margaret and Liza. Their first daughter was born just 13 months after they were married. In the photo below, you can see family of the Kavanaughs holding back tears, sitting next to a friend of Kavanaugh’s, who is next to his wife as he testifies. His parents are on the left.
GettyBrett Kavanaugh speaks as his parents listen at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
Brett and Ashley first met while they were both working for George W. Bush in the White House. They were married in 2004, when Brett was a United States Circuit Judge. President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush attended their wedding. Their wedding was featured in a “Weddings of the Rich and Famous” column published in the Washingtonian because the Bushes attended.
GettyAshley Kavanaugh listens to her husband, Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
Ashley is now the Town Manager of The Village of Chevy Chase Section 5 in Maryland, according to her LinkedIn. Ashley’s position is a non-partisan position, appointed by the Town Council.
This is a developing story.