Getty Orrin Hatch
Orrin Hatch is under fire after calling Christine Blasey Ford an “attractive” and “pleasing” witness during Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s hearing confirmation.
You can listen to the audio below:
Asked if he believes Dr. Ford, Sen. Orrin Hatch says, “I don’t find her un-credible. I think she’s an attractive, good witness.”
Sen. Hatch’s spokesman clarified saying he uses “attractive” to “describe personalities, not appearances.” t.co/zACQjdfQRd
Kate Irby wrote on Twitter: “Hatch just called Ford an ‘attractive witness.’ Asked to elaborate what he meant, he said ‘she’s pleasing.'”
Hatch just called Ford an “attractive witness.” Asked to elaborate what he meant, he said “she’s pleasing.”
Irby then follows up her tweet with another, claiming she has audio of the comment. She said his comment was made in front of a “gaggle of reporters,” and that she “couldn’t believe he just said that.”
Hatch’s deputy chief of staff and communications director Matt Whitlock sent out several tweets to clarify Hatch’s remark, stating: “Hatch uses ‘attractive’ to describe personalities, not appearances. If you search his past quotes you’ll see he’s used it consistently for years for men and women he believed has compelling personalities.”
Whitlock actually wrote the same tweet over and over again while responding to different people on Twitter.
When your day as Orrin Hatch’s communications director is going great:
Elana Schor wrote a follow-up tweet, stating: “Hatch said it’s too early gauge Ford’s credibility but told me she is “a good witness. She’s articulate. She’s an attractive person.” (Attractive, in context, did not sound like a reference to looks.) But don’t forget, Hatch is among Kavanaugh’s biggest backers.”
This is a developing story. Heavy will continue to update as more information is known.
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