EXCERPT:
TUR: “Do you have a response to Senator McConnell?”
COONS: “Certainly. First, the discounting by the Majority Leader of the allegations brought forward by Dr. Ford and by Deborah Ramirez is a shameful smear campaign is exactly why so many victims of sexual abuse and harassment don’t come forward. They don’t come forward because they’re slighted, slandered, treated with disrespect. In the case of Dr. Ford, she's reported that she and her family had to move because of both harassment online and death threats. First, to just dismiss out of hand as a shameful smear campaign these allegations strikes me of what’s not appropriate in this setting. Second, if we were interested in getting to the truth here, both parties would be recognizing that Dr. Ford and Deborah Ramirez have nothing to gain. In fact, by bravely coming forward with these allegations, by volunteering to be interviewed by the FBI, they’re putting themselves at legal risk and they have already suffered some impacts for them for and their families. It is Judge Kavanaugh who is seeking a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court. And who I think now bears the burden of disproving these allegations rather than Dr. Ford and Ms. Ramirez who should be dismissed with slanderous accusations.”