Calgary Judicial Crisis Network On Kavanaugh Allegations: We Have To Look Into This Further | HuffPost Latest News - Action.News ABC Action News WestNet-HD Weather Traffic

Carrie Severino, chief counsel and policy director of the Judicial Crisis Network, would not definitively state Wednesday that Judge Brett Kavanaugh should still be confirmed as a Supreme Court associate justice, saying allegations of misconduct should be further examined.

I think we have to look into this further, Severino said when asked by MSNBC s Craig Melvin whether Kavanaugh should still be confirmed. From what we know so far, we dont have corroboration yet. If the Senate votes on this soon, I think they would have to go on what they know so far. I know the Senate Judiciary Committee is going to look into this before they would move forward to a vote.

This seems significant.

The chief counsel for the Judicial Crisis Network, the main outside group supporting Kavanaugh's nomination, is unwilling to say definitively that Kavanaugh should be confirmed in light of Swetnick's new allegations. pic.twitter.com/yAPbithoKo

Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) September 26, 2018","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Judd Legum","author_url":"https://twitter.com/JuddLegum","cache_age":86400,"description":"This seems significant. The chief counsel for the Judicial Crisis Network, the main outside group supporting Kavanaugh's nomination, is unwilling to say definitively that Kavanaugh should be confirmed in light of Swetnick's new allegations. pic.twitter.com/yAPbithoKo Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) September 26, 2018\n\n","provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":540,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1044993528114237441/pu/img/DFYEnXuCS5R_CXse.jpg","thumbnail_width":960,"title":"Judd Legum on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/JuddLegum/status/1044993570103578624","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5babbc29e4b091df72ecbbcd","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/judicial-crisis-network-brett-kavanaugh-allegations_n_5babbc29e4b091df72ecbbcd","entryTagsList":"supreme-court,brett-kavanaugh,sexual-misconduct,judicial-crisis-network,carrie-severino,@breaking,@developing,@health_adhd,@health_depression,@health_erectile,@health_gad,@health_hiv,@health_ibs,@health_models,@health_pain","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/106594f3-9edb-4b4c-b60e-76620d289a20/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":12},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5babbc29e4b091df72ecbbcd","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Supreme Court","slug":"supreme-court","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/supreme-court","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/supreme-court","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/supreme-court"},"relegenceSubjectId":4941764,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Supreme Court","slug":"supreme-court","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/supreme-court"},{"name":"Brett Kavanaugh","slug":"brett-kavanaugh","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/brett-kavanaugh","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/brett-kavanaugh","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/brett-kavanaugh"},"relegenceId":4200933,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Brett Kavanaugh","slug":"brett-kavanaugh","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/brett-kavanaugh"},{"name":"sexual misconduct","slug":"sexual-misconduct","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/sexual-misconduct","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/sexual-misconduct","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/sexual-misconduct"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Crime","slug":"crime"},"topic":{"title":"Sexual Harassment","slug":"sexual-harassment","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/sexual-harassment"},{"name":"judicial crisis network","slug":"judicial-crisis-network","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/judicial-crisis-network","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/judicial-crisis-network","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/judicial-crisis-network"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/judicial-crisis-network"},{"name":"Carrie Severino","slug":"carrie-severino","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/carrie-severino","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/carrie-severino","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/carrie-severino"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/carrie-severino"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

This seems significant.

The chief counsel for the Judicial Crisis Network, the main outside group supporting Kavanaugh's nomination, is unwilling to say definitively that Kavanaugh should be confirmed in light of Swetnick's new allegations. pic.twitter.com/yAPbithoKo
Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) September 26, 2018

Severino clarified her remarks in a tweet Wednesday afternoon, saying her group still fully supports Kavanaugh.

Not true. The further examination I referred to is the SJC asking Avenatti to submit any corroborating evidence they have, something they asked for days ago and he has yet to do. Our ads are still up and we still fully support Judge Kavanaugh and look forward to his confirmation. https://t.co/8zWPwtLcgD

Carrie Severino (@JCNSeverino) September 26, 2018","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Carrie Severino","author_url":"https://twitter.com/JCNSeverino","cache_age":86400,"description":"Not true. The further examination I referred to is the SJC asking Avenatti to submit any corroborating evidence they have, something they asked for days ago and he has yet to do.Our ads are still up and we still fully support Judge Kavanaugh and look forward to his confirmation. https://t.co/8zWPwtLcgD Carrie Severino (@JCNSeverino) September 26, 2018\n\n","provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Carrie Severino on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/JCNSeverino/status/1045021089888423936","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5babbc29e4b091df72ecbbcd","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/judicial-crisis-network-brett-kavanaugh-allegations_n_5babbc29e4b091df72ecbbcd","entryTagsList":"supreme-court,brett-kavanaugh,sexual-misconduct,judicial-crisis-network,carrie-severino,@breaking,@developing,@health_adhd,@health_depression,@health_erectile,@health_gad,@health_hiv,@health_ibs,@health_models,@health_pain","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/106594f3-9edb-4b4c-b60e-76620d289a20/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":12},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5babbc29e4b091df72ecbbcd","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Supreme Court","slug":"supreme-court","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/supreme-court","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/supreme-court","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/supreme-court"},"relegenceSubjectId":4941764,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Supreme Court","slug":"supreme-court","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/supreme-court"},{"name":"Brett Kavanaugh","slug":"brett-kavanaugh","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/brett-kavanaugh","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/brett-kavanaugh","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/brett-kavanaugh"},"relegenceId":4200933,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Brett Kavanaugh","slug":"brett-kavanaugh","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/brett-kavanaugh"},{"name":"sexual misconduct","slug":"sexual-misconduct","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/sexual-misconduct","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/sexual-misconduct","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/sexual-misconduct"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Crime","slug":"crime"},"topic":{"title":"Sexual Harassment","slug":"sexual-harassment","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/sexual-harassment"},{"name":"judicial crisis network","slug":"judicial-crisis-network","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/judicial-crisis-network","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/judicial-crisis-network","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/judicial-crisis-network"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/judicial-crisis-network"},{"name":"Carrie Severino","slug":"carrie-severino","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/carrie-severino","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/carrie-severino","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/carrie-severino"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/carrie-severino"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

Not true. The further examination I referred to is the SJC asking Avenatti to submit any corroborating evidence they have, something they asked for days ago and he has yet to do. Our ads are still up and we still fully support Judge Kavanaugh and look forward to his confirmation. https://t.co/8zWPwtLcgD
Carrie Severino (@JCNSeverino) September 26, 2018

The Judicial Crisis Network sits at the center of a network of groups and conservative legal activists behind the selection of judges by President Donald Trump . JCN was co-founded by Leonard Leo , the Federalist Society executive who pushed Kavanaughs nomination on Trump, as the societys political arm to publicly advocate for judicial nominees.

The role of JCN is to publicly support those nominees with seven-figure television advertising buys and extensive advocacy on television programs, such as the one Severino, a former clerk to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas , appeared on.

Severinos public comments on Kavanaugh are significant its her job to promote Kavanaughs confirmation, and shes previously been one of his biggest defenders. She told MSNBC on Tuesday that the accusations of sexual misconduct by Kavanaugh are part of a partisan smear campaign led by Democrats .

In a Sept. 18 interview with CNN , Severino downplayed the accusations of Christine Blasey Ford , who claims Kavanaugh pinned her down, groped her and tried to remove her clothes at a party when the two were in high school in the 1980s. Severino said Blaseys accusations cover a whole range of conduct, from boorishness to rough horseplay to actual attempted rape.

Theres 35 years of memory that were trying to play with here, and Im saying the behavior she described could describe a whole range of things, Severino said.

The White House continued to stand by its candidate, with press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders telling CNBC that Trump still has confidence in his pick.

Kavanaugh was one of 25 candidates named in a list of acceptable conservative court picks provided by The Federalist Society to Trump. Kavanaughs name was added late as a bid by his friends Leo, White House counsel Don McGahn and conservative activist Ed Whelan to get Trump to choose him.

Jenna Amatulli contributed to this report.

This story has been updated with more details about the Judicial Crisis Network and to include Severinos tweet from later Wednesday.

Need help? Visit RAINNs National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Centers website .

Support Free Journalism

Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Support HuffPost