Time names Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh on 100 most influential people list
Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's testimony against then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh captivated the attention of the nation and the world last fall. Now, Time magazine's annual list of the world's 100 most influential people has brought them into the spotlight again — with both receiving a coveted spot in the edition.
Sen. Kamala Harris, a Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee who took part in the confirmation hearings, wrote a moving tribute for the magazine about Blasey Ford.
"Her courage, in the face of those who wished to silence her, galvanized Americans," wrote Harris, who is also a 2020 presidential candidate. "And her unfathomable sacrifice, out of a sense of civic duty, shined a spotlight on the way we treat survivors of sexual violence."
Ford's allegations against President Trump's Supreme Court nominee first became public on Sept. 16, after Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, asked to delay the vote for Kavanaugh's confirmation due to allegations from a then-anonymous woman.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Blasey Ford went public with her claim that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a house party in 1982, when they were both were teenagers.
She testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 27, telling her story in measured tones and stating that she was "100 percent" sure Kavanaugh had assaulted her.
Kavanaugh also testified that day, vehemently denying such behavior. After a heated debate in the Senate, he was confirmed in a 50-48 vote on Oct. 6. It was one of the nastiest nomination fights in American history.
"Christine Blasey Ford's ambition wasn't to become a household name or make it onto this list," continued Harris. "She had a good life and a successful career—and risked everything to send a warning in a moment of grave consequence." The senator tweeted a summary of her statement on Blasey Ford on Wednesday.
Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s sacrifice, out of a sense of civic duty, shined a spotlight on the way we treat survivors of sexual violence — forcing our country to reckon with an issue that has too often been ignored and kept in the dark. #TIME100https://t.co/dKOzlf77Cc
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) April 17, 2019
Kavanaugh was also named as one of the Time 100, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell offering praise for the justice in his essay for the magazine. McConnell depicted the confirmation fight as a test of Kavanaugh's character.
"...When unhinged partisanship and special interests sought to distract the Senate from considering those qualifications, we saw other facets of Justice Kavanaugh's character shine forth as well," wrote McConnell. "The country saw his resilience and commitment to public service. We saw his loyal devotion to family and friends. We saw his undeterred reverence for the law, for precedents and for our nation's highest traditions."
Since Kavanaugh's confirmation in October, both have maintained a relatively low public profile. Blasey Ford released a statement on a GoFundMe page collecting donations for her in November, thanking her supporters. She also presented Sports Illustrated's Inspiration of the Year award to Larry Nassar abuse survivor Rachael Denhollander in December.