Sen. Whitehouse questions Kavanaugh about his yearbook page
Judge Kavanaugh clarifies comments on his high school yearbook page during Senate hearing.
Words written by Brett Kavanaugh in his 1983 Georgetown Prep yearbook have been in the spotlight over the past few days after a New York Times article highlighted some Kavanaugh references. The book was brought up during a Senate hearing Thursday as Kavanaugh defended himself against multiple sexual misconduct allegations.
According to the Times, Kavanaugh's yearbook revealed his love of partying, sports and drinking. He also apparently called himself as a “Renate Alumni," referring to Renate Schroeder Dolphin, a woman who attended a nearby Catholic school.
“I don’t know what ‘Renate Alumnus’ actually means. I can’t begin to comprehend what goes through the minds of 17-year-old boys who write such things, but the insinuation is horrible, hurtful and simply untrue. I pray their daughters are never treated this way. I will have no further comment," Dolphin told the Times earlier this week, adding she just recently heard about the yearbook page.
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Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse told Kavanaugh at Thursday's hearing the yearbook pages were relevant because it was from the time many of the alleged incidents took place. He asked Kavanaugh if some of the words written inside were his own.
"We submitted things to the editors and I believe they took them. I don't know if they changed things or not," Kavanaugh replied, adding that he wasn't going to sit and contest the decades-old comments.
"Have at it if you want to go through my yearbook," he fired back. "If you're worried about my yearbook — have at it, senator."
Whitehouse then asked Kavanaugh what "Beach Week Ralph Club Biggest Contributor" referred to. Kavanaugh admitted it likely was a reference to throwing up, adding he has always been known to have a "weak stomach."
Kavanaugh continued to say he "busted his butt" in school to get into college, while Whitehouse pressed him on whether his vomitting was related to the consumption of alcohol.
"I like beer. I like beer. Do you like beer, senator? What do you like to drink?" Kavanaugh replied.
Whitehouse then moved on, asking Kavanaugh to define the word "boof," which the judge said referred to flatulence.
"We were 16," Kavanaugh clarified. "We want to talk about flatulence at age 16 on a yearbook page? I'm game."
Later, Whitehouse brought up the "Renate Alumni" reference in the yearbook.
Kavanaugh said she was a "great friend" who often hung out with his friend group. He reiterated, noting he previously commented on the phrase in his opening statement, that it did not refer to any sexual interaction and apologized her name got "dragged through the mud."
Alexandra Walsh, a lawyer for Kavanaugh, told the Times in a statement earlier this week that the judge and Dolphin attended one school event together.
“Judge Kavanaugh and Ms. Dolphin attended one high school event together and shared a brief kiss good night following that event,” the statement said. “They had no other such encounter. The language from Judge Kavanaugh’s high school yearbook refers to the fact that he and Ms. Dolphin attended that one high school event together and nothing else.”
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