text: U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), the longest-serving GOP Senator in U.S. history, has just spoken with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. He has concluded that Dr. Christine Blasey Ford might be “mixed up,” according to NBC Capitol Hill reporter Leigh Ann Caldwell. Dr. Ford has accused Judge Kavanaugh of sexual assault and attempted rape.
  HuffPost’s Igor Bobic reports Hatch said: “There’s some question whether she’s mixed up” about Kavanaugh being there.
  He also says “there are lots of reasons not to believe” Dr. Ford’s accusations.
  “I think there are lots of reasons not to believe it, but on the other hand, you can’t ignore and cast the issue aside,” Hatch says of Ford’s allegation, adding he hopes it is resolved in “further hearings.” However, he said whether to delay Thursday’s vote is up to Grassley.
  — Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) September 17, 2018
  Judge Kavanaugh “denies being at the party in question,” Caldwell reports, referring to the party at which Dr. Ford says Judge Kavanaugh, then 17, sexually assaulted her and attempted to rape her. Caldwell cites a Hatch aide as her source.
  “Hatch told me kavanaugh is ‘honest’ and ‘straightforward,'” and said after talking “to Kavanaugh the woman might be ‘mixed up.'”
  NEWS: @OrrinHatch just spoke to Kavanaugh and Kavaaugh denies being at the party in question per a Hatch aide.
  Hatch told me kavanaugh is “honest” and “straightforward” and said after talkng to Kavanaugh the woman might be “mixed up”
  — Leigh Ann Caldwell (@LACaldwellDC) September 17, 2018
  PBS NewsHour’s Lisa Desjardins adds that Sen. Hatch says that even if the “allegations were true” it “would be hard for Senators not to consider” who Judge Kavanaugh is today – a good man.
  HATCH just told us two things:
  1. He spoke w Kavanaugh an hour ago and Kavanaugh told him he was not even at that party (we did folo up but that’s all we got)2. Hatch, when asked, sd if allegations were true would be hard for senators not to consider who Kav is today – a gd man
  — Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) September 17, 2018
  Some responses via Twitter:
  It sounds like @OrrinHatch and #Kavanaugh are calling the victim a liar. And people wonder why she didn’t want to come forward. A religious man like Hatch should know better. Obviously, that doesn’t matter to Hatch. https://t.co/xw1TpA26UM
  — Jason Cottrell, Ph.D. (@DrJCottrell) September 17, 2018
  Has Hatch also spoken to Christine Blakey Ford? On what basis does he find Kavanaugh’s story more persuasive or believable than hers? What about all the other times Kavanaugh has been less than honest or straightforward about other topics during the confirmation process? https://t.co/sVUJWoJufb
  — Trey Lawson (@T_Lawson) September 17, 2018
  Because of course the little woman might be confused not Kavanaugh be a liar. When are we retiring this dinosaur? Hatch has to go.
  — Latinarants (@latinarants) September 17, 2018
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