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Christine Blasey Ford, the California professor accusing Brett Kavanaugh of attempting to rape her at a high school party in the 1980's, shut down a right-wing conspiracy claiming she mixed up Kavanaugh with a similar-looking classmate.
On Wednesday, Ed Whelan, a former clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia and friend of Kavanaugh, shared an op-ed in the Washington Post which asked if there could have been a "Kavanaugh-ish-looking teen at the house that night, who might have attacked Ford?"
And from Kathleen Parker: "Could there have been another, Kavanaugh-ish-looking teen at the house that night, who m… https://t.co/UlsT4pea5I— Ed Whelan (@Ed Whelan) 1537363188.0
Kavanaugh also claimed he may be the victim of mistaken identity.
Kavanaugh tells Hatch accusation may be mistaken identity https://t.co/cY6whTwQaZ via @YahooNews— Ed Whelan (@Ed Whelan) 1537286236.0
In a series of tweets which have since been deleted, Whelan said Ford might be remembering the wrong man.
"Dr. Ford may well have been the victim of a severe sexual assault by someone 36 years ago," Whelan wrote. "Her allegations are so vague as to such basic matters as when and where that it is impossible for Judge Kavanaugh to *prove* his innocence."
Whelan then posted maps, images, and floor plans of the house in which Ford's assault supposedly took place, adding that "there are compelling reasons to believe his [Kavanaugh's] categorical denial."
Whelen admitted however that he "no idea what, if anything did or did not happen" despite sharing pictures of Kavanaugh and the classmate who looked like him, noting that many people "have commented on how much they resembled each other in appearance."
On Thursday, Ford brushed off Whelan's conspiracy theory.
"I knew them both, and socialized with" Kavanaugh's doppelganger, Ford said in a statement. She said she even visited him in the hospital.
"There is zero chance that I would confuse them," Ford said.
On Friday morning, Whelan apologized on Twitter to the man he wrongfully tried to claim may have been Ford's attacker.
I made an appalling and inexcusable mistake of judgment in posting the tweet thread in a way that identified Kavana… https://t.co/h6Cvw0Ejpg— Ed Whelan (@Ed Whelan) 1537533520.0
Twitter wants to know when Whelan is going to apologize to Ford.
@EdWhelanEPPC I see you’re not apologizing for the concept of accusing Ford of a false allegation, only for posting… https://t.co/b4VMzuKQWB— Jessica Nichols (@Jessica Nichols) 1537536488.0
@EdWhelanEPPC You also owe Dr. Ford an apology.— Ms. Mars (@Ms. Mars) 1537534165.0
Whelan faced significant blowback on social media from people across the political spectrum.
Some people are calling for Kavanaugh's classmate to sue Whelan for libel and questions over whether Whelan's strategy was part of a Republican plan to discredit Ford.
@EdWhelanEPPC Buddy - you still have it pinned to the top of your timeline 😬 https://t.co/OrZuYavCpI— Gabriel Hurl (@Gabriel Hurl) 1537533762.0
@EdWhelanEPPC This tweet was predicted by Steve Schmidt. I believe this was a planned strategy that disqualifies K… https://t.co/fIpAuyX0qj— DDay DUTY TO RESIST (@DDay DUTY TO RESIST) 1537535962.0
@qedigiv @EdWhelanEPPC This should be investigated.— ⏱-2-M🍑 #FBR 🎱 🎶F THE LYING IMMORAL GOP!! (@⏱-2-M🍑 #FBR 🎱 🎶F THE LYING IMMORAL GOP!!) 1537537066.0
@JaneneHague @qedigiv @EdWhelanEPPC Definitely. Especially given his friendship with Kavanaugh and past experience… https://t.co/JHwVFf9Q1l— Erratic POTUS Eradicator🤺 (@Erratic POTUS Eradicator🤺) 1537537873.0
@EdWhelanEPPC Did you discuss your theory or plans to publicly cast doubt on Ford’s allegations with any Senators o… https://t.co/FLZctBan79— Alex Howard (@Alex Howard) 1537536491.0
@EdWhelanEPPC You knew damn well what you were doing. It was both malicious & irresponsible. B you aren't the only… https://t.co/mnyyX74eEu— Night Mists 🌜🌃🎭🎑🌌🎑🎭🌃🌛 (@Night Mists 🌜🌃🎭🎑🌌🎑🎭🌃🌛) 1537534660.0
@EdWhelanEPPC Still defamation, even if you apologize, especially because your accusation will get much more public… https://t.co/ymz19KwJ13— Pé Resists (@Pé Resists) 1537538489.0
@EdWhelanEPPC You should be sued for libel and character defamation and permanently banned from the pages of @WashingtonPost and @NYT— Sharon Gelman 🌊🌊🌊 (@Sharon Gelman 🌊🌊🌊) 1537533744.0
Ed Whelan teased that he had information that would debunk Christine Blasey Ford on Tuesday and tweeted it out Thur… https://t.co/I8B9gnroIa— Matthew Gertz (@Matthew Gertz) 1537539528.0
Whelan is also facing calls to resign from the Policy and Ethics Center, a conservative thinktank, of which he is the president.
"You knew damn well what you were doing," one angry user fired back at Whelan.
@EdWhelanEPPC You are the President of a Policy and Ethics Center. You need to resign immediately. Those were not r… https://t.co/03sJ8Ceu2y— Night Mists 🌜🌃🎭🎑🌌🎑🎭🌃🌛 (@Night Mists 🌜🌃🎭🎑🌌🎑🎭🌃🌛) 1537534907.0
@EdWhelanEPPC Ethics and Public Policy Center, huh? Really? At what moment while you spent hours researching this t… https://t.co/kTLWkMldTo— Zelda (@Zelda) 1537536963.0
Ed Whelan is engaged in Beach House Defamation, so called because though it is not actually defamation, some lawyer… https://t.co/2adkoaRerh— IWantNothingHat (@IWantNothingHat) 1537482933.0
@EdWhelanEPPC Here is their article. I hope Chris Garrett sues the he'll out of you. He should. Ethics my ass. https://t.co/yxpIcRAG12— Enough is enough - Rock Bottom is Up ❄🌊🇺🇸 (@Enough is enough - Rock Bottom is Up ❄🌊🇺🇸) 1537537777.0
The trouble for Whelan is that the internet is forever.