Oregon Democrats blast Supreme Court nominee at rally

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Gov. Kate Brown joined Thursday with Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Democratic members of Oregon’s congressional delegation to condemn U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

At a rally and news conference at a Planned Parenthood office in Portland, the group urged voters to insist on an investigation into decades-old allegations of sexual assault against Kavanaugh before moving forward.

Speakers — including U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici and Earl Blumenauer — told attendees that Kavanaugh’s successful nomination could threaten a woman’s right to an abortion even in a liberal state like Oregon.

Kavanaugh has been accused by Christine Blasey Ford, a California college professor, of sexually assaulting Ford at a party in the 1980s in a Maryland suburb of Washington.

Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.