So many issues are raised by Christine Blasey Ford’s recent public allegations in The Washington Post against Judge Brett Kavanaugh. One is that it is natural for us to want to resolve the conflict between her accusations and his denials.

However, the Senate Judiciary Committee is not a court of law where guilt or innocence is legally determined. It is a committee to determine the suitability of Judge Kavanaugh for a job on the Supreme Court. They make judgments based on information and evidence that go to, among other things, Judge Kavanaugh’s character. A rational and reasonable process for trying to resolve this conflict is for Dr. Ford to present her accusations with the supporting evidence and for Judge Kavanaugh to have an opportunity to vigorously defend himself and his behavior as an adolescent boy.

Since there has been no Judiciary Committee hearing examining either Dr. Ford’s accusations or Judge Kavanaugh’s defense, it is particularly egregious that a number of Democrat senators, all intelligent and well educated, would publicly announce that they believe Dr. Ford and, by implication, that they believe that Judge Kavanaugh is guilty of attempted sexual assault when he was a juvenile and is lying about it now.

Their announcement that they’ve resolved in their minds this conflict before any presentation to the committee by Dr. Ford or Judge Kavanaugh serves only to intensify the polarization and anxiety in our country. Sen. Susan Collins is serving as a role model and exerting a calming influence as she advocates for a rational and reasonable process in order to determine the truth about Judge Kavanaugh’s character as best we can.

Thomas R. Moyer

Kennebunk