Chuck Grassley refers Michael Avenatti, Kavanaugh accuser Julie Swetnick to DOJ for criminal investigation

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has referred Julie Swetnick, one of the three women who accused Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, and her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, to the Justice Department for criminal investigation.

Grassley, in a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and FBI Director Christopher Wray, said Swetnick and Avenatti should be investigated for “materially false statements they made to” the Senate Judiciary Committee during its probe into allegations against Kavanaugh, who was then a nominee to the Supreme Court.

“When a well-meaning citizen comes forward with information relevant to the committee’s work, I take it seriously. It takes courage to come forward, especially with allegations of sexual misconduct or personal trauma. I’m grateful for those who find that courage,” Grassley said in a statement. “But in the heat of partisan moments, some do try to knowingly mislead the committee. That’s unfair to my colleagues, the nominees and others providing information who are seeking the truth. It stifles our ability to work on legitimate lines of inquiry. It also wastes time and resources for destructive reasons.”

More