Deborah Ramirez issued a powerful statement about Kavanaugh’s likely confirmation: “I feel like I’m right back at Yale”

In September, Deborah Ramirez accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually harassing her while the two were students at Yale, and now, she’s released a powerful statement about how the Senate confirmation process has affected her.

“Thirty-five years ago, the other students in the room chose to laugh and look the other way as sexual violence was perpetrated on me by Brett Kavanaugh,” she wrote, continuing:

"As I watch many of the senators speak and vote on the floor of the Senate, I feel like I'm right back at Yale where half the room is laughing and looking the other way. Only this time, instead of drunk college kids, it is U.S. senators who are deliberately ignoring his behavior. This is how victims are isolated and silenced."

Ramirez also criticized the short FBI investigation into her allegations of abuse and those of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, the first woman to come forward with sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh.

“But I do have corroborating witnesses speaking for me, although they were not allowed to speak to the FBI, and I feel extremely grateful for them and for the overwhelming amount of support that I have received and continue to receive during this extremely difficult and painful time,” she wrote.

Ramirez accused Kavanaugh of exposing his penis to her at a Yale dorm party, waving it in her face and laughing while she laid on the floor, intoxicated.

“Brett was laughing,” she told the New Yorker. “I can still see his face, and his hips coming forward, like when you pull up your pants. Somebody yelled down the hall, ‘Brett Kavanaugh just put his penis in Debbie’s face.’ It was his full name. I don’t think it was just ‘Brett.’ And I remember hearing and being mortified that this was out there.”

Ramirez was interviewed by the FBI this week as part of a supplemental background check requested Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Arizona), who asked that the bureau investigate the multiple sexual assault claims against Kavanaugh. A letter sent to the FBI and released by her lawyers states that Ramirez was questioned for two hours and provided a list of 20 witnesses who, she said, could likely corroborate her claim, but none seem to have been contacted by the FBI. Kavanaugh is expected to be confirmed to the Supreme Court by a Republican majority on Saturday, October 6th.