BREAKING: NBC claims affidavits supporting Dr. Ford's charge

NBC News claims to have affidavits from four witnesses collaborating Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's charge that Judge Kavanaugh made a drunken attempt to rape her when they were kids.

From Twitter:

NEW: @NBCNews has obtained sworn and signed declarations from 4 people who corroborate Christine Blasey Ford’s claims of sexual assault against Kavanaugh, sent to Senate Cmte. pic.twitter.com/psl62NWZ4J

— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) September 26, 2018

At this point, the fact that it happened long ago when everyone involved was immature and the fact that time (as well as political motivations) can distort memories has been rendered irrelevant by the original denial and the appearance of a Republican attempt to avoid an FBI investigation. Again, that the Senate's own investigators are at work and that the Democrats- who have shown considerably more political adroitness in this matter than have the Republicans- may have arguably manipulated events to produce this situation don't change the fact that this is evidence.

The evidence needs to be examined and those who signed the affidavits need to be called to testify along with Dr. Ford. This can no longer be avoided. Neither can the involvement of the FBI if only to remove any possible appearance of stonewalling.

The stakes just went up. Things need to be moved along quickly but in a manner seen to be even-handed and fair if Judge Kavanaugh is to have any chance of being confirmed before the midterm elections quite possibly result in a Democratic Senate that will refuse to confirm any conservative appointment to the Court.  And as reluctant to say this as I am, the mishandling of this nomination by the administration and by the Republican leadership of the Senate and of the Judiciary Committee has created a situation in which Judge Kavanaugh stepping aside and being replaced by another conservative nominee may be the best chance of that happening,

And yes. I fully expect that if that happens women will promptly come forward to accuse the new nominee of improper sexual conduct. It will probably need to be a woman. And even so, I have no doubt that somebody on the left will come forward with similar charges against her.  But if there is going to be any chance of saving the Kavanaugh nomination, the Judiciary Committee needs to act quickly and decisively to examine the accusations against Judge Kavanaugh and the evidence of the witnesses as soon as possible.

Delay would be fatal here.