Brett Kavanaugh accuser Julie Swetnick once represented by Christine Blasey Ford attorney's firm
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By Ariane de Vogue and Eli Watkins, CNN
Julie Swetnick, who went public on Wednesday with her accusations against Brett Kavanaugh, was represented in a sexual harassment complaint by the firm of the current lawyer for Christine Blasey Ford.
Ford is the first woman to go public with accusations against Kavanaugh and is represented by Debra Katz.
Two sources told CNN that Swetnick filed a sexual harassment complaint against a former employer a decade ago and was represented in the matter by a lawyer from Katz's firm.
Swetnick is currently represented by attorney Michael Avenatti, who rose to prominence earlier this year for representing Stormy Daniels.
A source familiar with the matter confirmed that a lawyer at Katz's firm did represent Swetnick, but that it was not Katz herself. The source said Katz never represented Swetnick and that the firm did not refer Swetnick to Avenatti for representation.
Appearing on CNN, Avenatti said while he was vetting Swetnick, he learned of the New York Life case, saying "(Katz is) one of the leading lawyers in Washington, DC, on sexual harassment and other types of claims, so it's not surprising that she used her."
Avenatti added there was "no coordination whatsoever" between Katz and his client on Swetnick's accusation against Kavanaugh.
Avenatti released a declaration on Wednesday that Swetnick submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee. In the declaration, Swetnick accused Kavanaugh of regularly engaging in "excessive drinking and inappropriate contact of a sexual nature with women during the early 1980s." She said Kavanaugh was also present at a high school party around 1982 where she was the victim of a "gang" rape. She did not identify Kavanaugh as one of her attackers.
Court records show Swetnik was involved in other legal matters.
Swetnick was accused of domestic violence in Dade County, Florida, in 2001, according to online records. A man named Richard Vinneccy filed a complaint against her in civil court, according to a docket. The case was dismissed two weeks later.
Vinneccy told Politico the dispute happened after the two broke off a romantic relationship and he got married.
"Right after I broke up with her, she was threatening my family, threatening my wife and threatening to do harm to my baby at that time," Vinneccy told Politico.
Avenatti said Swetnick's ex-boyfriend "has no credibility."
Maryland court records also list a Julie Swetnick as the complainant on 1993 criminal cases filed against two people for harassing phone calls. The cases were dismissed.
Kavanaugh has denied Swetnick's allegations along with others, including the accusation from Ford of sexual assault some 30 years ago. Ford and Kavanaugh are both set to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
Julie Swetnick, who went public on Wednesday with her accusations against Brett Kavanaugh, was represented in a sexual harassment complaint by the firm of the current lawyer for Christine Blasey Ford.
Ford is the first woman to go public with accusations against Kavanaugh and is represented by Debra Katz.
Two sources told CNN that Swetnick filed a sexual harassment complaint against a former employer a decade ago and was represented in the matter by a lawyer from Katz's firm.
Swetnick is currently represented by attorney Michael Avenatti, who rose to prominence earlier this year for representing Stormy Daniels.
A source familiar with the matter confirmed that a lawyer at Katz's firm did represent Swetnick, but that it was not Katz herself. The source said Katz never represented Swetnick and that the firm did not refer Swetnick to Avenatti for representation.
Appearing on CNN, Avenatti said while he was vetting Swetnick, he learned of the New York Life case, saying "(Katz is) one of the leading lawyers in Washington, DC, on sexual harassment and other types of claims, so it's not surprising that she used her."
Avenatti added there was "no coordination whatsoever" between Katz and his client on Swetnick's accusation against Kavanaugh.
Avenatti released a declaration on Wednesday that Swetnick submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee. In the declaration, Swetnick accused Kavanaugh of regularly engaging in "excessive drinking and inappropriate contact of a sexual nature with women during the early 1980s." She said Kavanaugh was also present at a high school party around 1982 where she was the victim of a "gang" rape. She did not identify Kavanaugh as one of her attackers.
Court records show Swetnik was involved in other legal matters.
Swetnick was accused of domestic violence in Dade County, Florida, in 2001, according to online records. A man named Richard Vinneccy filed a complaint against her in civil court, according to a docket. The case was dismissed two weeks later.
Vinneccy told Politico the dispute happened after the two broke off a romantic relationship and he got married.
"Right after I broke up with her, she was threatening my family, threatening my wife and threatening to do harm to my baby at that time," Vinneccy told Politico.
Avenatti said Swetnick's ex-boyfriend "has no credibility."
Maryland court records also list a Julie Swetnick as the complainant on 1993 criminal cases filed against two people for harassing phone calls. The cases were dismissed.
Kavanaugh has denied Swetnick's allegations along with others, including the accusation from Ford of sexual assault some 30 years ago. Ford and Kavanaugh are both set to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
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