Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate that he is the victim of an "orchestrated political hit"
President Trump's Supreme Court nominee angrily says his family has been destroyed by the allegations
Earlier, Christine Blasey Ford said Judge Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her 36 years ago
Her voice cracking, she said she thought he was going to rape her, and she is "100%” sure it was him
The balance of power on America's highest court, which makes rulings affecting all American lives, is at stake
Kavanaugh says he bears no ill will for Ford.
He says his family even prayed for her.
The judge pauses for a moment, appearing to collect himself.
Sitting behind him, his wife nods, as though willing him on.
"Little Liza, all of 10 years old," he pauses, close to tears, "said, we should pray for that woman. That's a lot of wisdom for a 10 year old. We mean no ill will."
Image source, AFPKavanaugh gets choked up talking about his mother, a former Maryland prosecutor who faced her own challenges as a woman.
"She inspired me to be a lawyer and a judge."
"Her trademark line was: Use your common sense. What rings true? What rings false?"
"Her trademark line is a good reminder as we sit here today, some 36 years after the alleged assault occurred when there is no corroboration, and indeed it's refuted by the people who were there."
Image source, Getty Images"Sexual assault is horrific. One of my closest friends to this day is a woman who was sexually abused and who in the 1990s when we were both in our 30s confided in me about the abuse to consult my advice. I was one of the only people she consulted."
The "crazy stuff" reported by the media is ruining his family life, Kavanaugh says.
"Apparent pent up anger about President Trump and the 2016 election" have stoked Democrats to falsely accuse him, he adds.
He also cites "revenge on behalf of the Clintons" and calls the nomination process a "circus".
"I will not be intimidated to withdraw from this process."
Christine Blasey Ford's testimony is over and here's the take from some prominent conservative commentators.
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Image source, Getty ImagesKavanaugh is sworn in ahead of his testimony
Kavanaugh says he will "not be intimidated into withdrawing" from the Supreme Court nomination process.
"The vile threats of violence against my family will not drive me out. You may defeat me in the final vote, but you'll never get me to quit. Never.
"I'm here today to tell the truth. I've never sexually assaulted anyone. Not in high school, not in college, not ever."
He says sexual assault is "horrific" and "due process means listening to both sides".
Kavanaugh called the proceedings "a circus" with serious consequences.
He said his "character assassination" during the last 10 days has been full of "false, last-minute smears designed to scare" him out of the nomination process.
"Crazy stuff - gangs, illegitimate children, fights on boats... all nonsense. Reported breathlessly and often uncritically by the media. This has destroyed my family and my good name. A good name built up through decades of public service."
He called this a "calculated and orchestrated political hit".
Democrats, Kavanaugh says, are trying to "blow me up and take me down".
"For decades to come I fear the whole country will reap the whirlwind," he warns of such accusations.
Image source, Getty Images"Listen to the people I know. Listen to the people that have known me my whole life," says Kavanaugh.
"Listen to the witnesses that were allegedly at this event 36 years ago."
"I was not at the party described by Dr Ford."
"This confirmation process has begun a national disgrace", he says before quoting from the US constitution.
"You have replaced advise and consent with search and destroy."
"This confirmation process has become a national disgrace," he says.
"The constitution gives the Senate an important role in the confirmation process.
"Since my nomination in July there's been a frenzy on the left to come up with something - anything - to block my confirmation.
"Shortly after I was nominated the Democratic Senate leader said he would 'oppose me with everything he's got'."
Kavanaugh also notes Democratic senators called him "evil" and their "worst nightmare".
"I understand the passions of the moment, but I would say to those senators, your words have meaning.
"Millions of Americans listened carefully to you. Given comments like those, is it any surprise that people have been willing to do anything, to make any physical threat against my family?"
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"I denied the allegations immediately, categorically and unequivocally," he says in a booming voice.
"All four people allegedly at the event, including Dr Ford’s longtime friend Ms Keyser, have said they recall no such event.
"Her longtime friend Ms Keyser said under penalty of felony that she does not know me and does not believe she ever saw me at a party ever… Think about that fact."
"My family and my name have been totally and permanently destroyed by vicious and false additional accusations."
He adds: "My family and my name have been totally and permanently destroyed by vicious and false additional accusations."
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Earlier reports suggested Kavanaugh would be more aggressive, different from this week's interview on Fox News. They weren't wrong, says Anthony Zurcher.
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His wife is sitting behind him.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesAlyssa Milano, a US actress and a #MeToo activist, says "it was important" for her to be present at the hearing to support Ford and all survivors of assault.
When asked by CBS what she hopes to hear from Kavanaugh, she replies: "Honesty."
"I'm hoping to hear honesty, but I don't know if that's what we're going to get considering he's perjured himself a few times in the first hearing," she says.
"I think the most we can hope for is honesty."
Bret Baier, who presents a primetime Fox News programme, has reacted to criticism that his network has not been supportive enough of Trump's nominee.
Trump himself, is almost undoubtedly following today's events on Fox, his preferred news network.
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Image source, Getty ImagesChristine Blasey Ford's lawyer gives her a hug at the end of her hearing
Image source, Getty ImagesSen Kirsten Gillibrand reacts during testimony from Christine Blasey Ford
Image source, Getty ImagesNew York Democratic Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney's makeup appears to run as she watches the hearing
A 76-year-old woman who has been watching Ford's testimony, called into political news network C-Span to share a traumatic story of abuse that she says happened when she was in primary school.
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Graham also says Ford's claim that she did not realise Senate officials were willing to travel to California earlier to collect her testimony was "a bunch of bull".
Speaking to reporters outside the briefing room, the South Carolina Republican says the misunderstanding was caused by Democrats, who want to delay the nomination for the sake of politics.
"All I can say is we're 40-something days away from the election and their goal - not Ms Ford's goal - is to delay this past the mid-terms so they can win the Senate and never allow Trump to fill this seat.
"I believe this now more than ever."
"I don't know who paid for her polygraph but somebody did."
Ford's laywers have said they paid for her polygraph.
Anthony Zurcher
BBC North America reporter
Everyone knew what Christine Blasey Ford was going to say before the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday morning.
Reading what she was going to say and hearing her speak it, in a quiet, sometimes faltering voice, are two very different things, however.
Ms Mitchell, in her interrogation, pulled at a number of threads in Ms Ford's story.
Every five minutes, however, Democrats threw Ms Ford a lifeline, and the morning ground on with the opening statement, the soft, cracking voice and the harrowing details still the most visible beacon in the fog.
A testy Senator Lindsey Graham says Ford is "a nice lady that has come forward to tell a hard story".
But he picks holes in her account, saying she cannot specify the month or location of the alleged assault.
He says: "I'll bet you Judge Kavanaugh will say, 'I'm 100 percent sure I didn't do it.'"
The senator also says he felt "ambushed" by Democrats in having such a hearing so close to the mid-term elections in November.