Tipsheet

Ford's Classmate Now Changing Her Story

Cristina King Miranda, a former classmate of Christine Blasey Ford, got the media's attention this week after sharing a message on Facebook alleging that Ford is telling the truth about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. She claimed that Kavanaugh did assault Ford in high school, and word got around the school.

NBC wrote a piece based on the post, with the headline, "Accuser's schoolmate says she recalls hearing of alleged Kavanaugh incident."

But, now Miranda isn't so sure. She explained to NPR Thursday why she deleted the Facebook post. 

"In my [Facebook] post, I was empowered and I was sure it probably did [happen]," Miranda said. "I had no idea that I would now have to go to the specifics and defend it before 50 cable channels and have my face spread all over MSNBC news and Twitter."

In another, now-deleted Twitter post, she had a direct message for the media: 

"I will not be doing anymore interviews," she wrote. "No more circus. To clarify my post: I do not have first hand knowledge of the incident that Dr. Christine Blasey Ford mentions, and I stand by my support for Christine. That's it. I don't have more to say on the subject."

After NPR published Miranda's latest comments, NBC revised its initial report, noting that she was "more equivocal" than she had been when she wrote the initial Facebook message. But, the editors note that she has not backed off her assertion that she recalls hearing about an incident involving Kavanaugh at a party.

Blasey Ford was invited to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday but has not accepted because she first wants to see an FBI investigation. The committee said that's not going to happen.