A former classmate of Brett Kavanaugh has accused the US Supreme Court nominee of lying under oath about his drinking during his university years.
Key points:
- His classmate says when Mr Kavanaugh was drunk he was aggressive
- Lying under oath in the Senate hearing is perjury and would end his Supreme Court bid
- Mr Trump says he wants the FBI investigation to be quick but comprehensive
Christine Blasey Ford, a university professor from California, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week that Mr Kavanaugh was drunk when he sexually assaulted her in 1982, when they were both high school students in Maryland.
Democrat senators then suggested that Mr Kavanaugh's drinking may explain why he had no recollection of the incident.
Denying the accusations from Dr Ford, Mr Kavanaugh said he had never been 'black-out-drunk'.
But that assertion was called into question by Charles 'Chad' Ludington, who said he had been a friend of Mr Kavanaugh's at Yale.
In a statement, Dr Ludington said he was "deeply troubled by what has been a blatant mischaracterisation by Brett himself of his drinking at Yale."
Dr Ludington, who now teaches at North Carolina State University, said Mr Kavanaugh was "a frequent drinker, and a heavy drinker" at university.
"On many occasions I heard Brett slur his words and saw him staggering from alcohol consumption, not all of which was beer," Dr Ludington said.
"When Brett got drunk, he was often belligerent and aggressive."
While saying that youthful drinking should not condemn a person for life, Dr Ludington said he was concerned about Mr Kavanaugh's statements under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"I can unequivocally say that in denying the possibility that he ever blacked out from drinking, and in downplaying the degree and frequency of his drinking, Brett has not told the truth," Dr Ludington said.
"If he lied about his past actions on national television, and more especially while speaking under oath in front of the United States Senate, I believe those lies should have consequences."
Lying under oath in the Senate hearing is perjury and would end Mr Kavanaugh's bid for the Supreme Court.
