Ted Cruz forced from restaurant by anti-Brett Kavanaugh protest as controversy over Supreme Court hearing turns toxic

Texas senator and his wife had to eat elsewhere

Senator Ted Cruz and his wife were forced to leave a Michelin-starred restaurant after being heckled by opponents of Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation who kept chanting: “We believe survivors”.

The senator from Texas and his wife, Heidi, were confronted by protesters as they entered the restaurant in the Capitol Hill neighbourhood of Washington DC.

In videos of the incident, posted online by the group Smash Racism DC, a woman can be heard approaching the senator and saying: “Hi, I’d love to talk to you about Brett Kavanaugh tonight. I’m a constituent, love to know what your vote is going to be tonight. I know that you’re very close friends with Mr Kavanaugh.”

At one point a woman tells Mr Cruz that she is a survivor of sexual abuse and he says: “God bless you, ma’am.” She responds: “Bless you as well, I really appreciate you. I’m a survivor of sexual assault. I believe all survivors. There are now three people who have come forward and who have said that Brett Kavanaugh has attacked them.

“I know that you’re close friends with him. Could you talk to him about that? Could you talk to him about his position?”

The incident at Fiola, which describes itself as the flagship restaurant of chefs Fabio and Maria Trabocchi, came just days before the Senate Judiciary Committee is due to hear from Mr Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, one of at least three women who have accused the 53-year-old judge of sexual misconduct.

Mr Kavanaugh has denied all such allegations and in an unprecedented step for a nominee still awaiting conformation, appeared on Fox News to rebut the accusations.

Mr Cruz is a member of the committee and will be among those that decide if the judge is voted up to the full senate for a confirmation. During his questioning of Mr Kavanaugh, Mr Cruz heaped praise on the judge’s qualifications for the job Donald Trump nominated him for.

“Judge Kavanaugh is, by any objective measure, unquestionably qualified for the Supreme Court. Everyone agrees that he is one of the most respected federal judges in the country. He has impeccable academic credentials,” the senator said in his opening remarks.

Mr Kavanaugh has also been accused of sexual impropriety by a second woman, Deborah Ramirez, who claimed Mr Kavanaugh exposed himself to her and forced his penis into her face during a drunken dormitory party at Yale University 30 years ago.

On Tuesday morning, the White House said it was open to the idea of Ms Ramirez also testifying on Thursday, something committee chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican, has not yet agreed to.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that the “process could take place on Thursday”. She said Mr Trump “has said a number of times these individuals should be heard”.

She also noted that Mr Kavanaugh has been “unequivocal in his denial”, according to the Associated Press. “This is a country where you’re innocent until proven guilty, except when you’re a conservative Republican,” she continued.

Meanwhile, Michael Avanatti, a lawyer best known for representing adult actress Stormy Daniels in her legal battles against Mr Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, has said that a third woman has contacted him to make other allegations about Mr Kavanaugh.

“Let me be clear: We will disclose the client’s name and accusations only when SHE is ready and we have adequate security measures in place. And not a moment before that. It is her choice and hers alone as to when to surface bec it is her life. We expect it within the next 36 hrs,” Mr Avanatti, who is considering a presidential run, wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump, who addressed the UN General Assembly, launched another attack on Mr Kavanaugh’s accusers. On Monday Mr Trump said: “Judge Kavanaugh is an outstanding person. I am with him all the way. These are unsubstantiated statements.

“For people to come out of the woodwork from 36 years ago, and 30 years ago and never mention it – all of a sudden it happens, in my opinion it’s totally political. It’s totally political.”

On Tuesday, he said Ms Ramirez, Mr Kavanaugh’s second accuser “has nothing and admits she was drunk”.

Neither Mr Cruz or Smash Racism DC immediately responded to inquiries on Tuesday.

Fiola said in a statement: “Last night, a group of protesters unexpectedly entered Fiola with the purpose of confronting Senator Cruz. Recognising that there was a potential for escalation and concerned for the safety of all our customers, our management did what they could do to diffuse a difficult situation and, as is our policy, if there is ever an event of this nature, the police were immediately called.”