As a firestorm of controversy consumes the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh following sexual assault allegations leveled against the SCOTUS nominee, one of his biggest defenders revealed she is a survivor herself.

During a Sunday interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway said she’s a victim of sexual assault, a personal admission which appeared unexpected by Tapper, who said it was the first time he had heard it.

“I feel very empathetic, frankly, for victims of sexual assault, sexual harassment and rape,” she said, appearing to get emotional. “I’m a victim of sexual assault. I don’t expect Judge Kavanaugh or Jake Tapper or Jeff Flake or anybody to be held responsible for that.”

Tapper responded that he’s “really sorry” Conway “went through that.”

Conway made the remarks as part of her ongoing support for Kavanaugh, who testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, refuting allegations from Christine Blasey Ford that he attacked her at a high school party in the 1980s. On Saturday, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) called for an FBI probe into the matter, delaying his confirmation.

However, Conway contended that the fight over the nominee is “all partisan politics,” recalling that it’s been called a sham by Kavanaugh himself. That’s despite Ford’s testimony before the senators and requests from the dean of Yale Law School and the American Bar Association for an investigation.

On survivors of sexual assault, Conway said, “god bless them, but go blame the perpetrator. That’s who is responsible for out sexual assaults, the people who commit them.”

Returning to her comment about her experience with assault, Tapper then raised questions over how she could stand by a president who claims his own accusers are spreading lies. Conway contended that was different.

“Don’t conflate that with this, and certainly don’t conflate it with what happened to me,” she told Tapper. “That would be a huge mistake.”

Watch the clip above via CNN.

[Image via screengrab]

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