Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley has asked the Justice Department to investigate Julie Swetnick for allegedly making false claims against the now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
In a letter dated Thursday, the Republican congressman told the DOJ he was referring Swetnick and her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, over allegations of conspiracy, providing false statements to Congress and obstructing a Senate investigation.
Swetnick submitted a statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee last month that alleged Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge engaged in "abusive" and "aggressive" behavior toward women. She was the third woman to accuse Kavanaugh. Both Kavanaugh and Judge denied those allegations.
A statement by the Senate Judiciary Committee said contradictions in Swetnick's statements, "along with the suspicious timing of the allegations necessitate a criminal investigation by the Justice Department."
Avenatti called Grassley's referral "completely baseless and political" and said: "I look forward to a thorough investigation into Judge Kavanaugh. We have all waited long enough."
Additional reporting by Newsy affiliate CNN.