New York, New York — U.S. Senate candidate Chele Farley (R, C, Reform) called on Kirsten Gillibrand to stop applying a phony double standard to Judge Brett Kavanaugh.

“Kirsten Gillibrand is a complete and utter hypocrite. She has been extended the benefit of the doubt and due process in sloughing off questions about her ties to a notorious sex cult [NXIVM], yet has presumed Judge Kavanaugh guilty without providing the same,” said Farley.

Farley continued, “Throughout this campaign, I have called on Kirsten Gillibrand to explain how she failed so badly to protect women in her own backyard, despite mountains of evidence to the contrary – Kirsten Gillibrand has simply claimed ignorance. Judge Kavanaugh has denied actions that occurred 35 years ago with even less evidence and deserves due process.”

As the Washington Times reported earlier this week, “Kavanaugh’s not been so lucky. Neither the media nor Gillibrand have exactly given him a fair shake, preferring instead to convict first, get evidence later.”

In fact, when Gillibrand was confronted with questions regarding NXIVM, she unbelievably denied any knowledge and the liberal media including Salon and the Washington Post, jumped to her defense.

In March, Gillibrand’s spokesman claimed the Senator had no knowledge of the group, telling the New York Post, “Sen. Gillibrand had never heard of this group [NXIVM] until she recently read about them in the newspaper.”

By Gillibrand’s own standard, her spokesman’s claim strains credulity. Kirsten Gillibrand is from the Capital Region, represented the Capital Region in Congress and still has a home in the area today. NXIVM has been featured in scores of front-page stories by the Albany Times Union and reports on multiple television news outlets. Finally, and most importantly, Gillibrand’s father, Doug Rutnik, was employed by NXIVM and was involved in a high-profile lawsuit against them when Gillibrand was running for Congress.

“Since Kirsten Gillibrand believes Judge Kavanaugh should answer accusations stemming from incidents that are 35 years old, by the same standard, she should answer questions about her own past that are just a few years old,” said Farley.

In addition to Gillibrand’s father, her stepmother was deeply involved in NXIVM.

Frank Parlato broke the news about Gillibrand’s familial ties to NXIVM.

And first to question her honesty about the claim she made in 2018 that she had never heard of NXIVM until late 2017.