Thursday night, NBC News ran an eye-opening piece on attorney Michael Avenatti, the ubiquitous lawyer for Stormy Daniels who has managed to become part of the general political conversation these days. The relevant parts discussed inconsistencies in the stories two of his clients gave regarding the behavior of a teenage Brett Kavanaugh.

One, Julie Swetnick, has already drawn much scrutiny, especially after her televised NBC interview that differed from her signed declaration. But the other had been largely overlooked: an unidentified person who also alleged that Kavanaugh engaged in “inappropriate conduct.” Now NBC has shed light on this person’s story, despite having the information since before Kavanaugh was even confirmed.

This statement backed up some Swetnick allegations by claiming that Kavanaugh would spike the punch at parties, that he was “overly aggressive and verbally abusive toward girls,” and engaged in “inappropriate physical contact with girls of a sexual nature.” As it turns out, NBC News spoke to this woman on the phone before and after Avenatti released the statement, and texted with her afterward as well, and she made a number of statements that contradicted this.

From the NBC article: “Referring to Kavanaugh spiking the punch, ‘I didn’t ever think it was Brett,’ the woman said to reporters in a phone interview arranged by Avenatti on Sept. 30.”

More: “When asked in the phone interview if she ever witnessed Kavanaugh act inappropriately towards girls, the woman replied, ‘no.’ ”

So why would she sign a declaration that said this if it wasn’t true? In an Oct. 3 conversation with NBC News, she said she only “skimmed” it. In a text on Oct. 4, she said “It is incorrect that I saw Brett spike the punch. I didn’t see anyone spike the punch. . . . I was very clear with Michael Avenatti from day one.”

NBC then followed up with Avenatti, who insisted that everything in the declaration was true. The woman then told NBC, “Please understand that everything in the declaration is true and you should not contact me anymore regarding this issue.”

After sending this message, however, she reportedly told them again that she never saw Kavanaugh spike any punch, and that “I will definitely talk to you again and no longer Avenatti. I do not like that he twisted my words.”

That last text was sent on Oct. 5. Kavanaugh wasn’t confirmed until a very close vote on Oct. 6. NBC News published the story on Oct. 25.

This draws suspicion because if NBC had information that showed that allegations against Kavanaugh may not be accurate, that would be pretty important. While the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing and FBI investigation only focused on allegations made by Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez, their accounts were bolstered by the fact that they weren’t the only ones being made, even if the others drew criticism.

If I had a bombshell story in my pocket at the time it was most relevant, I wouldn’t wait until weeks after the moment passed. I asked NBC News why they waited on this story. They haven’t responded, so I don’t know for sure, but it certainly comes off as them not wanting to risk hurting the Democrats’ attempt to keep Kavanaugh off the Supreme Court.

Now that it doesn’t matter, NBC ran the story.

It’s not the first time the network has done something like this. Back in 1999, it was a story involving credible allegations against a Democrat instead of dubious ones against a conservative.

That January NBC conducted an interview with Juanita Broaddrick, who alleges that President Bill Clinton raped her in 1978. At the time, Clinton had been impeached, and was in the middle of a Senate trial facing possible removal. He was acquitted on Feb. 12. The Broaddrick interview didn’t air until Feb. 24.

The timing of this is even more staggering considering what is happening today. NBC executives are reportedly meeting with an attorney for Megyn Kelly to discuss her departure from the network after she made some ignorant remarks about blackface on the air. Her lawyer reportedly wanted journalist Ronan Farrow there.

Farrow notably left NBC after it declined to run his bombshell report on sexual-misconduct allegations against Harvey Weinstein. Kelly had questioned the network’s handling of that situation, and it’s been rumored that they’ve been upset with her ever since, using her recent comments as an excuse to get rid of her.

Now, the Megyn Kelly thing is just speculation at this point. The truth remains that she said something stupid and is being punished for it, even if NBC’s response is pretty extreme. Still, this makes three times that the network has been reluctant to run important, high-profile reports related to sexual misconduct.

And don’t even get me started on Matt Lauer.

Reprinted from the Law & Crime site.