Christine Blasey Ford nominated for JFK Profile in Courage award

‘She is an inspiration to us all’

Christine Blasey Ford has been nominated for the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award four months after testifying about sexual assaults allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in September 2018, the psychology professor alleged Kavanagh had sexually abused her at a party in 1982 when she was 15 and he was 17.

The then Supreme Court nominee denied her allegations, claiming he was the victim of an "orchestrated political hit”.

Following her testimony, Blasey Ford received widespread support from men and women, some of whom were survivors of sexual assault, across the world and her influence was recognised with a Time magazine cover.

On Monday, Rep. Jackie Speier announced on Twitter that she was putting Blasey Ford’s name forward for the award, describing her as "a true American (s) hero who sacrificed so much to do what was right for our country and for the pursuit of truth of justice”.

"She is an inspiration to us all," Speier added.

According to the award’s website, the Profile in Courage Award was created in 1989 in honour of President John F. Kennedy “to recognise and celebrate the quality of political courage that he admired most”.

It celebrates modern-day elected officials or individuals “who choose the public interest over partisanship – who do what is right, rather than what is expedient”.

Previous winners include President Barack Obama and President George H.W. Bush.

The award is presented each year in May at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, US.

The day before Kavanaugh was sworn in as Supreme Court Justice in October 2018, Speier tweeted that his "tainted" confirmation process would "result in a tainted justice."

"Instead of pursuing truth, the Senate pursued political power," she wrote.

The Senate Judiciary Committee later released a report that found "no evidence to substantiate any of the claims" of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh.