The family of Christine Blasey Ford, including her Disney star niece Bridget Mendler, wrote a public letter of support, telling senators ‘her honesty is above reproach.’
Mendler tweeted out a copy of the letter with a note praising her ‘Aunt Chrissy.’
‘Dr Christine Blasey Ford, or Aunt Chrissy as I know her is the person who patiently helped me with my college application, she was the first to give me a hug when I saw my family on vacation. Please remember her humanity. This is a message from our family,’ she wrote.
The signers include Ford’s husband Russell Ford, Mendler and 10 other family members who identify as Christine Ford’s in-laws.
Christine Ford’s family has offered a public letter of support
Disney star niece Bridget Mendler is Ford’s niece
Mendler posted the family’s public letter of support on her twitter account
The letter speaks of Ford’s honesty and compassion.
‘Chrissy has tremendous compassion for others, goes out of her way to support and encourage the young ones in our family and does so with great warmth and generosity,’ the letter notes.
‘We especially admire the way she is raising her children to be genuinely good people who are considerate of others,’ it says.
‘As a family member, Chrissy can be can be counted on in any kind of difficulty. Her honesty is above reproach and her behavior is highly ethical and respectful of everyone’s point of view. We believe that Chrissy has acted bravely by voicing her experiences from he past and we know how difficult this is for her. Chrissy is not someone who chooses to be in the spotlight. We ask that her decision to share a private and difficult recollection be treated seriously and respectfully, and we ask that you please make eery effort to respect Chrissy’s and our family’s privacy as this issue is investigated.’
Mendler is a graduate of the University of Southern California.
She played Juliet van Heusen on Disney’s Wizards of Waverly Place in 2009.
She also played Teddy Duncan on the Disney series ‘Good Luck Charlie’ and starred in the Disney Channel movie ‘Lemonade Mouth’ in 2011.
She portrayed Ashley Willerman in the musical television series Nashville.
Additionally supporters gathered outside of Ford’s home in Palo Alto, California, to show their support for her with many waving ‘thank you’ signs.
Ford’s attorney and friends have said she and her family cannot stay in their home because of the publicity around her accusation of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
‘As you are aware, she has been receiving death threats, which have been reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and she and her family have been forced out of their home,’ Ford’s attorney Debra Katz said in an email to Senate staff on Thursday as the two sides talk about how she can safely testify before the Senate.
‘She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety.’
Brett Kavanaugh has denied the allegations against him
Christine Blasey (now Ford) and Brett Kavanaugh in their respective high school year books
Mendler played Juliet van Heusen on Disney’s Wizards of Waverly Place
Ford’s attorney said Monday’s hearing date set by Republicans is not possible but that Ford wanted to talk if she can be assured of her safety.
Friends and colleagues of the 51-year-old Palo Alto University psychology professor are going public to defend Ford, painting her as one who ‘teems with honesty’ – a mother of two sons who loves to surf – in interviews with the Eastern Bay Times.
‘She’s outgoing, liberal, kind, chitchats a lot, really supportive of her kids’ sports team, goes to everything, she and her husband. She’s really into her job as an educator,’ Rebecca White, one of Ford’s neighbors and a good friend, told the newspaper.
Ford, in a bombshell interview in Sunday’s Washington Post, accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her at a high school party in the 1980s. She claims he held her down on the bed, tried to take off her clothes and covered her mouth when she screamed.
Mendler said her Aunt Chrissy helped her with college applications
Supporters rally outside of Ford’s house in Palo Alto to show their support for her
Many held signs saying thank you
Kavanaugh strongly denies allegation.
‘This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describes—to her or to anyone,’ Kavanaugh said in a statement provided by the White House.
Another friend recounted to the paper Ford’s fears of being interrogated about the alleged assault, which she says took place in the 1980s when she and Kavanaugh were high school students in suburban Washington D.C.
‘I’ve been trying to forget this all my life, and now I’m supposed to remember every little detail,’ Jim Gensheimer, one of her friends, said. ‘They’re going to be all over me.’