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Protester shouts at Sen. Jeff Flake in elevator: ‘Tell me it doesn’t matter’

Ashley May
USA TODAY
A woman who said she is a survivor of a sexual assault, right, confronts Republican Senator from Arizona Jeff Flake, left, in an elevator after Flake announced that he vote to confirm Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, DC.

A protester who said she was sexually assaulted approached Senator Jeff Flake in an elevator Friday after he released a statement saying he would be voting in favor of Brett Kavanaugh for a seat on the Supreme Court. 

The unidentified woman could be heard shouting at Flake, R-Ariz., during a CNN live shot before the Senate Judiciary Committee moved toward a vote on Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court Friday morning. Flake had previously been undecided.

"You're telling me that my assault doesn't matter," a woman, audibly emotional, can be heard telling Flake.

Throughout the encounter, Flake is seen looking down, nodding his head and avoiding eye contact with the women. 

"Don't look away from me," the woman can be heard saying. "Look at me and tell me that it doesn't matter what happened to me."

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The woman continues to criticize Flake, saying he is allowing attackers to occupy positions of power. 

"Thank you," Flake said. "I need to get to the hearing. You will hear more from me."

The Center for Popular Democracy later told USA TODAY the woman is Ana Maria Archila, co-executive of the liberal nonprofit advocacy group. 

“Earlier this week, I shared my survivor story for the first time in front of Senator Jeff Flake’s office ... By announcing he will vote “yes” on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination, Flake showed us that he does not care about our truths and does not care about women," Archila said in a statement. 

In the hearing Friday, Flake said, “our system of justice affords a presumption of innocence to the accused, absent corroborating evidence. That is what binds us to the rule of law.”

The Republican-led committee announced it would vote on Kavanaugh by 1:30 p.m. ET and most of the panel's Democrats walked out in protest.

If the committee approves the nomination, it would then go to the full Senate over the weekend, with a final up-or-down vote possible by Tuesday. 

More:Tips for sexual assault survivors dealing with onslaught of triggering news

More:The Kavanaugh hearings triggering painful memories? How to mute sexual assault on Twitter

Thursday, Flake asked no questions during the emotional hearing. He spoke for only one minute and said little. 

Friday’s controversial vote on Kavanaugh follows allegations from Christine Blasey Ford, who alleges the nominee forced her onto a bed and tried to remove her clothes at a party when they were both high school teens. Kavanaugh denies the sexual assault and also denies ever being at the party.

More:The images that will define the emotional testimony by Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Ford

Ronald J. Hansen of the Arizona Republic and Richard Wolf and Christal Hayes of USA TODAY contributed to this story. 

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