Bob Woodward wanted to expose Brett Kavanaugh as a source for 1999 book about Clinton investigation at the height of his SCOTUS nomination furor - but was talked out of it
Bob Woodward, the investigative journalist most famous for his original reporting on the Watergate scandal in 1972, was apparently going to publish a story exposing Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh as being an anonymous source in his 1999 book Shadow: Five Presidents and the Legacy of Watergate.
Kavanaugh gave Woodward juicy behind the scenes details about Ken Starr's investigation into Bill Clinton in 1998, while serving as a lawyer on Starr's team.
But then Kavanaugh publicly denied ever being a source for Woodward's book in a letter to the Washington Post in 1999.
During Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court in 2018, Watergate reporter Bob Woodward, left, wanted to expose Kavanaugh, who gave an account for his book, right
The fact that Kavanaugh had lied on record enraged Woodward, who was prepared to expose the judge using evidence that he had indeed contributed to the 1999 book. However, just as the story was about to run in 2018, the Washington Post decided not to publish.
Woodward's story would have revealed how Kavanaugh publicly denied his account of the Starr investigation that Kavanaugh himself had provided.
Independent Counsel Ken Starr investigated President Bill Clinton, and the allegations within the Starr Report formed the basis of the president's impeachment.
Part of Woodward's book focused on Clinton's scandals and the Starr investigation.
Judge Brett Kavanaugh had publicly claimed in a 1999 letter to The Washington that he was never a source for Woodward's book - despite the opposite being true
Kavanaugh gave Woodward inside details on Ken Starr's investigation into President Bill Clinton
The Starr Report, a report by Independent Counsel Ken Starr investigated President Bill Clinton. The allegations contained within led to Clinton's impeachment
Independent counsel Kenneth Starr conducted an investigation into Bill Clinton which was released in 1998
Woodward's article was due to come out just as he was to be nominated to the Supreme Court in 2018.
Kavanaugh was fighting to preserve his own credibility after Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology professor, accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when she was in high school.
Woodward's plan was to expose Kavanaugh and give details about the account he gave about Kenneth Starr's investigation of Bill Clinton that he provided confidentially.
The New York Times described the article by two Post journalists who read it as being 'explosive'.
The revelation would likely have derailed Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court.
Ultimately, the executive editor of the Washington Post, Martin Baron, stepped in and urged Woodward not to breach his 19-year-old confidentiality agreement and to protect Kavanaugh's anonymity. The piece was ultimately spiked.
Woodward has not revealed what information Kavanaugh gave about Starr and his investigation.
Ultimately, the executive editor of the Washington Post, Martin Baron, stepped in and urged Woodward not to breach his 19-year-old confidentiality agreement to Brett Kavanaugh
