To say the nomination process of then-nominee Brett Kavanaugh was messy would be an understatement. Even a year later, people are still outraged over how the process was handled and several books are releasing the gritty details. One book in particular, The Education of Brett Kavanaugh, reveals Leland Keyser— high school friend of Christine Blasey Ford—felt pressured to falsely testify to help corroborate Ford’s story of sexual assault against Kavanaugh.

The Wall Street Journal has the details:

In “The Education of Brett Kavanaugh,” Robin Pogrebin and Kate Kelly report that Leland Keyser —who was unable to corroborate high-school friend Christine Blasey Ford’s allegation of youthful sexual misconduct—says she felt pressured by a group of common acquaintances to vouch for it anyway. The book quotes an unnamed male member of the group suggesting in a text message: “Perhaps it makes sense to let everyone in the public know what her condition is”—a remark the reporters describe as reading “like a veiled reference” to Ms. Keyser’s “addictive tendencies.” (The authors quote her as saying she told investigators “my whole history of using.”)

A concerted effort to mislead the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Senate, especially if it involved threats to potential witnesses, could violate several federal criminal statutes, including 18 U.S.C. 1001 (lying to federal officials), 18 U.S.C. 1505 (obstruction of official proceedings) and 18 U.S.C. 1622 (subornation of perjury). Investigating and, if the evidence is sufficient, prosecuting such offenses would deter similar misconduct in the future.

It’s bad for the country when nominees are subjected to what Bill Clinton calls “the politics of personal destruction.” It intensifies political polarization and bitterness, traduces due process, dissuades good people from government service, and injures the reputation of the judiciary and other institutions.

Where were the pitch forks when this revelation happened, or at least an investigation into collusion and witness tampering? An investigation must be conducted in order to prevent a witch hunt during a confirmation process from ever happening again.