WASHINGTON — A Senate Judiciary Committee staffer had to fetch tissues for Brett Kavanaugh on Thursday, as the Supreme Court nominee broke down during the opening statements of his hearing.

The aide waited patiently with the box at the back of the room until Kavanaugh finished making his tearful statement — in which he forcefully denied allegations that he sexually assaulted Christine Blasey Ford at a party when they were high schoolers in 1982.

As soon as Kavanaugh wrapped up his comments, the staffer passed the box to another aide, who walked it up to the witness table.

Kleenex called in. As #BrettKavanaugh gets emotional during opening hearing, an aide brings in box of tissues. It’s passed up toward Kavanaugh‘s wife. ⁦@nypost⁩ pic.twitter.com/D0rT2MEBo7

— Marisa Schultz (@marisa_schultz) September 27, 2018