Brett Kavanaugh Says He ‘Said a Few Things I Should Not Have Said’

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh called himself an “independent, impartial judge” in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, defending his controversial testimony last week in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in the 1980’s during a high school house gathering. During her testimony in front of the committee, she said Kavanaugh covered her mouth to conceal her screams as he grinded on her and attempted to remove her one-piece bathing suit.

In his opening statement in front of the committee, Kavanaugh forcefully denied Ford’s accusations as he both broke down in tears and yelled, calling the allegations against him a “calculated and orchestrated political hit.”

In the new op-ed, Kavanaugh appears to express regret for his emotional performance.

“I was very emotional last Thursday, more so than I have ever been,” Kavanaugh wrote in the Journal. “I might have been too emotional at times. I know that my tone was sharp, and I said a few things I should not have said. I hope everyone can understand that I was there as a son, husband and dad. I testified with five people foremost in my mind: my mom, my dad, my wife, and most of all my daughters.”

Despite his performance, Kavanaugh said he can be counted on to be impartial as a judge.

“Going forward, you can count on me to be the same kind of judge and person I have been for my entire 28-year legal career: hardworking, even-keeled, open-minded, independent and dedicated to the Constitution and the public good,” Kavanaugh wrote.

Following a weeklong FBI investigation, the committee is set to vote on confirming Kavanaugh this weekend.

Write to Gina Martinez at gina.martinez@time.com.