'Devil's triangle': Wikipedia article becomes centre of dispute about Brett Kavanaugh's strange phrase

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A Wikipedia article has become the centre of a dispute over the meaning of the phrase "devil's triangle" after Brett Kavanaugh's hearings at the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The aspirant Supreme Court judge was called in front of US lawmakers to answer questions about his appointment. He followed Christine Blasey Ford, a university professor who is one of a number of women who have accused Mr Kavanaugh of sexual assault.

During that questioning, Rhose Island senator Sheldon Whitehouse asked a series of questions about the phrase "Devil's Triangle", because the term is mentioned in the judge's senior high school yearbook. Lawmakers have delved into that yearbook to attempt to ascertain the character of the young Mr Kavanaugh, amid accusations about his conduct.

When asked what the strange phrase referred to, he said that it was a "drinking game" played with "three glasses in a triangle."

The definition does not appear to be very widespread, and has little reference on the internet. During the hearing, Mr Whitehouse asked Mr Kavanaugh to expand on the phrase and he claimed that it was about bouncing quarters off cups of beer.

As people searched to find out whether that was true, the phrase's Wikipedia article was edited from an IP address associated with the US Congress buildings.

"A popular drinking game enjoyed by friends of judge Brett Kavanaugh," it read as part of a series of definitions.

That was later removed. Another edit – reading "do not add the hoax about a 'drinking game,' especially as related by Brett Kavanaugh" – was also removed almost as soon as it was posted.

For now, that Wikipedia page only contains references to a wide range of other things known as Devil's Triangle, including the Bermuda Triangle and a range of different books, TV shows and music named after the phrase. It also includes a reference to the sexual slang.

It was that lewd meaning that lawyer Michael Avenatti has suggested the phrase was referring to when written in Mr Kavanaugh's yearbook.