# Can Democrats actually stop the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 4, 2018, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733 "2018-09-04T12:49:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 132
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2621 "2018-09-23T01:38:21Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > They can interview these people and find out what they knew about the incident at the time. > > They can try to determine when the party in question occurred by interviewing those closest to Ford that summer. (We have no reason to believe she can’t remember the names of the female guests who attended; they may remember specifics that she doesn’t.). Just thought of something else an investigation could uncover. If Ford carpooled with others to the party in question, how did she get home that night? I don’t know if she has disclosed this. If she carpooled home with the same crew she came with, might one of them have noticed her being upset? A little shaken, a little teary? A little freaked the fuck out? There were only a few people at this alleged party. So few that if one of them suddenly got so upset that they needed to hole up in the bathroom for a while to calm down, this could be enough to mess up the group-level festivities in a very memorable way. Might one of the attendees remember this happening? Ford probably knows whether someone can attest to certain things supportive of her claim; this would be a witness that an investigator could interview. As it stands, without an investigation, it’s going to be a challenge to get any witness perspectives aired without dragging someone into a shitshow. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2622 "2018-09-23T01:44:42Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > Just thought of something else an investigation could uncover. > > If Ford carpooled with others to the party in question, how did she get home that night? I don’t know if she has disclosed this. She’s on record as saying she doesn’t remember how she got home. It’s unclear if there was 1 or 2 other people at the party besides For, Kavanaugh and Judge. It would be very good to hear from that person or those people, and I would expect one of the Democratic Senators to at least ask if she knows who they were, even if they don’t name names. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2623 "2018-09-23T01:49:26Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > It’s crazy to think there was nothing useful that could turn up in an investigation. You’re completely missing the point. An accusation of the kind made by Ford has no basis on which to launch a police investigation. Otherwise every member of Congress would be accused of a crime in order to generate an investigation and interfere with the election process. We have a vetting process and it’s not complicated. If have an issue you wish to bring up then do it. what has occurred is a 36 year old, unsubstantiated claim followed by a demand for an investigation as well a list of requirements in order to testify before the committee. It’s an obvious stall tactic designed to move the process past the next election cycle. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2624 "2018-09-23T01:50:28Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Oh, she’s reported it to the police now? Cite? > > Look, the FBI are not going to do anything that you would consider a “full investigation”. They wouldn’t no matter who was President, as it doesn’t fall within their jurisdiction. Frankly, it’s disturbing and more than a little hypocritical for all the liberals here to say they want the FBI to overstep their jurisdiction and investigate things that don’t concern them. > > A further background check? Maybe, if there’s really a belief that Kavanaugh hid being a sexual predator from the previous 6 such investigations. The FBI investigating unsupported allegations of a decades-old misdemeanor, past the statute of limitations? No, utterly unacceptable. You’re very demonstrably wrong about this. The President can (and past Presidents have) very easily ask the FBI to aid him in evaluating his nominee for the SCOTUS. It’s happened before (very frequently, in fact, including with Clarence Thomas), and ought to happen in this case. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2625 "2018-09-23T01:51:46Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > That’s a false dichotomy. It’s a reasonable logical surmise. Generally, those for whom the truth being revealed would be more helpful are more interested in expending effort to find the truth. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2626 "2018-09-23T01:57:27Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > You’re completely missing the point. An accusation of the kind made by Ford has no basis on which to launch a police investigation. It would not be a police investigation, with the intent to build a case for prosecution. It would more akin to a background investigation to find and document evidence about a certain allegation. > [@](#): > > Otherwise every member of Congress would be accused of a crime in order to generate an investigation and interfere with the election process. Why do you suppose every member Congress isn’t besigned with accusations like this, if this prospect was worth worrying about? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2627 "2018-09-23T02:06:31Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > It’s a reasonable logical surmise. Generally, those for whom the truth being revealed would be more helpful are more interested in expending effort to find the truth. First of all, besides a brief denial, Kavanaugh has been (wisely) silent on the whole thing. You don’t know what he wants or doesn’t want. But secondly, he may not want the details of his high school years laid out in front of the country and his young daughters whether or not that incident happened. But frankly, you’re using the old canard that if you nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. **Magiver** : Please drop this whole bit about the police. We are not talking about criminal investigation by the police. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2628 "2018-09-23T02:09:09Z")
besigned…to be yelled at in sign language ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2629 "2018-09-23T02:13:38Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > First of all, besides a brief denial, Kavanaugh has been (wisely) silent on the whole thing. You don’t know what he wants or doesn’t want. But secondly, he may not want the details of his high school years laid out in front of the country and his young daughters whether or not that incident happened. > > But frankly, you’re using the old canard that if you nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. > > **Magiver** : Please drop this whole bit about the police. We are not talking about criminal investigation by the police. It’s not proof that he’s guilty, or anything like that, but it’s reasonable to suspect that the fact that Ford seems so willing to have further investigation, and Kavanaugh does not, might be related to their knowledge of the truth about this incident. Not decisively, but another piece of data that can reasonably go into our bystander evaluations of who is more likely to be lying here. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2630 "2018-09-23T02:36:40Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > **Magiver** : Please drop this whole bit about the police. We are not talking about criminal investigation by the police. Hell no. We’re talking about the weight of an accusation. This has none. If there isn’t enough substance for a police investigation then it carriers the weight of the stamp it was mailed with. Otherwise Feinstein would have made that the first flag to run up the pole. She held it for a reason and the reason is it has no basis of fact. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2631 "2018-09-23T02:44:15Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > Why do you suppose every member Congress isn’t besigned with accusations like this, if this prospect was worth worrying about? because accusations without merit aren’t investigated. Which is my point. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2632 "2018-09-23T02:52:48Z")
If fabricating allegations for partisan purposes was a real threat, we would expect to see that occurring even if few were investigated. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2633 "2018-09-23T02:53:18Z")
[Third Named Witness Rejects Kavanaugh’s Accuser’s Allegations](https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/third-named-witness-rejects-kavanaughs-accusers-allegations/) Ms. Keyer, whom CNN confirms is “a lifelong friend of Ford’s,” is the third named witness to deny any knowledge of the allegations. The other two, Mark Judge and Patrick Smyth, issued written statements to that effect earlier in the week. Thus far, nobody has backed up the account advanced by Kavanaugh’s accuser, while Kavanaugh and three other named witnesses have rejected it outright. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2634 "2018-09-23T03:17:30Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > [Third Named Witness Rejects Kavanaugh’s Accuser’s Allegations](https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/third-named-witness-rejects-kavanaughs-accusers-allegations/) > > Ms. Keyer, whom CNN confirms is “a lifelong friend of Ford’s,” is the third named witness to deny any knowledge of the allegations. The other two, Mark Judge and Patrick Smyth, issued written statements to that effect earlier in the week. Thus far, nobody has backed up the account advanced by Kavanaugh’s accuser, while Kavanaugh and three other named witnesses have rejected it outright. So is that everyone alleged to be at the party with Ford? None of them have supported her allegations, or even remember being at a party like she describes, correct? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2635 "2018-09-23T03:39:30Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > It’s not proof that he’s guilty, or anything like that, but it’s reasonable to suspect that the fact that Ford seems so willing to have further investigation, and Kavanaugh does not, might be related to their knowledge of the truth about this incident. Not decisively, but another piece of data that can reasonably go into our bystander evaluations of who is more likely to be lying here. It’s entirely possible that no one is lying. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2636 "2018-09-23T03:43:13Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > [Third Named Witness Rejects Kavanaugh’s Accuser’s Allegations](https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/third-named-witness-rejects-kavanaughs-accusers-allegations/) > > Ms. Keyer, whom CNN confirms is “a lifelong friend of Ford’s,” is the third named witness to deny any knowledge of the allegations. The other two, Mark Judge and Patrick Smyth, issued written statements to that effect earlier in the week. Thus far, nobody has backed up the account advanced by Kavanaugh’s accuser, while Kavanaugh and three other named witnesses have rejected it outright. …I don’t get it. > [@](#): > > “Simply put,” Walsh said, “Ms. Keyser does not know Mr. Kavanaugh and she has no recollection of ever being at a party or gathering where he was present, with, or without, Dr. Ford.” > [@](#): > > “It’s not surprising that Ms Keyser has no recollection of the evening as they did not discuss it,” Katz said in a statement. “It’s also unremarkable that Ms. Keyser does not remember attending a specific gathering 30 years ago at which nothing of consequence happened to her. Dr. Ford of course will never forget this gathering because of what happened to her there.” [https://edition.cnn.com/2018/09/22/politics/kavanaugh-ford-accuser-nomination/index.html](https://edition.cnn.com/2018/09/22/politics/kavanaugh-ford-accuser-nomination/index.html) Person not directly involved with event who was never told about the event has no recollection of the event that they weren’t involved with nor were told about. This is supposed to be news? The characterizations made by the National Review article, that the witness “has rejected the allegations made by Judge Kavanaugh’s accuser” and " nobody has backed up the account advanced by Kavanaugh’s accuser, while Kavanaugh and **three other named witnesses have rejected it outright**" do not line up with the facts. That article you cited is being outright dishonest. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2637 "2018-09-23T03:57:46Z")
If I’m understanding the articles correctly, Ford said Keyser was at the party and Keyser says she doesn’t remember ever being at a party with Kavanaugh. Does that clear up for you why it is news? ETA: > [@Two Scoops](#): > > I understand that you have been identified as an individual who was in attendance at a party that occurred circa 1982 described in a recent Washington Post article," a committee staffer wrote Keyser earlier this week. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2638 "2018-09-23T04:05:44Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Name one who thinks Kavanaugh will be indicted or could be convicted based on the evidence to date. You seem not to understand the concept of an investigation, on a pretty fundamental level. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2639 "2018-09-23T04:10:58Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Yes, not having any evidence is not a tenable position when making accusations. Wat? Son, it’s not the job of the victim to gather evidence. That’s the job of the investigators. I’m not sure how someone with such a shaky grasp of basic facts manages to have such a strong opinion on these things. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2640 "2018-09-23T04:12:55Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > **If I’m understanding the articles correctly** , Ford said Keyser was at the party and Keyser says she doesn’t remember ever being at a party with Kavanaugh. Does that clear up for you why it is news? …can you cite where Ford names Keyser as one of the witnesses? I’ve got this: > [@](#): > > Ford said she remembers that it was in Montgomery County, not far from the country club, and that no parents were home at the time. Ford **named two other teenagers who she said were at the party**. Those individuals did not respond to messages on Sunday morning. > **[California professor, writer of confidential Brett Kavanaugh letter, speaks...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/california-professor-writer-of-confidential-brett-kavanaugh-letter-speaks-out-about-her-allegation-of-sexual-assault/2018/09/16/46982194-b846-11e8-94eb-3bd52dfe917b_story.html?utm_term=.34b7bc260360)** > > Christine Blasey Ford alleges that Kavanaugh attacked her more than three decades ago when they were each in high school, an allegation Kavanaugh has flatly denied. So there is nothing inconsistent with Ford’s claim and the statement from Keyser even if Keyser is the alleged witness. > [@](#): > > I understand that you have been identified as an individual who was in attendance at a party that occurred circa 1982 described in a recent Washington Post article," a committee staffer wrote Keyser earlier this week. Yeah, I read that. But who identified Keyser as the individual? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=131) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=133)