# 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:** 189
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3761 "2018-09-26T16:52:48Z")
Trump already said this new woman does not change his opinion. still 100% behind Brett. ---
**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 26, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3762 "2018-09-26T16:52:53Z")
Someone on twitter noted that Swetnick’s sworn statement referred to bad behavior she witnessed at Ocean City MD’s “Beach Week” – and that the calendar Kavanaugh submitted for evidence has a prominent portion marked “Beach Week”. And, according to twitter, Swetnick made her statement before Kavanaugh’s calendar was publicly released. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3763 "2018-09-26T16:56:14Z")
No, calendar was out several hours before. Not really relevant though. ---
**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 26, 2018, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3764 "2018-09-26T16:56:31Z")
I can’t check PredictIt from where I am right now… anyone want to see how Kavanaugh’s chances have changed today? IIRC, there’s an item on PredictIt’s main page that has the number of Senators voting to confirm by the end of October – and it was at about 50% this morning. ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3765 "2018-09-26T16:57:15Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > At the very least, every major new outlet in the US (world?) will be picking this story apart to see how much merit it has. haha, ok, that’s true. I should have been clearer, and meant how will it come to light during the hearing tomorrow - we don’t know the names of the witnesses, yet. But your point is well taken. Here is a recap of what the woman has alleged: Kavaugh was physically aggressive towards women – pressing against them, grinding on them, trying to remove their clothes. He was also verbally abusive – cruel sexual comments. She saw Kavanaugh waiting his turn outside a room to have sex with a girl inside the room. (It’s not clear if she knows he did in fact have sex). The rest is about Kavanaugh getting drunk/mean drunk and this woman being raped by other boys at a party she attended, but that Kavanaugh was at that party when it happened. (It’s not clear how he would know it happened). She says, importantly, there are other witnesses to everything she says in her statement. ---
**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 26, 2018, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3766 "2018-09-26T16:57:36Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > No, calendar was out several hours before. Not really relevant though. Not before she made the statement, though. She made it yesterday, before she could have seen the calendar. And it does seem relevant if Kavanaugh’s own evidence confirms he was in a place that one of the accusers said she witnessed some of the behavior in question. Not definitive, but relevant. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3767 "2018-09-26T17:00:22Z")
One of the latest accusers is Julie Swetnick, and she alleges > [@](#): > > “During the incident, I was incapacitated without my consent and unable to fight off the boys raping me,” Swetnick says. “I believe I was drugged using Quaaludes or something similar placed in what I was drinking.” [Cite](https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/09/26/third-kavanaugh-accuser-comes-forward-saying-she-was-victim-of-a-gang-rape/). Like Dr. Ford, she is not aware of where, or exactly when, it happened. > [@John Mace](#): > > If they are true, one wonders why Kavanaugh thought they wouldn’t come out. I can think of several reasons, ranging from “perhaps not true” thru “she didn’t recover the memory until later” thru “it didn’t come out the other times he was investigated” when he first became a federal appeals judge. Mr. Avenatti made an interesting tweet - > [@](#): > > Here is a picture of my client Julie Swetnick. She is courageous, brave and honest. We ask that her privacy and that of her family be respected. “Here’s her picture, here’s her name, respect her privacy”. Hmmm… Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3768 "2018-09-26T17:01:51Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Not before she made the statement, though. She made it yesterday, before she could have seen the calendar. And it does seem relevant if Kavanaugh’s own evidence confirms he was in a place that one of the accusers said she witnessed some of the behavior in question. Not definitive, but relevant. It’s damning in that it’s a visual you can see with your eyes and see “BEACH WEEK” and impute knowledge into that. The visual part is key. If you believe the statement, you impute raging parties. If you don’t, it doesn’t mean anything. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3769 "2018-09-26T17:01:54Z")
Also, his yearbook listed him as “Beach Week Ralph Club - Biggest Contributor” and has been public info for a while. I’ll add that “Beach Week Ralph Club - Biggest Contributor” is more evidence of his excessive binge drinking, but that convo is so yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3770 "2018-09-26T17:02:27Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > haha, ok, that’s true. I should have been clearer, and meant how will it come to light during the hearing tomorrow. But your point is well taken. > > Here is a recap of what the woman has alleged: > > Kavaugh was physically aggressive towards women – pressing against them, grinding on them, trying to remove their clothes. He was also verbally abusive – cruel sexual comments. > > She saw Kavanaugh waiting his turn outside a room to have sex with a girl inside the room. (It’s not clear if she knows he did in fact have sex). > > The rest is about Kavanaugh getting drunk/mean drunk and this woman being raped by other boys at a party she attended, but that Kavanaugh was at that party when it happened. (It’s not clear how he would know it happened). > > She says, importantly, there are other witnesses to everything she says in her statement. Exactly. It’s filled with invitations to draw inferences but precious little direct claims of witnessing rapes. ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3771 "2018-09-26T17:05:58Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Exactly. It’s filled with invitations to draw inferences but precious little direct claims of witnessing rapes. Absolutely correct. But it’s mostly damning now in that it’s a direct contradiction to the Fox News interview. Someone is lying. If he’s lying about one thing, why not another… ---
**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 26, 2018, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3772 "2018-09-26T17:06:59Z")
If Kavanaugh and Judge really are (or were) serial sexual predators, then the floodgates are probably just opening, and as we speak journalists are probably tracking down and confirming (or rejecting) the credibility of maybe even dozens of claims of sexual assault from Kavanaugh and/or Judge, with stories that will come out in the coming weeks – with survivors having been inspired to come forward by the bravery of Ford, Ramirez, and Swetnick. If, of course. We’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3773 "2018-09-26T17:07:50Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Mr. Avenatti made an interesting tweet - “Here’s her picture, here’s her name, respect her privacy”. Hmmm… Yeah that’s puzzling. If you expected your privacy respected I think the last person you would choose as your attorney is Michael Freakin’ Avenatti. Maybe she’s been living under a rock for the last year. Who knows… ---
**Author:** ![Modesty\_Blaise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Modesty\_Blaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Modesty_Blaise)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3774 "2018-09-26T17:10:34Z")
> [@XT](#): > > It’s a bit harder to prove stuff in a real court, as opposed to the court of public (or SDMB) opinion. While I think what we are seeing right now pretty much should put the kibosh on his nomination to the USSC, I don’t think I’ve seen anything (yet) that would be good enough to do anything you are talking about here. Nor should it, based on what we’ve seen so far. Not unless you want a system where mere accusation equates to guilt automatically. No, of course not. That’s why a thing like, you know, an INVESTIGATION would be maybe a good thing.:rolleyes: ---
**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 26, 2018, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3775 "2018-09-26T17:11:52Z")
> [@Ashtura](#): > > Yeah that’s puzzling. If you expected your privacy respected I think the last person you would choose as your attorney is Michael Freakin’ Avenatti. Maybe she’s been living under a rock for the last year. Who knows… Accusers don’t come forward if they expect privacy. They come forward (assuming they’re being honest) to tell their story and try to help society in a small but real way, and hopefully prevent future attacks and assaults. But they’re still human, and I’m sure they’re still hoping for some measure of privacy, even as they understand that by coming forward they’re going to get a whole lot less of it. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3776 "2018-09-26T17:16:29Z")
> [@Modesty\_Blaise](#): > > No, of course not. That’s why a thing like, you know, an INVESTIGATION would be maybe a good thing.:rolleyes: Take your rolley eyed strawman and try scrolling up. I’ve said, repeatedly, that I’m good with an investigation. What part of that don’t you get? Not sure how many additional ways to say it, and it’s getting tiring. Let’s try again. I’m fine with an investigation. Knock yourselves out. However, you weren’t exactly calling for an investigation there, with the whole ‘innocent until guilty’ bit, you making broad statements about punishments based on what we seemingly know right now, with a great deal of relish. So, don’t snap at me for pointing out that before your fantasy punishments can happen you’d need a fuck ton more actual evidence first, evidence that, thus far, has not materialized. If it does, I’m perfectly happy to grant that should be the least of his punishments. I’d be good with gelding him, then pouring honey all over him and burying him in a fire ant hill for a few months. ---
**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 26, 2018, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3777 "2018-09-26T17:17:41Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Mr. Avenatti made an interesting tweet - “Here’s her picture, here’s her name, respect her privacy”. Hmmm… Well, her name had to get out, obviously, so that’s not strange. And once her name was out, people would dig up pictures of her. May as well control which picture of her gets out. I think being confused by these things is evidence that you’re not thinking things through. ---
**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 26, 2018, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3778 "2018-09-26T17:18:33Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Not before she made the statement, though. She made it yesterday, before she could have seen the calendar. And it does seem relevant if Kavanaugh’s own evidence confirms he was in a place that one of the accusers said she witnessed some of the behavior in question. Not definitive, but relevant. The whole “Beach Week” thing has been in the news since folks started combing thru his yearbook, though. She wouldn’t have needed to see his calendar. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3779 "2018-09-26T17:19:09Z")
> [@Ashtura](#): > > Yeah that’s puzzling. If you expected your privacy respected I think the last person you would choose as your attorney is Michael Freakin’ Avenatti. Maybe she’s been living under a rock for the last year. Who knows… I interpret his statement as, “Here she is, so that you will believe she’s a real person. Now maybe don’t come at her with death threats, thanks.” Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3780 "2018-09-26T17:20:31Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > Well, her name had to get out, obviously, so that’s not strange. And once her name was out, people would dig up pictures of her. May as well control which picture of her gets out. > > I think being confused by these things is evidence that you’re not thinking things through. I think the unspoken theme is “For someone who is only doing this for attention, it sure is odd to ask to be left alone!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=188) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=190)