# 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:** 196
**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, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3901 "2018-09-26T20:09:45Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > Ford met Kavanaugh before at parties and briefly dated a friend of Kavanaugh prior to this incident. Good place to start the investigation. Kavanaugh claimed not to know her. If she’d dated a friend of his, then he’s lying. And why would he lie…? ---
**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, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3902 "2018-09-26T20:09:50Z")
Senator Grasley today: > [@](#): > > Meanwhile, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), tweeted that 20 investigators are at work, “tracking down all allegations/leads & talking to all witnesses & gathering all evidence.” He said “seasoned congressional investigators, temporary staff brought on for the nomination as well as “experienced fed agents” on loan from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are on the case. Seems like an quasi-FBI investigation without the impartiality (or integrity). ---
**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, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3903 "2018-09-26T20:11:28Z")
Want to bet what the next allegation is going to be? He seduced his Moms friend? He had gay sex with the gardener at his school? Had his dick sucked by a pig? A live one unlike that Brit Cameron? How about just dealing with the very real and serious claim made by Prof Ford. ---
**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, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3904 "2018-09-26T20:11:36Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > Good place to start the investigation. Kavanaugh claimed not to know her. If she’d dated a friend of his, then he’s lying. And why would he lie…? No, it does not mean he’s lying. It wouldn’t be hard to believe at all since they went to different schools. And keep in mind: “briefly dated”. ---
**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, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3905 "2018-09-26T20:16:01Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > No, it does not mean he’s lying. It wouldn’t be hard to believe at all since they went to different schools. And keep in mind: “briefly dated”. True. Not proof of a lie. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3906 "2018-09-26T20:18:30Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > That is not exactly my point. I would think that a woman would not want to go to parties where gang rape was on the entertainment whether the other guests were three years older or three years younger. > > According to her affidavit, it was at least ten parties over two years. > > A dark place, where drunken lechers display the darkest sides of their bestial natures and demean and attack women. And it took her two years to decide that it was a place where she shouldn’t be. > > Hmmm. > > Regards, > Shodan If Kav can get the “times were different, plus he was a doe-eyed baby lacking free will” treatment, so should his accusers. I can totally see a young girl rationalizing away the brutality if a “train” as long as it is not raping _her_. _Maybe that other girl is a slut. Maybe she isn’t that drunk and she is having fun with all those guys. Good thing that isn’t happening to me, though. As long as I stay away from the punch, I will be okay._ And then maybe she goes to another one of these parties and underestimates how many drinks she has had. Or maybe someone slips something in her cup when she isn’t paying attention and suddenly she is the “other girl”. And I can EASILY imagine why should would not talk about it afterwards. Didn’t she think that other girl was a slut? Why wouldn’t people think the same thing about her? And her whole life she has been told that her virginity (or the perception thereof) is one of the most important things she has to offer any future husband. Why would she broadcast to everyone in her social circle that she is “ruined”? Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3907 "2018-09-26T20:21:18Z")
> [@coffeecat](#): > > That is an important and very alarming post. > > Nevermind Kavanaugh, if individual recollection is that unreliable, how can a jury ever convict anyone of rape? Most crimes leave physical evidence, but it’s not like rape leaves little crumbs of non-consent all over the room. Would a victim need multiple witnesses to the crime? An mpeg? Someone please convince me I’m being hysterical (ha!) and just need coffee and a sandwich. A he-said, she-said accusation is always going to have a difficult time in court and this is the case for most sexual assault cases. That’s why most of them don’t get reported. > [@XT](#): > > She didn’t actually see the drunk girl though…or any girl. Your bagel reference discounts other, more likely possibilities. Sex workers spring to mind. I have serious doubts that Kavanaugh et al could rape multiple women (girls really…we are talking highschool here) at multiple parties (which she claims) over the course of a year without a whiff of this ever getting out. Sure, some girls are going to be intimidated enough not to ever want to come forward, but all of them? For over a year? Not one of them came forward…or was battered enough by a freaking line of boys that their parents didn’t notice or take them to the doctor to get checked out? None of them became pregnant or caught something nasty from being gang raped by a line of boys? How long was Larry Nassar able to operate before getting caught, despite (I think it was) 14 reports about him? Our expectations of how reality should work bears no relevance on how reality works. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3908 "2018-09-26T20:25:33Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > No, it does not mean he’s lying. It wouldn’t be hard to believe at all since they went to different schools. And keep in mind: “briefly dated”. I knew there was a good reason why we shouldn’t hold him to the same standard as the women. ---
**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, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3909 "2018-09-26T20:29:17Z")
> **[Opinion | Mark Judge’s former girlfriend is ready to talk to FBI and...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2018/09/26/mark-judges-girlfriend-is-ready-to-talk-to-fbi-and-judiciary-committee-her-lawyer-says/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.dba1626b452e)** > > This might increase pressure on Republicans to bring in Brett Kavanaugh's alleged accomplice. Mark Judge’s former girlfriend, who attests that he described gang rapes (without using that word) to her, is ready to talk to the FBI. ---
**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, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3910 "2018-09-26T20:32:14Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > A he-said, she-said accusation is always going to have a difficult time in court and this is the case for most sexual assault cases. That’s why most of them don’t get reported. > > How long was Larry Nassar able to operate before getting caught, despite (I think it was) 14 reports about him? > > Our expectations of how reality should work bears no relevance on how reality works. It kind of changes the equation that we are talking about college girls now, and college parties in which high school boys attended. I didn’t know that detail when I posted that reply, so the part about the girls parents is certainly not applicable (or as applicable) wrt being battered by gangs of rapists. I still am having a hard time believing that gang rape happened often enough that these two high school boys managed to attend and participate in multiple rape parties without a whiff of any of this coming out until now, but as you say, my own experiences seem different than this reality. I always thought my youth of gang shootings and drug and alcohol abuse in the neighborhood was formative, but seems my life experience was vastly different than these guys… ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3911 "2018-09-26T20:32:15Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2018/09/26/mark-judges-girlfriend-is-ready-to-talk-to-fbi-and-judiciary-committee-her-lawyer-says/?noredirect=on&utm\_term=.dba1626b452e](https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2018/09/26/mark-judges-girlfriend-is-ready-to-talk-to-fbi-and-judiciary-committee-her-lawyer-says/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.dba1626b452e) > > Mark Judge’s former girlfriend, who attests that he described gang rapes (without using that word) to her, is ready to talk to the FBI. Is there a statute of limitations on gang rape in Maryland too? Or another reason she wants to talk to the FBI rather than the police? ---
**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 26, 2018, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3912 "2018-09-26T20:34:28Z")
Some of the questions being asked in this thread could be answered at a hearing. For instance, what made her infer gang rapes were occurring without directly observing them? Maybe she saw the boys pushing shots and drugs on specific girls and then latter carrying them off to the same room where the bee line ended. Maybe she heard guys (actual rapists) talking about what was going on in the back room with so-and-so. I mean, if this was going on in a party, people are gonna talk; it’s not like one’s imagination is the only source of insight available. As to why college kids and high schoolers would be partying together: remember these are privileged prep school students. If you don’t think special allowances aren’t made for the highly affluent, then you aren’t paying attention to how the world operates. ---
**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, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3913 "2018-09-26T20:35:15Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Is there a statute of limitations on gang rape in Maryland too? Or another reason she wants to talk to the FBI rather than the police? Why didn’t you read the article before asking your question? It says right there: to share this information with agents of the FBI as part of a re-opened background investigation. God damn. ---
**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, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3914 "2018-09-26T20:38:43Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Is there a statute of limitations on gang rape in Maryland too? Or another reason she wants to talk to the FBI rather than the police? She wants to talk to the FBI s part of a reopened background investigation into Kavanaugh’s conduct. That’s right in the linked article. Did you read it? ---
**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, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3915 "2018-09-26T20:39:58Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Is there a statute of limitations on gang rape in Maryland too? Or another reason she wants to talk to the FBI rather than the police? To be clear, Judge’s ex-girlfriend is not aware of any crimes. She was not told about gang-rape, or any crime. What she knows, paraphrasing, is that Judge (Kavanaugh’s friend) told her that Judge and other guys had sex with a girl. She also said Judge assumed the girl consented, but was ashamed about the incident. She said she would speak to the FBI or testify at the hearing about what she knows. It’s more important now that it kinda sorta corroborates Avenatti client Swetnick’s sworn statement. ---
**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, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3916 "2018-09-26T20:40:08Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > She wants to talk to the FBI s part of a reopened background investigation into Kavanaugh’s conduct. That’s right in the linked article. Did you read it? How many times are we going to have to explain to this guy the role of the FBI in this process? I swear to god… ---
**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, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3917 "2018-09-26T20:45:12Z")
[Shouty commie grandpa](https://twitter.com/SenSanders/status/1045034758793830402): > [@](#): > > Trump and Judge Kavanaugh have two options. Trump can withdraw Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination. Or Kavanaugh himself can call for an FBI investigation if he truly believes the allegations are false. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3918 "2018-09-26T20:49:32Z")
If these parties with gang rape occurred, there will have been multiple people at them. Someone who’s good at investigating things might be able to identify possible attendees and interview them, prior to seating anyone in the federal government. But that raises a question. Is there any part of our federal government, any bureau, say, that’s experienced at conducting investigations? ---
**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, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3919 "2018-09-26T20:50:48Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > If these parties with gang rape occurred, there will have been multiple people at them. Someone who’s good at investigating things might be able to identify possible attendees and interview them, prior to seating anyone in the federal government. > > But that raises a question. Is there any part of our federal government, any bureau, say, that’s experienced at conducting investigations? Perhaps some sort of Federal Bureau of some type…? ---
**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, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3920 "2018-09-26T20:52:16Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > If these parties with gang rape occurred, there will have been multiple people at them. Someone who’s good at investigating things might be able to identify possible attendees and interview them, prior to seating anyone in the federal government. > > But that raises a question. Is there any part of our federal government, any bureau, say, that’s experienced at conducting investigations? > [@XT](#): > > Perhaps some sort of Federal Bureau of some type…? I’m pretty sure he’s thinking of the Senate Judiciary Committee. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=195) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=197)