# 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:** 307
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6122 "2018-10-04T22:23:13Z")
> [@](#): > > It looks like the FBI report contains information passed along to FBI - 1,600 pages worth… Wait, what? Are you talking about all those people who tried to get the FBI’s attention to talk to them? Or what? I mean, 1600 pages of people who wanted to testify but couldn’t would be…newsy! ---
**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:** [October 4, 2018, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6123 "2018-10-04T22:26:40Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > It looks like the FBI report contains information passed along to FBI - 1,600 pages worth. I’m not saying that’s an excuse for not interviewing some of those witnesses if the FBI wanted to, but that information from non-interviewed witnesses is available for the Senators to review. This would be in the packet that they can only review one at a time, without their aides to assist them, in a sealed room, for 30 minutes each? And the FBI didn’t provide a summary? Just a huge data dump? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6124 "2018-10-04T22:26:59Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > It looks like the FBI report contains information passed along to FBI - 1,600 pages worth. I’m not saying that’s an excuse for not interviewing some of those witnesses if the FBI wanted to, but that information from non-interviewed witnesses is available for the Senators to review. You wouldn’t have a link, would you? (Not skeptical, just curious.) ---
**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:** [October 4, 2018, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6125 "2018-10-04T22:27:48Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Wait, what? Are you talking about all those people who tried to get the FBI’s attention to talk to them? Or what? I mean, 1600 pages of people who wanted to testify but couldn’t would be…newsy! Yes. Those people. > [@](#): > > The FBI report sent to Capitol Hill includes 45 pages of interview summaries, a source familiar with the report said. > > In addition, there are 1,600 extra pages of information that the FBI sent up from their tip line. The Hill did not ask for the additional pages, the source said. The source added that broad search terms were used, which also captured information not directly related to the allegations. > > There was no synopsis included by the FBI and only a standard background information coversheet, according to the source. [https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/kavanaugh-fbi-investigation-oct-18/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/kavanaugh-fbi-investigation-oct-18/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6126 "2018-10-04T22:38:07Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Wait, what? Are you talking about all those people who tried to get the FBI’s attention to talk to them? Or what? I mean, 1600 pages of people who wanted to testify but couldn’t would be…newsy! > [@CoolHandCox](#): > > Yes. Those people. > > > [@](#): > > > > The FBI report sent to Capitol Hill includes 45 pages of interview summaries, a source familiar with the report said. > > > > In addition, there are 1,600 extra pages of information that the FBI sent up from their tip line. **The Hill did not ask for the additional pages, the source said**. The source added that broad search terms were used, which also captured information not directly related to the allegations. > > > > There was no synopsis included by the FBI and only a standard background information coversheet, according to the source. > > [https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/kavanaugh-fbi-investigation-oct-18/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/kavanaugh-fbi-investigation-oct-18/index.html) Emphasized (by me) bit: I wonder if this can be interpreted as the FBI agents/analysts providing an unspoken comment on the restrictions they had to operate under in performing this “investigation”… ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6127 "2018-10-04T22:38:33Z")
Ha!! That crazy FBI!! They did exactly as they were instructed, while simultaneously making it clear that there was much more to investigate. No wonder Uncle Mitchie didn’t want to make any of it public. Think of that… sixteen HUNDRED additional pages, based on 5-6 days of interviews, with no followups of any of those leads. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6128 "2018-10-04T22:48:22Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Ha!! That crazy FBI!! They did exactly as they were instructed, while simultaneously making it clear that there was much more to investigate. > > No wonder Uncle Mitchie didn’t want to make any of it public. > > Think of that… sixteen HUNDRED additional pages, based on 5-6 days of interviews, with no followups of any of those leads. Uncle Mitchie is going to need a really big broom to sweep all that extra information–and the fact that it wasn’t investigated, due to orders _not_ to investigate it–under the rug. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6129 "2018-10-04T22:53:16Z")
I think Flake is vastly overestimating the “concern” his call for the FBI demonstrated, and the gullibility of the american people for that gesture. It’s going to look very bad outside of the small world of republican politics. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6130 "2018-10-04T23:01:11Z")
To review: ShroomDick says he doesn’t tell the FBI what to do, that’s up to the Senate. OK, the full Senate ain’t voting, or anything, so that must mean the Senate Judiciary Committee. Gives the instructions, what _they_ want. But, effectively, that means the _majority_ of that committee, being empowered to represent themselves as the Committee, eleven to ten. They could go so far as to offer instructions without so much as a word to the Dems, if they so wished, eleven to ten. And the majority of that Committee are…oooh, look! Butterfly! Wow! Where was I?.. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6131 "2018-10-04T23:01:41Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > I think Flake is vastly overestimating the “concern” his call for the FBI demonstrated, and the gullibility of the american people for that gesture. It’s going to look very bad outside of the small world of republican politics. I am always amused by Republicans who lecture me about feeling excluded, and how the country has risen up against the out of touch Left. Guess what? There are a lot more not-Republicans than there are Republicans, a fact about which they seem blissfully unaware. ---
**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:** [October 4, 2018, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6132 "2018-10-04T23:07:19Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Ha!! That crazy FBI!! They did exactly as they were instructed, while simultaneously making it clear that there was much more to investigate. > > No wonder Uncle Mitchie didn’t want to make any of it public. > > Think of that… sixteen HUNDRED additional pages, based on 5-6 days of interviews, with no followups of any of those leads. Remind us when the last such FBI report was made public? Folks need to let go of being shocked, _SHOCKED!!_ that the FBI report isn’t being made public. And I think you’re kidding yourself if you think the FBI is taking sides here. More likely they just want to make sure they are not accused of holding anything back, or they are playing it by the book, using SOP. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6133 "2018-10-04T23:15:11Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Remind us when the last such FBI report was made public? Folks need to let go of being shocked, _SHOCKED!!_ that the FBI report isn’t being made public. And I think you’re kidding yourself if you think the FBI is taking sides here. More likely they just want to make sure they are not accused of holding anything back, or they are playing it by the book, using SOP. Yeah, usually they do the investigation before they call for the vote, so no need to make such reports public. Different situation here, though. Just think: If they’d done the investigation before nominating him, they could have quietly pulled the nomination and avoided all this kerfuffle. And no, I don’t think the FBI is taking sides. I think they’re covering their ass, so as to avoid being painted as partisan and working on behalf of Republicans. Understandably. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6134 "2018-10-04T23:28:36Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > Too many Americans will note the fakery, and will resent the contempt in which Republicans clearly hold their intelligence. I would not hang my hopes on this, y’know. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6135 "2018-10-04T23:33:36Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Yeah, usually they do the investigation before they call for the vote, so no need to make such reports public. Different situation here, though. > > Just think: If they’d done the investigation before nominating him, they could have quietly pulled the nomination and avoided all this kerfuffle. > > And no, I don’t think the FBI is taking sides. I think they’re covering their ass, so as to avoid being painted as partisan and working on behalf of Republicans. Understandably. We don’t know what happened in the FBI over this yet. But I think we will. Whether they took sides or not they didn’t do an FBI investigation. If there are 302s and if there is a statement limiting the investigation with someones name on it we will be moving down the road. If there are no 302s it wasn’t an investigation. If they didn’t talk to the principles it wasn’t an investigation. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6136 "2018-10-04T23:38:42Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > I am always amused by Republicans who lecture me about feeling excluded, and how the country has risen up against the out of touch Left. Guess what? There are a lot more not-Republicans than there are Republicans, a fact about which they seem blissfully unaware. There are also a lot more not-Democrats than Democrats. Roughly 30-40% of the population is neither Republican or Democrat. Those are the people you are trying to reach. ---
**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:** [October 4, 2018, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6137 "2018-10-04T23:44:31Z")
Keep in mind that some, many, most or all of the folks who spoke to the FBI didn’t want their names/testimoy made public. No one has to answer any questions, so if you want people to cooperate, they better be confident that their shit isn’t going to be out on the internet the next day. Probably the most important witness, Judge, made confidentiality a condition of doing the interview. But not to worry. We’re going to hear plenty of what was in the FBI report, and a lot that wasn’t. Names may be redacted in the magazine articles, but you can bet your sweet bippy that journalists will be scouring the fields for a any tidbit they can get and put into print. Expect there to be at least one book on the subject within the coming months. We don’t need no stinkin’ FBI report. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6138 "2018-10-04T23:55:19Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > …But not to worry. We’re going to hear plenty of what was in the FBI report, and a lot that wasn’t. Names may be redacted in the magazine articles, but you can bet your sweet bippy that journalists will be scouring the fields for a any tidbit they can get and put into print. Expect there to be at least one book on the subject within the coming months. > > We don’t need no stinkin’ FBI report. Yup. ---
**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:** [October 4, 2018, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6139 "2018-10-04T23:55:27Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Keep in mind that some, many, most or all of the folks who spoke to the FBI didn’t want their names/testimoy made public. No one has to answer any questions, so if you want people to cooperate, they better be confident that their shit isn’t going to be out on the internet the next day. Probably the most important witness, Judge, made confidentiality a condition of doing the interview. > > But not to worry. We’re going to hear plenty of what was in the FBI report, and a lot that wasn’t. Names may be redacted in the magazine articles, but you can bet your sweet bippy that journalists will be scouring the fields for a any tidbit they can get and put into print. Expect there to be at least one book on the subject within the coming months. > > We don’t need no stinkin’ FBI report. That’s true, but anything that goes public after Kavenaugh gets confirmed won’t really matter. (Maybe it’ll have a slight impact on the midterms) ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6140 "2018-10-04T23:58:47Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > There are also a lot more not-Democrats than Democrats. Roughly 30-40% of the population is neither Republican or Democrat. Those are the people you are trying to reach. True, but there isn’t some majority of Republicans out there the way Fox viewers seem to think. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6141 "2018-10-04T23:58:50Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > That’s true, but anything that goes public after Kavenaugh gets confirmed won’t really matter. (Maybe it’ll have a slight impact on the midterms) Well, it will matter in some reality/universe just by virtue of being Out There. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=306) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=308)