Can Democrats actually stop the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh?

[Miller]

@Shodan

Apart from Feinstein, Booker, Ellison, and the MN DFL, you mean.

Regards,
Shodan

Being better at something isn’t the same as being good at something.

[XT]

@iiandyiiii

I’m unaware of such holes – the multiple women with similar stories about Thomas makes me think her account is much more likely to be accurate than his.

I’m kind of on the fence about this one. I don’t want Kavanaugh to become a USSC justice, so I want something to stop him. But I have to admit that this whole thing looks pretty thin to me. This is just an opinion piece from CNN (and by a former Bush special assistant, whatever that is), but I’ll link to it and quote a few things: https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/19/opinions/lets-be-honest-about-what-democrats-are-doing-to-kavanaugh-nomination-jennings/index.html

The lawyer’s letter, bizarrely, stated that “crucial facts and witnesses in the matter” must be assessed “in a non-partisan manner.”

I was stunned that the lawyer for Ford, a research psychologist, left open the question as to whether the allegation—that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted Ford when they were in high school—is true. That’s an odd position for a lawyer with a client to take. Ford is the only person who has offered “crucial facts,” so why is her attorney asking for the FBI to assess the reliability of her own client?

I asked retired FBI agent and CNN Contributor James Gagliano how the bureau might tackle an investigation like this. He told me: “She doesn’t know what party and she isn’t sure about the time period. If she’s not sure when and where, and who was there, then it makes it really difficult to determine the veracity of these allegations.”

Which means we are left with the stories of three people Ford says were in the room, and two of them say this allegation is false and the event described did not happen. Only one of them—Kavanaugh himself—is willing to testify under oath at this point.

Let’s be honest about this FBI request—it has little to do with the truth and everything to do with the Democrats’ end game to keep this Supreme Court seat open through the midterm election. Democrats hope to take control of the Senate and hold this seat vacant through 2020, the way the GOP stalled Barack Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland in 2016. They want revenge for Merrick Garland, an understandable if misguided emotion.

Democrats couldn’t care less about Ford or her story because they are consumed with politics. And the Democratic Party’s lionizing of people like Keith Ellison, Bill Clinton and Ted Kennedy, all tied to their own scandal, tells us all we need to know about whether they believe in treating victims with respect.

Consider how Democrats have treated Ford compared with how the Republicans have treated her. The ranking Democrat on the committee, Diane Feinstein of California —for whatever reason you want to believe-- sat on Ford’s letter for nearly two months, never raising the allegations with Kavanaugh. Either Feinstein didn’t take Ford’s letter seriously or was holding it until the 11th hour for political purposes. Despicable.

Then, after Kavanaugh’s hearings were concluded, someone leaked the letter. Ford says she wanted to remain anonymous and was forced to come forward once her private allegation was thrust into the public domain. Who had custody of the letter? Senator Feinstein and her staff, along with Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, a Democrat who Ford had originally contacted with her allegations.

Feinstein’s hometown newspaper, the San Francisco Chronicle, savaged California’s senior senator, editorializing that she “took the worst possible course,” did a “disservice to the Judiciary Committee” and left other senators “in the dark.”

One other thing working against Ford is the previous antics of Democrats on the committee. Cory Booker’s outrageous “Spartacus moment” theatrics and Kamala Harris’s being caught producing deep fake videos of Kavanaugh that misrepresented a statement on contraception have created skepticism on the right that Senate Democrats are operating in good faith.

Grain of salt and all that, but I really am seeing a hell of a lot of smoke but not a lot of actual fire in all of this. It just doesn’t smell right to me. Why now? Why wasn’t this brought up when he was going for his current appointment? And why was this story sat on by the Dems for months only to be sprung after the senate hearings? Why wasn’t it brought forth immediately?

Like I said, I don’t want this dude to be our new justice. I think there is a disturbing religious element at play here in this guy below the surface, and it will be a mistake to bring him in for life. JMHO and all. But this story? At this point I’m highly :dubious:

[drad_dog]

Brett Kavanaugh Liked Female Clerks Who Looked A ‘Certain Way,' Yale Student...

He had a certain type, apparently.

[SmellMyWort]

@Shodan

It wasn’t - she pushed his hand away, which makes it sexual assault.Isn’t this suggestion that women want to be assaulted, slut-shaming?

Regards,
Shodan

She also forcefully kissed him without consent so I guess that means he was assaulted as well :dubious:

I find it hard to believe that there are folks here who really see any equivalence between the encounter described by Booker and the one described by Ford.

[HurricaneDitka]

@Bijou_Drains

OK Dikta you have convinced me !! I will never support Cory Booker for the Supreme Court.

What about for President?

[iiandyiiii]

@Ashtura

I’ll be charitable in assuming you’reforgetting about this. When you can produce similar evidence of the night in question, then we can talk

Huh? I specifically mentioned Franken. He was pushed to resign by other Democrats since they took those allegations against him very seriously. The Democratic party’s leadership and high office holders handled Franken’s allegations very properly, and pushed him to (rightly) resign, as I advocated from the beginning on this board.

On the other hand, the Republicans haven’t done a damn thing about Trump, who bragged multiple times about violating the consent of women, and has been credibly accused of sexual assault by multiple women.

[iiandyiiii]

I swear it seems like even the possibility that someone might put morality and principle above partisan politics is alien to many Dopers.

[Gatopescado]

@Lamoral

I was under the impression that “lie detectors” are bullshit, so why would they even be brought up in this case? Hasn’t the concept been discredited?

Agreed.

@Cheesesteak

I’d pay $1,000 right now to anyone who can guarantee a Republican asks her that question.

Offer accepted. I am registered as a Republican and I guarantee I would ask her that question. PM me for PayPal address.

[drad_dog]

https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/brett-kavanaugh-amy-chua-law-clerks-outgoing

It was the Tiger Mom who made Kavanaughs office much prettier, by advising prospective female clerks to “be prepared”. There has to be a book in this.

If we have to give up progressivism in public life, for now, and he makes it onto the court, it will be painful for both sides. Enacting decisions against the will of the people (popular vote, people) won’t result in a conservative paradise, and there will be no virgins waiting for you.

Go get 'em tigers!

[Bijou_Drains]

Don’t think I would support Booker for president either.

[Shodan]

@iiandyiiii

What? In my understanding, all of these office holders recommended that Al Franken resign.

That is a rather clumsy dodge. We were talking about Kavanaugh, and the unsubstantiated allegation against him.

Regards,
Shodan

[AK84]

@iiandyiiii

I swear it seems like even the possibility that someone might put morality and principle above partisan politics is alien to many Dopers.

:dubious:
Yeah, it’s you who seem oddly fine with having a an “attempted rapist” on the DC Circuit, but draw the line at SCOTUS.
Well, it is a type of principle I guess.

[iiandyiiii]

@Shodan

That is a rather clumsy dodge. We were talking about Kavanaugh, and the unsubstantiated allegation against him.

Regards,
Shodan

In my understanding, they’re all advocating that the allegations against Kavanaugh be fully investigated, which is the morally correct stance on this particular allegation.

[iiandyiiii]

@AK84

:dubious:
Yeah, it’s you who seem oddly fine with having a an “attempted rapist” on the DC Circuit, but draw the line at SCOTUS.
Well, it is a type of principle I guess.

Huh? Where did I suggest I’d be fine with this? Can you cite the specific post you’re talking about? It’s really not hard to be specific when trying to argue with another poster. Just cite the post you’re talking about specifically.

[Fotheringay-Phipps]

@iiandyiiii

If he’s innocent and truly cares most about clearing his name over being confirmed, then he’d advocate for a delay and a full FBI investigation.

Possibly he’d be fine with an FBI investigation after he’s confirmed in order to clear his name, but would rather get the confirmation vote done with, as would anyone else in that situation.

But most likely he would rather not have an FBI investigation altogether. This, because he knows that there’s virtually no chance that an FBI investigation can clear his name in the face of a vague-as-to-details accusation over something that supposedly happened 36 years ago, no matter how innocent he might be.

[iiandyiiii]

@Fotheringay-Phipps

Possibly he’d be fine with an FBI investigation after he’s confirmed in order to clear his name, but would rather get the confirmation vote done with, as would anyone else in that situation.

But most likely he would rather not have an FBI investigation altogether. This, because he knows that there’s virtually no chance that an FBI investigation can clear his name in the face of a vague-as-to-details accusation over something that supposedly happened 36 years ago, no matter how innocent he might be.

If Ford has sinister motives (i.e. made it up for partisan purposes), then an FBI investigation would have at least a moderate likelihood of exposing them. Further, if Kavanaugh did this, and especially if he did anything else similar to any other women, then the FBI would at least have a moderate chance of revealing that as well.

[Ashtura]

@iiandyiiii

Huh? I specifically mentioned Franken. He was pushed to resign by other Democrats since they took those allegations against him very seriously. The Democratic party’s leadership and high office holders handled Franken’s allegations very properly, and pushed him to (rightly) resign, as I advocated from the beginning on this board.

With photographic evidence, I would certainly hope so!

[Shodan]

@drad_dog

https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/brett-kavanaugh-amy-chua-law-clerks-outgoing

It was the Tiger Mom who made Kavanaughs office much prettier, by advising prospective female clerks to “be prepared”. There has to be a book in this.

Can you explain briefly how the accusation of an anonymous someone who claims she asked someone else how to dress for an interview with Kavanaugh is relevant? Especially since

Though neither said the judge did anything untoward regarding the women he worked with…

Rubenfeld…emphasized that he had heard nothing else untoward.

This from an anonymous source, who nevertheless decided to go ahead and be interviewed by Kavanaugh.

And someone who is willing to be named says -

Travis Lenkner, who clerked for Kavanaugh in 2007 and 2008, said the idea that Kavanaugh had a certain look in mind for female clerks is absurd.
“There’s only one ‘look’ that is a requirement in Judge Kavanaugh’s chambers for men and women,” he said. “And that is that a suit is required every day. It’s a formal chambers in a formal courthouse.”

Your smoking gun is a leaky water pistol.

Regards,
Shodan

[iiandyiiii]

@Ashtura

With photographic evidence, I would certainly hope so!

So then what the hell were you disputing? The Democrats did the right thing on Franken. The Republicans haven’t done the right thing on Trump (or Kavanaugh, so far).

[Cheesesteak]

@Gatopescado

Offer accepted. I am registered as a Republican and I guarantee I would ask her that question. PM me for PayPal address.

Once you do ask her the question, I will get those Zimbabwean dollars sent on their way immediately. I may need to overpay by a few orders of magnitude, but you can keep the change.