Grassley et al. are claiming that it’s somehow an outrageous idea to have the FBI investigate Professor Ford’s allegations. No precedent! Wrong; the White House could request that the FBI do the investigation. Anita Hill’s allegations were investigated, for pity’s sake, although not very thoroughly.
Obviously, the Republicans don’t want the FBI involved. Is that because Brett Kavanaugh would have to talk to the FBI? And, presumably, lie to the FBI? Which is a crime? That’s the only explanation that makes sense to me. They are protecting him from having to talk to the FBI about what happened all those years ago.
Kavanaugh is certainly hiding many things, but it seems like the reugs on the committee are as well. I'm beginning to think they want a compromised supreme court judge that way they can make him rule the way they want. No more rogue judges appointed by repulican presidents, upholding the ACA and Roe, why not put a dirty one on so they can control him? Just a theory!
The core problem with Kavanaugh is that he's just not honest. Kamala Harris flushed out his dishonesty when she asked him whether he had engaged in conversations about the Mueller investigation with anyone from Kasowitz, Benson, and Torres. The fact that he had to resort to a visible and audible show of mental index filing, questioning himself on the name Kasowitz like he didn't know exactly who Kasowitz was.
What he did was employ a stall tactic in the most juvenile manner to hide a truth. What that truth is we don't have to know, we only have to know that he tipped his hand by being evasive. Evasiveness is one of the many ways that dishonesty manifests itself.
He lied about his role in torture policy, stolen emails. He did not explain his questionable finances. He and his friend , witness in the room, do not want to be questioned by the FBI. Because they will have to lie and they cannot afford to be found lying. I have already read a classmate remembers the incident so probably a number of students heard about it.
As Sen Hirono stated: if she is getting death threats why is the FBI not investigating that?
#1 Kavanaugh has already been investigated by the FBI. #2 Hill and Thomas were investigated because they were both federal employees at the time not high school students in a vague story from forty yrs ago.
Nancy: “Kavanaugh has already been investigated by the FBI.” That was before Dr. Ford came forward with her allegations. There is no earthly reason the FBI cannot investigate those allegations.
“not high school students in a vague story from forty yrs ago.” I believe her, and the more we find out about the prep school days the more credible she is. Why would this woman put herself through the hellscape she is walking through now if it weren’t true? And I have this crazy idea that it’s not a bad thing if young men who are *old enough to know right from wrong* understand that their juvenile misbehaviors can follow them the rest of their lives.
Horseplay, just horseplay the Senator stated without any hearing or testimony. Horse excrement is more like it. This is a railroad job like no other. aj's point is well taken, I would expect the FBI to at least try to find out who is employing thuggery in an attempt to manipulate. This reminds me of threats Stormy Daniels reported with the "offer which could not be refused". More scenes from the godless father. It is not defined as terrorism if it comes from the right wing, so let's just call it mobster molestation.
So, the US could wait almost a year to replace a SCOTUS Judge. (Obviously, only because Obama had nominated him).
Mitch then: "'Hey, what's the rush? Amirite right?!?!?!'
Mitch now: 'JAYZOOS H. KEEEEEEEEEEEE ! HOW CAN WE EXPECT THE US SURVIVE IN THIS MODERN WORLD SHORT A SCOTUS JUDGE???!?!'
GOP POV: Let's NOT really look into Ol' Kav. He's a GREAT GUY!
Yeah. A great guy whose multi hundred-thousand debt (for baseball tickets? Really? Yeaj. BS!!!!!)was paid off. Everyone – GOP too – knows he couldn't have paid it off himself.
But, he's a privileged white male. So, NO further investigating. Oooops! Gotta rush off. Sorry…
The flip side of the lying to the FBI argument, is that Ford is perfectly willing to go through with an FBI investigation, putting herself at risk were she lying.
What’s sickening is seeing the pro-Kavanaugh ads (on MSNBC), produced by "Judicial Crisis Network". I watch them with the sound off, but they're obviously geared to sway women.
Nancy: "vague story from forty yrs ago"
It doesn't seem vague to Professor Ford? Her description is quite detailed? If your a real person and not some right-wing troll you should ask yourself why one party to the incident wants to be interviewed by the FBI and the other doesn't?
The Ford story has the ring of truth to it in that she did identify not only Cavanaugh but his buddy from that era. (Judge something-or-other). There have been no denials that they were not acquainted and both were hard drinkers.
How would anyone even with an unlimited amount of money find who I hung around with in HS, who I drank with and partied with? Hill is a professional with a family and career that have both been turned to chaos as she expected. What motive would she have to lie?
Lying to the FBI is a crime – a bunch of Trump people are going to jail for it. If Ford was refusing to talk to the FBI, I'd suspect she didn't want to commit a felony. The reverse is true – Cavanaugh is resisting official inquiries that would make him the felon for lying. (She took a polygraph – will Cavanaugh?)
I hope she testifies and I hope she lets the fury of a woman who is no longer a frightened teen show. Let her scorn for him and the GOP who will confirm him to the highest court in the land be stated for all to see. I do not think she can prevent the confirmation, but she can bestow on the vote the stench it deserves. See how it pays in the midterms.
Moonbat: "What’s sickening is seeing the pro-Kavanaugh ads (on MSNBC)"
Not suprising, hell they had a representative from the same sham organization trash Professor Ford unabated by one of MSNBC's dimmest, Craig Melvin. I'm sure the brass at msnbc are happy with a nominee like Kavanaugh, he's 100% pro corporate interest. Don't count on msnbc to tell the truth about this nominee?
It's nice to know that while all this drama and suspense of the Kavanaugh nomination is going on that Mueller's investigation is continuing with the same stealth and determination as termites feasting on the floorboards of Trump's presidency.
What blows my mind is the “she’s making this up” meme is getting the traction it is, even on the right, and particularly among establishment republicans. Feinstein could have handled this better, but still… Here’s a professional woman with a family and life, who’s NEVER been heard from in partisan politics. It makes zero sense that she would step outside of her life in this way to make up a story, risk all the upheaval and threats she and her family are experiencing now, not to mention the hits to her profession if her claims are false, just to sink Kavanaugh.
The GOP KNEW out the gate that Kavanaugh was as bad as what we’re seeing, and probably worse, which is why they started out with their own nice guy propaganda blitz of Kav as the “carpool dad” and “Boy Scout.” What we’ve seen thus far explains why they tried to hide as much as they could about his record and personal history. He was not who McConnell recommended from Trump’s short list, and its obvious that his only value is not just a wingnut vote against Roe – any one of them could have been counted on for that, but a “justice” who will be willing to rule against any effort to hold Trump accountable, if or hopefully when it comes to that.
Kavanugh is of a type I remember growing up on the “bad” side of DC, white prep/frat guys who were “superior” because of their wealth and status, which gave them the cover to do the kind of dirt Kav and his friend Judge were involved in, which any of us would have certainly been locked up or even shot for. Some say well it was 30 years ago but Kav has shown in his hearings he’s still a liar and hasn’t evolved far from his high school days when his privilege allowed, facilitated, gave cover for and then ultimately excused bad and even criminal behavior.
Boy will they lose the women if this thing goes bad.
Evangelicals will rationalize any of this with the “But the baby killing must stop!” shtick. Still, I’m trying to understand the bit where they think God does his best work through evil people.
Unless… in this universe the omnipotent performance artist known as “God” made Satan a little too powerful and he’s got the real God locked up in some kind of metaphysical box somewhere. Believers must be warned! I wonder if there’d be any money in such a religion.
Bill: As to your last paragraph, that is sort of what the Christians believe. God has allowed Satan to run rampant until the last days when all humans will be judged. It is never explained why except just to test humans as to their loyalty. That is why he had to send Jesus so that "whosoever believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting life". Not saying that is my belief but there is a lot of money in it.
grannyeagle, like many former Christians turned agnostic, I was perfectly happy with that, until our “perfect loving” God started employing evil to fight the evil he created, and then started fighting the good as well. Too messed up for me. That’s when I decided that the only thing that could make sense was that Satan is in full control now, pretending to be God, and the real God has no power anymore with or without Jesus (who is probably either a satanic myth or the son of Satan).
It wasn’t easy for me to arrive at this sad place.
Conservatives (or Republicans or corrupt kleptocrats or whatever it is they really are) did some of their best machinating work when they duped most conservative evangelicals into becoming their unwitting supplicants. When one thinks about it… without them America is a far saner place. And I think said kleptocratic criminals would've been better kept in their place.