Jeff Flake votes to advance nominee, but calls for FBI investigation

ThatRobGuy said:

I would agree with this sentiment...

However, it's fair to point out when these games started...had the democrats not felt like they had a seat stolen from them when the GOP was playing games and refused to go with Merrick Garland (who, for the record, had more federal judicial experience than any nominee in the history of our nation) and left an empty seat for over 250 days, and then played games again when they triggered the nuclear option to get Gorsuch in there, this likely wouldn't be an issue now.

I would agree that the games are making a mockery of our system...but the democrats probably are feeling like that's their option at this point since the GOP has made no bones about the fact that they're willing to do the same (and have twice) and that the current president has vocally supported the notion of rolling back certain rights using the Supreme Court as his blunt instrument to do so.

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No, it started after the nomination of Bork.

No Swansong said:

So you think Republican Jeff Flake whose vote in committee could have prevented the nomination from going to the floor, is going to vote no regardless the outcome of an investigation?

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He was a yes until a group of protesters cornered him in an elevator, crying hysterically and acting like confirming Kavanaugh lets the rapists win. I think that was organized too. The Dems set it up knowing it would tug on Flake's heartstrings, so they pulled him in a back room and begged and pleaded.

Afra said:

Yes, that is certainly a possibility. But it is unclear how they would have voted without the FBI investigation.

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What part of "they threatened to vote no without an investigation" was unclear?

Saucy said:

Give me a break. The people demanding an investigation are already a no. They will vote no regardless of what the outcome of the investigation is. They've already stated they're out to stop this nomination regardless of the cost...and even preparing to stop the next one, without even knowing who it is yet. This is political games and stalling, nothing more.

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Flake and Murkowski? After all, there's only going to be an investigation because they demanded it...

If, as you say, they're going to vote no regardless, good news!

TLK Valentine said:

What part of "they threatened to vote no without an investigation" was unclear?

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What you wrote is clear, but it is not clear that what you wrote is true. From what I understand, the two female GOP Senators have not stated one way or another which way they will vote. But if you have other information, please let me see it. Perhaps I missed the news where they stated that they would vote no without an investigation.

TLK Valentine said:

Flake and Murkowski? After all, there's only going to be an investigation because they demanded it...

If, as you say, they're going to vote no regardless, good news!

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Once again, Flake was a yes this morning. Dems played their games and got what they wanted...yet ANOTHER investigation of an event the accuser doesn't remember, nor the witnesses.

TLK Valentine said:

Flake and Murkowski? After all, there's only going to be an investigation because they demanded it...

If, as you say, they're going to vote no regardless, good news!

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Are your objections to Kavanaugh based only on the most recent sexual assault allegations, or do you also object to him for his jurisprudence?

ThatRobGuy said:

It'll be interesting to see if Trump's loyal fan base will chastise Trump for this, or if they'll do a 180 and now think an investigation is a good idea because their hero said so...

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My money's on 180...

Afra said:

What you wrote is clear, but it is not clear that what you wrote is true. From what I understand, the two female GOP Senators have not stated one way or another which way they will vote. But if you have other information, please let me see it. Perhaps I missed the news where they stated that they would vote no without an investigation.

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Flake is a male... just fyi.

TLK Valentine said:

Flake is a male... just fyi.

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FYI. I was referring to Murkowski and Collins.

Saucy said:

Once again, Flake was a yes this morning.

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Once again, a yes in the judiciary committee... then he said he wants a investigation or else he's a no on the general Senate vote...

Murkowski has said likewise... so do the math.

Afra said:

FYI. I was referring to Murkowski and Collins.

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I didn't know about Collins... she's undecided, afaik.

TLK Valentine said:

My money's on 180...

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I won't. If you knew anything about government investigations, you'd know how ridiculous this already is. Especially for someone who's been scrutinized 5 or 6 times. Once is almost too much. Ask anyone you may know who applied for security clearances or was applying to the FBI. They'll probe random people in your life that you barely even think about.

TLK Valentine said:

Once again, a yes in the judiciary committee... then he said he wants a investigation or else he's a no on the general Senate vote...

Murkowski has said likewise... so do the math.

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No, he put out a statement this morning that he was a yes for confirming him. He said what I've been saying, that the burden of proof was on her and there is no evidence against Kavanaugh. But on his way to vote in the committee this morning, several women cornered him in an elevator, hysterically crying and yelling at him about being a rape victim.

Before the vote, senate democrats pulled him into a room, begging and pleading with him to say he wants an investigation. Dems played him and once again used rape victims to push their agenda. Now we're going to waste more time on an investigation that's going to go nowhere.

In the meantime, Democrats now get to find someone else they can pay a lot of money to in order to make new false accusations, to demand yet another investigation and another hearing and another delay.

LivingWordUnity said:

No, it started after the nomination of Bork.

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Well look at that, you tried to make an argument that I shot down from another poster back in April of 2017

Will the partisan element of the Dems filibuster SCOTUS vote?

...makes my job easier

Fact of the matter is, Bork was an ideological extremist...however, as noted in my post, he did at least get to face a hearing and a Senate vote. A courtesy not extended to Garland (who wasn't an extremist, but was simply targeted for petty reasons by Mitch McConnell.

...and for reference, the vote wasn't down party lines for Bork. 6 Republican Senators came across the fence to help block him. Largely due to his vocal support of southern states implementing poll taxes in black neighborhoods, and vocally supported the idea of rolling back civil rights rulings from the 60's.

Let's not compare Robert Bork to Merrick Garland. The opposition to Bork was purely because of Bork (as evidenced by the fact that when Reagan move on to his next selection, he was approved unanimously 97-0). The Merrick Garland situation was because republicans hated Obama.
McConnell vowed to not even have a hearing or consider whoever Obama's appointment was going to be before it was even announced.


Let's not be disingenuous and pretend they're the same thing.

Saucy said:

He was a yes until a group of protesters cornered him in an elevator, crying hysterically and acting like confirming Kavanaugh lets the rapists win. I think that was organized too. The Dems set it up knowing it would tug on Flake's heartstrings, so they pulled him in a back room and begged and pleaded.

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That occurred after the committee vote.

Saucy said:

No, he put out a statement this morning that he was a yes for confirming him.

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After the FBI investigation was annoinced... and put a statement later on that the results of the investigation could possibly change his mind.

https://www-m.cnn.com/2018/09/28/politics/jeff-flake-kavanaugh-vote-nomination/index.html?r=https:/

He said what I've been saying, that the burden of proof was on her and there is no evidence against Kavanaugh. But on his way to vote in the committee this morning, several women cornered him in an elevator, hysterically crying and yelling at him about being a rape victim.

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Two women spoke to him... the only hysteria of the event came from Kavanaugh himself, who, typically, came unglued in the face of adversity.

No Swansong said:

That occurred after the committee vote.

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And it didn't occur the way saucy imagined it.

No Swansong said:

That occurred after the committee vote.

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No it was before the vote.

Saucy said:

No it was before the vote.

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Well not according to the evening news but admittedly I wasn't there.