Why These Kavanaugh Hearings

[Belk]

He was likely nice to his mother as well. So what?

 

[PloverWing]

Neither you, nor anyone else, can infer an official, public position based solely on one action taken by that party.

There are a lot of insults in Sistrin's post, which I'm not going to respond to. But the quoted section above did draw attention to a place where I was careless in my writing. I spoke of "Republicans", but that's too broad. The actions that the Senate takes in the next few days will tell me about the attitudes of the Senate leadership towards sexual assault. But the leadership of the Senate Judiciary Committee is not identical to the Republican Party as a whole.

We've seen Republican senators Collins and Murkowski express the view that they consider sexual assault to be a serious matter, and that they want to hear testimony to discern whether the assault charge is true. Different senators seem to be expressing a variety of views on how best to proceed. The Republican Party is a large group of many individuals, and I should not have spoken as though they are a monolith.

 

[creslaw]

He was likely nice to his mother as well. So what?

Character testimony is important when there are disputed accounts with little or nothing to verify their accuracy. Memory is not always accurate especially after such a long time. The behaviour Ford has detailed is not consistent with Kavanaugh's record.

 

[Sistrin]

I'm not sure how far those generally go back when they are made? I don't think I would expect them to visit my high school if I was going though one.

Then you have never been through one.

 

[Sistrin]

Both I and my accuser would deserve one. My concern for the "statute of limitations" couldn't be measured with an electron microscope. If it happened, it needs to be investigated.

You do understand in the case of someone accusing you of sexual misconduct in High School, and I repeat sexual misconduct because rape, as you and others keep asserting, was never the charge, the investigation into that charge would not be conducted by the FBI.

Nor would your accuser be able to demand the investigation be conducted by the FBI. Or that she was under no compulsion to provide any supporting evidence or even answer questions concerning the accusation unless those investigating agreed to adhere to her demands dictating how they conducted the investigation. Or that no attorneys be able to question her. Or that you be questioned first under oath in her presence in order to allow her to claim whatever you said was a lie.

Given those conditions, how do you feel that investigation would turn out, Ringo?

Either way, if Kavanaugh is innocent he would be clamoring for an investigation to clear his name.

Post the comments where Kavanaugh stated he believed there should be no investigation or voiced opposition to an investigation.

 

[redleghunter]

It almost seems that when something like a sexual assault happens, people would be talking about it after the fact and might know details that would be germane to figuring out the truth. But since I know that Republicans care less about the victim and the truth than their partisan advantage, I expect that to matter about as much as a hill of baked beans.
Ringo

The accused has rights as well. For the past 2000 years Western jurisprudence always has an accuser present their charges and the accused has a right to face their accusers and defend themselves.

 

[redleghunter]

I'm not sure how far those generally go back when they are made? I don't think I would expect them to visit my high school if I was going though one.

I've been through 3 TS background checks. They knock on doors in your neighborhood and ensure they visit with people who are not on your list of associates or references. And yes they visited my high school on one of the visits as the dean informed me a few months later.

I'm sure the FBI in quite aware of the elite in and near the beltway academies and know who to go to see if there are any hidden or expunged criminal records.

 

[redleghunter]

but OK with voting for a sexual assaulter

Are you referring to Bill Clinton?

 

[redleghunter]

It would be evidence that the story was not invented last week or six years ago, but was known around the time of the alleged incident.

(Or Obama used his time machine again.)

Ford said it was over the summer yet the woman quoted said she heard it in school.

 

[redleghunter]

Exactly why did they not investigate when they got the letter. Why did they wait until now?

Shumer did say they would use any means to stop the nomination.

 

[joshua 1 9]

Shumer did say they would use any means to stop the nomination.

They can not stop the nomination. They would be fighting against God.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Are you referring to Bill Clinton?

AFAIK, none of the women who charged Clinton with assault did so in time for any elections to be affected. Paula Jones said he had exposed himself, but her description of some little presidential details proved inaccurate. In the end, most of the women were investigated by Ken Starr, and none of the claims were substantial enough for him to do anything about.

 

[redleghunter]

AFAIK, none of the women who charged Clinton with assault did so in time for any elections to be affected. Paula Jones said he had exposed himself, but her description of some little presidential details proved inaccurate. In the end, most of the women were investigated by Ken Starr, and none of the claims were substantial enough for him to do anything about.

Yet they had recent evidence and some women could probably pick out his private parts in a line up.

 

[redleghunter]

From PJ Media just to break the ice here a bit:

(Fade in on a small, featureless, windowless room with gray brick walls, lit by a single bulb hanging from the ceiling. In the center of the room is a gray metal table with two gray metal chairs. In one chair, facing the single gray metal door, sits JUDGE BRETT KAVANAUGH. He is unshaven, his suit rumpled and his tie askew. He hasn't slept in a while. He looks back and forth between the door and his hands clasped before him on the table.)

(The door opens and the INTERROGATOR enters. He looks just like you'd expect him to look. In his hand is a thick gray binder, which he places on the table as he sits down.)

INTERROGATOR: Do you know why you're here, Judge Kavanaugh?

KAVANAUGH: No. What's going on?

I: A likely story. Let's begin. Judge, where were you on the night in question?

K: What?

I: (sighs impatiently) Where. Were. You. On the night. In question?

K: I don't know. Which night are you talking about?

I: I'll ask the questions here. Now, where were you?

K: When?

I: When you tried to rape that girl.

K: What? I've never tried to rape anyone!

I: So you've succeeded?

K: No! What? What is this? What's going on?

I: (opens binder and leafs through files) It says here that in high school, you called yourself the "treasurer of the Keg City Club." Care to explain that?

K: What? Yeah, I... That sounds right, I guess? Is that from my yearbook? What does--

I: Describe the activities of this club.

K: What? No, it wasn't an actual--

I: Do you think of women as human beings?

K: WHAT???

I: (takes pen out of jacket pocket, clicks it, jots something down on notepad) Interesting.

K: This is insane.

I: What was going through your mind as you assaulted that girl?

K: Oh my God! I just told you, I've never assaulted anyone.

I: She says you did. Are you calling her a liar?

K: Where was this attack supposed to have happened? When is she saying I did this?

I: (jots down another note, raises eyebrows) Amazing.

K: Look, I demand to know--

I: You don't make demands here, pal. You gave up that right when you tried to rape that girl.

K: I didn't try to rape anybody! I've never tried to rape anybody! Ever!

(The door opens and a second INTERROGATOR enters. He leans down to whisper into the ear of the first INTERROGATOR, who listens intently, gives KAVANAUGH a knowing look, and then nods. The second INTERROGATOR exits.)

I: Tell me about your law clerks.

K: My law clerks? What about them?

I: You prefer them to have a certain... look. Isn't that right?

K: What? What does that mean?

I: A certain look. It's plain English, your... (sneering) "honor."

K: Is one of my law clerks saying I did something to her?

I: (jots down another note) Wow.

K: This is a nightmare.

I: Do you believe women?

K: Do I believe women... what?

I: It's a simple question, Judge. Do. You. Believe. Women?

K: I'm not even sure how to answer that. I believe women when they say things that make sense, yes. When there's evidence to back them up. What--

I: So, women are delusional. Women are liars.

K: What?

I: They're just decorations and playthings for you to do with as you please, and if they stand up to you, they're crazy liars. That's what you just said.

K: Is this Hell? Am I in Hell?

I: Where were you on the night in question?

K: What night, goddammit?

I: Where. Were. You...

(Fade to black.)
The Interrogation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh

 

[essentialsaltes]

Yet they had recent evidence and some women could probably pick out his private parts in a line up.

Maybe, but this has no bearing on whether they were truthful.
Nor does the age of Professor Ford's accusation have any bearing on whether it is false.

 

[SoldierOfTheKing]

Maybe, but this has no bearing on whether they were truthful.
Nor does the age of Professor Ford's accusation have any bearing on whether it is false.

...but it does have bearing as to whether it is falsifiable.

 

[essentialsaltes]

...but it does have bearing as to whether it is falsifiable.

No. It may reduce our ability to gather information compared to a more recent case, but the falsifiability of the proposition is not in question.

 

[Ringo84]

The accused has rights as well. For the past 2000 years Western jurisprudence always has an accuser present their charges and the accused has a right to face their accusers and defend themselves.

Which is precisely why Ford and her attorney want a hearing, in addition to an impartial investigation by law enforcement.
Ringo

 

[Sistrin]

Which is precisely why Ford and her attorney want a hearing...

Again, you know that how?

 

[redleghunter]

Which is precisely why Ford and her attorney want a hearing, in addition to an impartial investigation by law enforcement.
Ringo

All she has to do is go to the local police dept or DA where the alleged incident happened and file a report.