The Kavanaugh controversy

[Primula Baggins]

The latest word is that Dr. Ford's attorneys responded today to say that she accepted their invitation to testify this coming week, without specifying which day, or agreeing to specific details. So negotiations continue. Supposedly, there is a tentative agreement to do it on Thursday, but other issues such as whether the questioning will be done by the senators themselves or by an outside counsel hired by them.

So far as I know, it is unprecedented to have a Senate committee hearing with questions done by anyone other than the senators themselves. The reason they want to bring in an outside (female) counsel is that they won't like the optics of having an group of elderly white males grilling a woman.

I wonder if any of them have reflected that "the optics" could have been avoided had they brought a Republican woman onto the Judiciary Committee, whereas in fact no Republican female senator has ever served on that committee? (And is this possibly some kind of red flag they somehow missed?)

[Voronwë the Faithful]

On a different but related note, the Democrats have got to be happy that they pushed Al Franken to resign (despite some having second thoughts). Talk about bad optics!

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Dr. Ford's attorney's put out another statement today confirming that she will testify on Thursday. They said that some details are still not decided, including whether the questioning will be done by the senators themselves, or an outside counsel, but also expressed disappointment that the committee will not be subpoenaing Mark Judge or calling other witnesses. The implication being that while that is disappointing to them, it is not considered a prerequisite for her testimony.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/23/politics ... index.html

[elengil]

...also expressed disappointment that the committee will not be subpoenaing Mark Judge or calling other witnesses. The implication being that while that is disappointing to them, it is not considered a prerequisite for her testimony.

I'm jaded enough with the government as a whole to say, 'well of course they haven't subpoenaed other witnesses, they aren't interested in getting to the truth, they just want to parade their 'effort' in front of the country so they can say they heard both sides before they shove him as fast as they can onto the court before they are voted out.'

Consider this: as the self-alleged victim of sexual assault, she may be denied the opportunity to serve on a jury hearing a sexual assault case, but as the alleged perpetrator of sexual assault, he may be about to be confirmed to a court that could potentially judge sexual assault cases.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

And now another woman has come forward with an allegation that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at a party while they were both at Yale.

https://www-m.cnn.com/2018/09/23/politi ... cnn.com%2F

Sent from my LG G6 using Tapatalk

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Oh for heaven's sake.

What does Michael Avenatti have on Brett Kavanaugh? What we know so far

If there is something, say what it is. If there isn't, just go away.


ETA: If Avenatti does not quickly provide credible evidence to back up his claims, he should be disbarred. Period.

[elengil]

Admittedly he is rather tiring, especially with explosive claims. But on the other hand, precisely due to his very public face, he may be sort of a lightning rod for people who don't know what else to do with their information, so they contact him.

But agreed, stop with the theatrics and just file a... whatever it is he does.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Nothing could solidify Republican complaints that this is all a vast left-wing conspiracy more than Avenatti's involvement.

[elengil]

True

[elengil]

Not directly related, but worth a watch

[yovargas]

Well damn.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

A number of well-known people have come out with their own stories, in support of Dr. Ford.

Ronald Reagan's daughter, Patti Davis, published an editorial revealing that she had been raped decades ago and had not reported it or revealed it before.
I was sexually assaulted. Here’s why I don’t remember many of the details.

The New York Times columnist Charles Blow also supported Dr. Ford by revealing details of his own abuse history.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

The Avenatti shoe has dropped, and it is a doozy.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kavanaugh- ... 018-09-26/

[yovargas]

Well god damn.

[River]

So I lived in Bethesda until I was 11. Thankfully, the neighbor girl who used to babysit me is too young to have been going to those parties. Not sure the public school kids were invited anyway.

BTW, while Avenatti is very much the obnoxious showman, I'm not sure he's ever failed to deliver.

[Cerin]

This statement describes a culture more than it describes the actions of an individual (a culture, moreover, that is ubiquitous in High Schools and colleges throughout the country). The accusations are vague and generalized, unlike the accounts of the first two women who have spoken out, so I don't see their probative value with respect to the hearings. I think they will make it easier to lump together and dismiss all the accusations as a smear campaign.

[Primula Baggins]

Except that they directly contradict Kavanaugh’s repeated public assertions that he never ever ever engaged in such conduct. I think he’s depending on a rushed process to bring all this to an end before even more accusations and/or corroboration emerge.

[yovargas]

This statement describes a culture more than it describes the actions of an individual

She says in her statement, "I observed Brett Kavanaugh drink excessively at many of these parties and engage in abusive and physically aggressive behavior toward girls, including pressing girls against him without their consent, 'grinding' against girls and attempting to remove or shift girls' clothing to expose private body parts."

Sounds like the actions of an individual to me.

[River]

So according to the statement he was seen standing in a gang rape line. I'd call that an individual action.

[elengil]

... I'm going to slide past all the accusations and denials for a moment and say... OMG you went to at least 10 parties where you knew women were routinely being gang raped!? WTAF!? Yes, I realize teens do not make the best decisions. Yes, I realize there is that sense of 'it won't happen to me'. Yes, I realize that there are a lot of reasons that can be offered. But I can't imagine being in high school - even in the 90's - and being at one party where I knew that kind of crap was going on, let alone going to multiple parties with that going on!

No, I am not criticizing the person, I still did plenty of my own stupid stuff. I am not saying she deserved any part of what happened. I'm just commenting for myself. I absolutely do not accept that this behavior is just 'par for High School'.