Ngelmish wrote:Hakons wrote:The nomination wasn't particularly rushed, it was about average. Anything concluding before the midterms would have been called "rushed." Kavanaugh released around one million documents (far, far greater than any previous nominee) I'm not sure how many more are needed. Kavanaugh's behavior was an appropriate response to the vicious uncilivity of his questioners.
"The process" isn't a partisan point, it's a deathly real issue. The Democrats behaved horrendously as they
every means of stopping a nomination while they were in the minority. I support due process and basic human decency, and it is quite clear the top Democrats support neither.
No, you're picking certain points in the process to be outraged about. Over 90% of Kavanaugh's Bush era records
weren't released. That's a fact, not a conjecture. Records that would have indicated his role in the torture and rendition programs. Records that would have elaborated whether or not he was being misleading about his role in coaching Bush era judicial nominees that he point blank said he was not involved in. As for one million documents, the number is less important than the
proportion. Republicans made no serious effort to address any of those concerns.
And why should they when the people raising the issue as a concern are the very same people who declared
before Kavanaugh was named as a nominee that they would oppose
any nominee Trump offered?
Are you under the assumption that the Democrats were open to being convinced he was a worthy Justice?
But since I know the real outrage is the more salacious stories that followed, let's go over that again. Fundamentally the issue is not about believing an accuser out of hand, it's, we should at least take a serious look at it. As for the underlying question of due process and which side was or was not appropriate: How thorough should an investigation be before due process can be declared? Kavanaugh was asked some embarrassing questions due to the nature of the allegations involved: None of those allegations were investigated in depth. If you want to claim they shouldn't have been because there's not a high enough evidentiary standard after the elapse of time, do so, but don't pretend that's due process. Due process would involve examining the claims of both accuser and accusee and their contemporaries who knew both of them to see which account was most internally consistent. Oh, and as for basic human decency, Kavanaugh wanted Bill Clinton to be asked specific questions like, "How many times did you ejaculate into Monica Lewinsky's mouth?" About the worst he was asked was, "Are these sexual references?" or, "Have you ever blacked out drinking?"
Condemning Democratic inquiries out of hand because they didn't want to confirm him in the first place is of course your prerogative, but it doesn't necessarily demonstrate that their concerns were only, or even, political.
Nonsense. You are being ridiculous. Any investigation into these allegations could have been handled from the start. All Feinstein had to do was request an inquiry on the basis of information she had received anonymously the
day she received Fords letter. Instead, she sat on the allegations for weeks.
Then, Senate Republicans offered to start a Senate Investigation the day after Feinstein went public. She rebuffed them.
Then, 2 days after that offer, Ford went public - to the media rather than to the Senate or the authorities. Senate Republicans offered her an opportunity to speak in public, in private, in DC, or at a place of her choosing
that day.
Instead, Ford waffled and squawked and obviated about being unavailable to travel, expressed fear of confronting the man who allegedly assaulted her, insisted that he defend himself before she would testify, demanded a female to speak to her, etc etc etc. Blah blah blah.
And
then, Senator Flake got them an FBI investigation.
Thing is, the FBI investigates
federal crimes. Ford made a misdemeanor allegation. From 36 years ago. Without evidence, corroboration, witnesses, a criminal report, or a crime scene. So in order for the FBI to investigate, they have to be grant greater authority in a limited scope lest they violate their constitutional limitations.
You wouldn't want #literallyhitler to exceed his constitutional authority would you?
Thus, the ONLY way the FBI could investigate properly was to speak to witnesses, analyze a crime scene, consult historical records, etc etc. Since they couldn't (because, you know, Ford offered nothing except people who rebuked her allegations), they were reduced to asking questions of the same people who had
already offered sworn testimony to the Senate Committee. Further, the Senate Investigators have
greater authority than the FBI does for precisely this reason. If the Senate Dems were really interested in "the truth", they could have just asked Kavanaugh questions. To his face. As he sat in front of them. Since they did... what could the FBI do?
Travel back in time?
All in all, the Dems had 87 days to review Kavanaugh. 87 days. 45 days since Feinstein unveiled the note. "How thorough should an investigation be before due process can be declared?" That's something you should ask the Democrat scum on that committee.
This was a political hit. Period.