US Politics

[JCon]

29 minutes ago, Tracker said:

There are a lot of pieces at play here. Trump has fully invested himself in Kavanaugh's appointment and, given Trump's abysmal history of having his appointees spectacularly imploding, his ego cannot take yet another disaster wherein his judgement is proven faulty. Moreover, the GOP is still trying to do damage control over the Russia investigation and failing at that as well. Mueller is edging ever closer to proving that Trump has been laundering money for the Russian mob for nearly 20 years. Plus, if Kavanaugh fails at the appointment with three for certain and possibly a fourth woman alleging sexual misconduct on his part, he tenure are a judge will come under examination and trigger a full FBI investigation, so who knows what that will dredge up?

Trump has found a judge who will protect him when the law comes down on him. Trump needs Kav on SCOTUS.

[JCon]

It's obvious that the GOP believes Ford and they need to get Kav confirmed without an investigation. 

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

4 minutes ago, The Unknown Poster said:

Is Grassley Kavanaugh’s personal attorney? 

And why does he keep lying about the FBI?  

What is he saying about the fbi?

[Tracker]

2 hours ago, wanna-b-fanboy said:

What is he saying about the fbi?

Kavanaugh was asked point-blank if he would support a full FBI investigation into the allegations against him, including the motivations of his accusers and he would not give a direct answer.

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

7 minutes ago, Tracker said:

Kavanaugh was asked point-blank if he would support a full FBI investigation into the allegations against him, including the motivations of his accusers and he would not give a direct answer.

I remember that- I thought TUP was saying Grassley was lying about the fbi.

[do or die]

Jeff Flake.......talked a good game, but when Graham put the thumb on him, folded like a lawn chair.  

[JCon]

1 minute ago, do or die said:

Jeff Flake.......talked a good game, but when Graham put the thumb on him, folded like a lawn chair.  

He always does. 

[JCon]

I read that Bush has been calling around, whipping senators for Kav. 

Edited September 28, 2018 by JCon

[blue_gold_84]

24 minutes ago, wanna-b-fanboy said:

It's pretty criminal what these republicans are doing. Morally bankrupt cowards the lot of them are. 

The old boys oligarchy!

[The Unknown Poster]

48 minutes ago, wanna-b-fanboy said:

I remember that- I thought TUP was saying Grassley was lying about the fbi.

They keep downplaying the FBI with inaccurate statements, saying the FBI doesnt want to do it, cant do it, wouldnt be any different from a Senate investigation etc.  The FBI investigated this exact same scenario in the past and have said they will investigate when/if asked to do so by the federal government.  Any effort by the GOP to eliminate the FBI as an option is inaccurate at best and a blatant lie at worst.

The anger and insults directed at the people who have come forward is by design.  Its meant to chill anyone else from coming forward and then they can say "see there isnt anyone" or "we've talked to everyone."   I can guarantee, if the FBI investigated, there would suddenly be a lot more witnesses.  Plus, you'd have people on the record....the GOP says the 4 people Dr Ford said were there have said it never happened.  That is untrue.  They said they dont remember.  And why would they?

If you attended numerous parties 30+ years ago where you were unaware of anything out of the ordinary happening, why would you remember something you weren't aware of?  If the FBI questioned them, its entirely possible the statements would be more akin to "I went to many parties, I remember being at parties with these people, I dont remember a sexual assault but I have no knowledge that it didnt happen either."  Thats a lot different from "I never happened."

33 minutes ago, JCon said:

I read that Bush has been calling around, whipping senators for Kav. 

Very disappointing.  I like W.  But this is awful.  He is quite friendly with the Clinton's and Obama's and a man of faith and I expected him to be moderate on this.  He has two daughters.  Oh well, party before country.

[JCon]

Just now, The Unknown Poster said:

Very disappointing.  I like W.  But this is awful.  He is quite friendly with the Clinton's and Obama's and a man of faith and I expected him to be moderate on this.  He has two daughters.  Oh well, party before country.

In the end, it's about swinging SCOTUS very far to the right. This has been the GOPs agenda for many, many years. Bush is just part of the machine. 

[The Unknown Poster]

3 minutes ago, JCon said:

In the end, it's about swinging SCOTUS very far to the right. This has been the GOPs agenda for many, many years. Bush is just part of the machine. 

Which sucks.  The court should be moderate.  If it has to lean one way, it should always be towards the rights of the people over the will of the government.

Its funny, so many claim the Constitution is written in stone and yet by the way they push for their perspectives on the SCOTUS, its obvious they see it as very open to interpretation.

[do or die]

Just in from the Hill....

1:30 deadline passes with no vote and plenty of confusion

1:37 p.m.

The 1:30 p.m. deadline for having a vote on Kavanaugh has come and gone without an explanation from Grassley.

Flake, who announced this morning he would vote for the nominee but also expressed doubt about what to make of Kavanaugh’s testimony Thursday, has been missing from the hearing room for a while, prompting speculation he may have changed his mind or may want a delay before a panel vote.

Flake emerged briefly from the anteroom and asked Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the committee to follow him back inside for a private discussion. He had a deeply concerned expression on his face. 

Flake was confronted by protesters this morning after announcing his support for Kavanaugh.

Flake said he felt compelled to support Kavanaugh in the absence of corroborating evidence backing up Ford’s claim that he committed a sexual assault in the early 1980s.

Republicans have filed back and forth to the committee's anteroom and there have have been intense whispered conversations among members the past 40 minutes. 

 

[pigseye]

Filibuster or hope the senate doesn't approve Kavanaugh. 

[do or die]

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/408988-flake-calls-for-one-week-delay-to-floor-vote-on-kavanaugh

Edited September 28, 2018 by do or die

[do or die]

....to allow for an FBI investigation.    

[The Unknown Poster]

Seems reasonable. 

Personally I think Kavanaugh’s behaviour yesterday showed him to be unqualified. 

But let the fbi do a full investigation, interview witnesses, gather evidence and release their findings to the public. If it comes down to one woman’s word vs one mans word then you can see him confirmed and people can reasonably accept it. 

[do or die]

If anything at all, comes up an investigation, or further revelations made public.......Susan Collins  and Lisa Murkowski may pull the plug, in the floor vote.

[The Unknown Poster]

What a crazy situation.   So if anyone doubts the voices of women, Flake was a "yes", gets confronted by two brave women with stories of their own sexual assault and he was clearly affected by it.

Funny how, earlier today the FBI wasnt able to investigate, didnt do that, couldnt do it...yadda yadda and now "well, sure, we can have them do that."  Shows the lying evasive games.

I love Graham playing mr nice guy now.  What a crock.  And Trump deferring to the Senate.  Cowards all of them.

[17to85]

1 hour ago, The Unknown Poster said:

Which sucks.  The court should be moderate. 

Nuts to that, it should be impartial and unbiased. There is a reason justice is blind in all the depictions. 

[The Unknown Poster]

Just now, 17to85 said:

Nuts to that, it should be impartial and unbiased. There is a reason justice is blind in all the depictions. 

Well thats more what I meant.  You're right.  Moderate was the wrong word.  Kav is clearly VERY biased.  He's a political operative.

[blue_gold_84]

Just now, The Unknown Poster said:

Well thats more what I meant.  You're right.  Moderate was the wrong word.  Kav is clearly VERY biased.  He's a political operative.

Not to mention severely unhinged.

[do or die]

CNN:  Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), considered another swing vote, said in an interview that she supports Flake’s call for a delay.

Mitch McConnell would simply love to ignore this and just ram through a floor vote....but between this and calls from all points of the compass, for an investigation....things are getting pretty awkward.

 

[bustamente]

Flake couldn't find a hole big enough when he was cornered in the elevator, the expression on his face was priceless.

[Mark F]

Another instance where Canada looks very good compared to the U.S.

Our Judges are appointed by party in power, but a person like Trump's guy wouldn't have the slightest chance of being on the Canadian Supreme Court, no matter which party was in power.

Course we did have this guy, out in Alberta

Quote

 a judge  asked a woman, "Why couldn't you just keep your knees together?" during an Alberta sexual assault trial and According to the complaint that prompted the review, in addition to the "keep your knees together" comment, Camp asked during the trial, "Why didn't you just sink your bottom down into the basin so he couldn't penetrate you?" (The woman alleged she was sexually assaulted over a sink).

But he was kicked off the Bench.

Edited September 28, 2018 by Mark F