Posted on 09/28/2018 5:32:41 PM PDT by Kaslin
Today was supposed to be simple. The Senate Judiciary Committee was set to vote on advancing the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Senate floor. It was going to be a party-line vote. It was going to be dotted with Democrats once again whining about the process. They also want an FBI investigation to look into the sexual misconduct allegations lobbed against Kavanaugh. One of the women, Christine Blasey Ford, testified before Congress yesterday in an intense day of testimony. Judge Kavanaugh addressed the committee in the afternoon, in a fiery speech defending his name, reputation, and career. He stringently denies the allegations; Ford alleges Kavanaugh tried to rape her at a high school party.
Yes, the committee voted to advance the nomination, but not before Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) decided to take the role of Benedict Arnold, suggesting a delay in the final vote in order to have the FBI investigate these claims. It’s on a weeklong timetable. Sens. Murkowski (R-AK), Collins (R-ME), and Manchin (R-WV) all jumped onboard. The White House, now forced into a corner, has ordered the FBI to conduct an investigation. It’s the wrong move. Flake decided to give this left wing smear campaign another week of oxygen, allowing more time for last minute shenanigans to possibly occur. We know when the FBI submits their preliminary report, the Democrats will demand more time. There is nothing that will ever make them change their minds about this man. It’s delay, delay, and delay. That’s the derail Kavanaugh playbooks the Democrats are deploying. And to no one’s surprise, Ford’s legal team rejects the “artificial limits” (via Fox News):
A note on what the FBI can and can't do: This isn't a criminal investigation, no grand jury, so they can't subpoena records or force anyone to testify.— Shannon Pettypiece (@spettypi) September 28, 2018
So basically, they can do less than Senate investigators who have already done much investigating https://t.co/6MgYoQLA4S— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) September 28, 2018
Gosh, nobody could see that coming. https://t.co/gGrEmHrV1R— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) September 28, 201
President Trump on Friday ordered the FBI to conduct a limited "supplemental" background investigation into the allegations of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell delayed plans for votes but said Republicans are still moving "forward."
“I’ve ordered the FBI to conduct a supplemental investigation to update Judge Kavanaugh’s file," Trump said in a statement. "As the Senate has requested, this update must be limited in scope and completed in less than one week.”
Trump's order came after after several undecided senators whose votes are needed to confirm Kavanaugh called for a weeklong FBI probe before a floor vote.
[…]
An attorney for Kavanaugh accuser Christine Ford, Debra S. Katz, said in a statement Friday that Ford “welcomes this step in the process.” But Katz took issue with the one-week limit, saying no “artificial limits as to time or scope should be imposed on this investigation."
When asked if they could get the investigation done in a week, a senior FBI official told Fox News, "That depends on the schedules of everyone we'd have to interview, including the accuser, accused and witnesses.”
Ford has named three other people she said attended the 1982 party where she claims she was assaulted. All three named people have said they have no memory of the event, though two said Friday they’re willing to cooperate with the FBI.
“I will cooperate with any law enforcement agency that is assigned to confidentially investigate these allegations,” Kavanaugh friend Mark Judge said.
“My client, Patrick J. Smyth, is happy to cooperate fully with this FBI investigation,” said attorney Eric B. Bruce.
Brett Kavanaugh is one of the most qualified and most impressive Supreme Court nominees in memory. This is a nomination that deserves to move forward -- and that is precisely what is happening.— Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) September 28, 2018
In the Senate, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that the nomination is moving forward—and all 51 Republicans have agreed to that end. Also, this FBI investigation is not a criminal one, meaning they can’t force people to testify or subpoena records. In other words, it’s all part of the delay tactic deployed against this Supreme Court nomination. It’s now a street fight. It’s open warfare—and it seems clear that the GOP was not ready to get this deep into the muck when it came to fighting Democrats. It’s going to be another intense and nasty seven-to-ten days. Brace yourselves.
.@senatemajldr McConnell makes remarks about the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh. https://t.co/zmDxBlM8BQ https://t.co/s4wLcQZ8uv— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 28, 2018
.@senatemajldr on Kavanaugh nomination: "I'm pleased to announce that all 51 Republican members of the Senate support the motion to proceed to the nomination." https://t.co/uq3iT4EgsV pic.twitter.com/K9sU6wrcex— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 28, 2018
.@senatemajldr on Kavanaugh hearing: "The picture that diverged from all of this is clear: Judge Kavanaugh is one of the most qualified and most impressive Supreme Court nominees in the history of our country." https://t.co/uq3iT4EgsV pic.twitter.com/MZ3KdjouAD— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 28, 2018
Here are Leader McConnell's remarks [emphasis mine]:
“For the information of all our colleagues, there were two very significant developments today. This morning, the Judiciary Committee reported out Judge Kavanaugh favorably. All eleven Republican members of the Judiciary Committee voted in favor of reporting him out with a favorable recommendation. Number two, we will shortly move to proceed to the Kavanaugh nomination. And I’m pleased to announce that all 51 republican members of the Senate support the motion to proceed to the nomination. One hundred percent of the Republican conference supports proceeding to the Kavanaugh nomination.
“Now in Committee, they reviewed the most pages of documents ever produced pertaining to any Supreme Court nomination. Literally hundreds of judicial opinions from his tenure on the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. And five days of hearings, during which Judge Kavanaugh testified for nearly 40 hours. Judge Kavanaugh testified on every topic from complicated legal subjects to sensitive personal matters. And there were testimony and statements from countless personal friends, classmates, coworkers, former clerks, and other associates.
“So the picture that emerged from all this is clear: Judge Kavanaugh is one of the most qualified and most impressive Supreme Court nominees in the history of our country. He has excelled at the highest levels of legal scholarship. He holds two degrees from Yale, and for years has lectured at Harvard Law School. He has issued more than 300 legal opinions from what is widely considered the second highest court in the nation. Several have subsequently been cited in the Supreme Court’s own majority opinions. Along the way, he has built an outstanding reputation within the legal community for his clear, thoughtful writing and his exemplary, fair-minded judicial temperament.
“Judge Kavanaugh’s qualifications have been affirmed by his peers and by renowned legal scholars from across the ideological spectrum. One self-described liberal Democrat who advised him at Yale said that Judge Kavanaugh, quote, ‘commands wide and deep respect among scholars, lawyers, and jurists.’ And this praise has been echoed by hundreds of character witnesses who have testified before the Senate or written us letters to praise Judge Kavanaugh’s personal character and his integrity in the strongest terms.
“The Committee has also thoroughly investigated the last-minute allegations that have been brought forward. The evidence that has been produced either fails -- fails -- to corroborate these accusations, or in fact supports Judge Kavanaugh’s unequivocal denial. And in some cases, the accusers have even recanted their baseless allegations. All in all, this is a nominee who has received what many consider the ‘gold standard’ of judicial qualification -- a rating of ‘unanimously well qualified’ from the American Bar Association.
“So, this is a nomination that deserves to move forward -- and that is precisely what is happening. I commend our colleagues on the Committee for sending this impressive nominee here to the floor with a favorable recommendation. Now we will keep the process moving: The full Senate will begin considering Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination today.”
This gives Trump a break anyway to work behind the scenes.
Now, why would they (Pubbies) get a guarantee in advance?
That would be part of a successful negotiation.
Yes her repressed memories will break free.
This coming from the legal team that was demanding that Kav testify against the allegations first. And then, only after that, Ford lays out her allegations.
Be nice if Trump cleared it with Flake, just to make sure it would satisfy Flake.
“An attorney for Kavanaugh accuser Christine Ford, Debra S. Katz, said in a statement Friday that Ford “welcomes this step in the process.” But Katz took issue with the one-week limit, saying no “artificial limits as to time or scope should be imposed on this investigation.”
There is only one way for them to get the above and that is to charge Kavanaugh with a crime having federal jurisdiction. Which also means all the constitutional protections afforded to any accused/defendant must be granted to Kavanaugh.
Ford does not want to face an able criminal defense attorney. She does not want to open herself up to criminal charges. She should be especially cautious about making herself liable for a civil law suit. This holds true for the other so called victims.
The senate democrats do not want to stop spouting how this is “only a job interview.” They don’t want more people grasping how much they are willing to use raw power to make the USSC their biotch. They sure don’t want rules of law and due process to keep them in check.
So I think this is a bluff. Why would they want Kavanaugh to have even more of chance to expose them?
Let them bitch all they want to. Anything short of Kavanaugh withdrawing or somehow be unlucky enough to be confirmed the left is going to bitch and bellyache about something no matter what it is so just let them whine and bitch all they want to.
It’s scary how a guy Dubya or Romney would have nominated is now fighting for his life.
If Kavanaugh goes down, no man in America will be ever safe from the #MeToo Star Chambers.
They are all NO at this point...and probably will solid NO by this time next week. FBI investigation is all the cover they need, even if it doesn't add anything. They were never in the YES column.
I feel your frustration.
Don’t inch up on that ledge, just yet.
Come back in and let’s see how this (Kav nomination) turns out.
The ‘going along, to get along/must take the higher road’ BS does get old.
Hang in there.
His request was pretty cut and dried
“I think it would be proper to delay the floor vote for up to but not more than one week in order to let the FBI do an investigation, limited in time and scope,”
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/28/flake-will-vote-to-confirm-kavanaugh-to-the-supreme-court-851291
Echoed with the Presidents order “supplemental investigation” to be “limited in scope and completed in less than one week.”
The Presidents order is better because it specifies ‘LESS than one week
” Here We Go: Kavanaugh Accuser’s Legal Team Rejects ‘Artificial’ FBI Investigation Deadline “
Grassley and McConnell accept.
Of course.
Kavanaugh Accuser’s Legal Team Rejects ‘Artificial’ FBI Investigation Deadline
They have no standing.
Why are her lawyers involved in this process?
The testimony has been delivered. They are no longer part of the process. There is nothing left to negotiate.
Collins and Murkowski have never been "yes" votes once the hearings started. They've been looking for cover to vote "no". One week or one year wouldn't factor into their votes.
That doesn't matter... The republicans are total saps..! They could have the best hand town and they wouldn't know how to play it...
The only way Kavanaugh will be able save any face at all for himself and his family is to tell ALL to go to hell and leave DC as soon as possible... :(
When dealing with democrats you always get at least 3 steps ahead.i don’t know what those wimp gop senators were thinking when they gave in this fake fbi investigation demand
Just more time for him to praise that liar Ford......
I’m sure he did.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.