Good Men Don’t Rape Women. Ever.
It appears that the Republican Party under Donald Trump has declared rape to be mark of a fine man. You know, good people on both sides – the man who rapes and the women who get raped.
No, he’s not. He’s committed perjury in his hearing, he’s abused a woman, his finances are a damn mess, and he probably has a gambling problem. He’s Trump with a law degree.
First you say he didn’t do it and now you say but even if he did …. he’s a good man.
I believe in redemption. I believe that passed sins can be forgiven and that people can change. I do not believe a man who continues to deny and does not seek redemption or forgiveness can be trusted.
With these crimes in his history, even if he has redeemed himself –and he has not– he still Does Not Belong On SCOTUS!
1There is no more pretending. The claimed spiritual, moral, God-fearing higher ground Republicans have ridden on since the days of Reagan have come to this? That even if the rape allegation were true that by any measure Mr Hatch considers him to be a really good man?
The race to the bottomless depths of Republican hypocrisy carries on. Like Republican leadership sexual assault arrests and gang murders in Los Angeles, too numerous to count. You just note the hundreds of cases at the end of the year.
2What has he done to atone for his actions? Without that, I expect he hasn’t so much changed as acquired discretion. I wonder how he treats female clerks…
3These seem to be, in ranked order, a complete list of the things the GOP cares about:
(1) Power and money.
(2) Corporate privilege.
(3) White, Anglo, male privilege.
Any other nominations? I’m coming up dry.
4Not only should Kavanaugh not be confirmed, these revelations might rise to the level required to impeach and remove from the Federal bench.
After 65+ years of seeing one human often injure other humans, particularly seeing “boys will be boys” injuries, I opine, that while such sins might could be forgiven, as a practical matter, they never are, and probably shouldn’t. And while people should be able to change, they just about never do. Kavanaugh today likely would do exactly what he did all those years ago, given the same opportunity. He’s the same guy he was then, just older and more experienced.
5If ‘orrible Hatch and the snacilbupeR idiots slam through Koat Hangar Kavanaugh’s nomination, all of them deserve to be serving their final term in any elected office. There’s a good but unverified rumor about Roberts being a seizure or stroke away from the end of his life time term. And, Old Clarie is looking none too healthy. May he receive huge gift baskets of unhealthy cookies and the like this Christmas. Rebalance SCOTUS from 5-4 to 6-3 with sane justices. For safety, impeach Gorsuch and if need be Kavanaugh for some 8-1 fun.
6Right from the start, I was wondering if Kavanaugh simply did not telecast properly. Some people, no matter how good looking they are, just don’t come across like they should. After listening to what he was NOT saying and he SHOULD HAVE, I can only conclude that this is is as crooked as a hound dog’s hind leg and should not be confirmed. Not once did he take ownership of what he said. It was all bland blah blah blah. What would have gotten my vote is if he had said “I firmly and truly believe the Roe v. Wade is settled law.” Nah. He verbalized his way around it. He obviously has an agenda.
7Well, folks the blue wave HAS to be huge.
The term “good behavior” is understood to mean justices may serve for the remainder of their lives, unless they are impeached and convicted by Congress, resign, or retire. Only one justice has been impeached by the House of Representatives (Samuel Chase, March 1804), but he was acquitted in the Senate (March 1805).
So no luck there but Federal Judges have also been impeached and stayed off the bench.
8“He’s committed perjury in his hearing, he’s abused a woman, his finances are a damn mess, and he probably has a gambling problem. He’s Trump with a law degree.”
These are how Orrin and the GOP measure a ‘good’ man nowadays.
9This sumbitch refused to answer — when asked by a Senator during hearings — whether the President should be allowed to sic the Department of Justice on his political enemies.
How could he possibly be considered for the position of Justice?
10While impeachment of Justices on the SCOTUS is rare, there have been instances on the lower courts and Justices have chosen to resign or “retire” under increased scrutiny. The most prominent case was that of Abe Fortas.
https://www.brennancenter.org/blog/cautionary-tale-abe-fortas
Of course this crop of vindictive, venal, vipers will undoubtably have to be dragged out of office kicking and screaming.
11Republicans are in a difficult place. No, make that Republicans have put themselves in a difficult place.
Kavanaugh is accused of an action not all that different from what we know Donald J. Trump bragged about on tape, grabbing what you want, with or without permission. If Senators at the hearing accept testimony from Kavanaugh’s accuser as true, it’s only one more step to Trump himself.
12Kavanaugh has a full jacket of his time as a judge which should disqualify him for SCOTUS. Add in his time in the corrupt Dubya maladministration, his time with Ken Porn Starr, and his potential as a rapist … how many more disqualifiers does he need before he never sits on ANY bench much less SCOTUS?
13I’m not absolutely certain about this but wouldn’t a conviction for rape or perjury or any other felony remove a person from public office (except the President, where there’s some Constitutional issues). I mean, wouldn’t they be forced to resign since they are (presumably) going to jail? Having your butt in the slammer isn’t conducive to sitting on the bench in a court of law, is it?
Impeaching, and convicting, a Supreme Court Justice, or a lower court judge, removes that person from his/her position on the court but has no criminal element to it. True, the person can no longer hold any job within the federal government and he/she loses any pensions or other emoluments they might otherwise be entitled to but they don’t go to jail if impeached.
14Let’s be honest. The republican measure of a man is his ability to play ball according to their rules. Note the rancid, stinking hulk in the Oval Office. The Mad Captain, as Paul McCartney
15calls him, cares not for the rules of law or morality, despite repeated warnings.
Dontcha just love the double standard?
Without a shred of proof [in fact, massive proof to the contrary] Congress held hearing after hearing after hearing on #Hillary Clinton #BENGHAZZZZIIIII!!!!!
And now, everyone in the Senate knows he lied to them repeatedly. Every one of them knows that, as soon as the Senate flips, Kavenaugh will be impeached for that crime alone. The statute of limitations may keep him from being convicted for the attempted rape — but it can’t keep him from being impeached.
Unfortunately, unless the Senate flips this November — he’s got plenty of time to protect Trump in case of impeachment and destroy the country.
But I repeat myself.
16At the kavanauge hearings on Monday I hope the D’s T off with requiring kavanaugh to define sexual assault.
17Ask whether if an individual walks up to a woman they just met and grabs her by the privates whether he considers it sexual assault? ( I know I do)
And then start running don the list of bad behavior by demented donnie and his “friends” and ask whether he considers each cited act as sexual assault.
Include statements and acts that his good buddy and personal reference from high school judge has done and ask if it is assault or harassment?
No weaseling. No “cannot answer ‘hypotheticals” or because of a case that might appear before him allowed.
throw in some of cosby’s violations as well.
ask if he thinks the turner case from stanford was properly adjudicaited and if judge Persky properly imposed sentence?
If time the cases where judges just gave minute slaps on the wrists such as one in Idaho where attacker only got probation and might as well drag the duggers boy into the mix.
Ask whether referral to christianist “treatment’ camps is a viable alternative to prosecution?
Or the acts of your pajama boy congressman crossed the line.
Make him either try to justify/dfend the bad acts of thuglicans and christianist’s or condemn those people as sexual criminals, even if -or espiacially if- they got away with those bad acts with no legal repercussions.
Hatch just reflects the Mormon position on women. Expecting anything else from Mormon men is completely futile. And that differs very little, if at all, from the evangelical christian position on women, and between the two that pretty much covers the Republican position. Women must be suppressed, and kept quiet, barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. This will not change in our lifetime. Women who vote Republican are simply stupid.
18Oh lord, Rachel Maddow is replaying some of Anita Hill’s 1991 testimony. Scandalous, and I remember most of it, but still. Gah! I said to myself, there’s no way he (Thomas) would be confirmed today. Well, maybe he would, knowing the Republican bozos.
Meanwhile some on MSNBC are saying let the FBI do their investigation first, issue a report second, let Senators & their staffs review, THEN have a hearing. Not rush it through. But, you know, hell or high water, the Rs want to jam this through.
Oh, and the White House, which has the sole authority to order an investigation has not done so. Of course president grabby hands doesn’t want any such thing.
19So well said! My feelings exactly! Thank you!
20Since demented donnie has not allowed the FBI to investigate this assault that means that this will end up being a straight up he said/ she said situation.
21The d’s should ask why any investigation is being blocked and emphasize that, lacking a proper investigation, the only question is who do you believe?
A woman who has nothing to gain and by coming forward has opened herself up to abuse, insults, attempted intimidation and myriad of unpleasantness, to say the least. Or a man who is yearning for a lifetime sinecure on the Supreme Court?
Any “investigation” by thuglican “staff” would be nothing more then a partisan hatchet job.
Since kavanaughs honesty has been shown to be at what would be called generously questionable and, to the accurate, a liar this should be no contest.
Pin him down as to definition of assault. Use demented donnies, porters, ailes, o’lielly and other thuglicans documented behavior as examples and make kavanaugh to take a stand on those cases.
Since these cases are closed the dodge of not wanting to comment on cases that may come before him would be an irrelevent dodge and the same apply’s to not wanting to answer “hypothetical” situations.
No mercy. No comprimise.
“I believe in redemption. I believe that past sins can be forgiven and that people can change.”
22Me, too. But only after admission, remorse and making amends.
The simplest reason I can think of for repugnantcans to want to jam this through is the FOIA lawsuit filed by democrat senators for the Kavanaugh documents repugnantcans are hiding.
23NicaBrian:
No more pretending to be compassionate conservatives. Fairness is for suckers. Empathy is weakness.
Donald Trump is Ronald Reagan without the misdirection.
There are a lot of very credible reasons, from his adult and professional life, to not confirm this yahoo to the Supreme Court, but to reach back thirty years, into his adolescence, is a little extreme. Who can measure up to that standard? It is a pathetic and desperate move that will only hurt Dems in the long run. Just saying…
24Hannah, I was also struck by the insensitivity of the senators questioning Anita Hill, even Joe Biden, who made her repeat every shameful and embarrassing thing Thomas said to her, in front of her parents. Then the republicans pounced, with Warren Hatch saying that her story had been lifted straight out of The Exorcist. They were so disrespectful of her, ridiculing her at every turn. It sickened me to watch, but I am glad I did because it foreshadows what Professor Ford will have to endure.
25Much was made by commentators of the fact that all the Senators were men back then, but now there are 3 women on the Judiciary Committee which may or may not temper those cruel Rethugs.
@maryelle
@hannah
My little bride and I talked of this last evening. Her rhetorical was since the Dems held the Senate at the time, some Dems had to have voted yay on Thomas in order to confirm. That has her more irritated than just about anything else, including Biden’s fairly low disbelieving body temperature while questioning Hill.
Just like Bork, Thomas and Scalia and Roberts should never have been confirmed.
26A possible political victim of this situation may be the recent ptesidential boomlet for Biden.
27It just reminds all of what a stain the treatment of Ms. (Doctor? Ph.D.?) Hill when he was chairman.
Mark in Fort Worth, Kavanaugh is accused of a violent sexual assault, not juvenile pranks. It makes no difference that it was thirty years ago. The victim has come forward with her story and an investigation should be made. Are you trying to make the case that most boys in their teens try to rape girls?
28“t just reminds all of what a stain the treatment of Ms. (Doctor? Ph.D.?) Hill when he was chairman.”
It’s actually Professor Hill. And her career since those hearings shows that she would have been a far better SCOTUS justice than the buffoon Thomas has turned out to be.
Hill had and still has great intelligence, dignity, and presence of mind. Three other women were waiting to testify and would have backed up everything she said. But Biden cut them out of the lineup, and essentially pushed Thomas’s nomination on through. I blame him for such cavalier treatment, and most definitely will not support him for a presidential run.
29On the count of three, everybody act surprised that Orrin Hatch is still the misogynist, patriarchal horse’s behind senator from Utah — the capital of crass when it comes to women.
30@The Surly Professor #29
31Hear Hear.
What angers me is that Republicans feel he, Kavanaugh, is ENTITLED to this position.
Why?
There is no other suitable republican for this position? Nobody else?
Then I have to wonder what this disgusting man offered in exchange for this appointment.
32I clearly remember the courage and class of Anita Hill. I also can easily recall the rage I and so many other women felt when that scum was approved. When HE acted like the victim!
I better not get started. If I do there isn’t enough soap for my mouth in all of Texas.
33