Discussion: A Look At What The FBI's Kavanaugh Investigation Will Entail

Can we throw Donnieā€™s Tax Returns into the mix?

Economy of scale, and all thatā€¦

Judge: Congressional Democrats can sue Trump over emoluments

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Okayyyy, they didnā€™t answer two key questions:

1, can they just interview people? Or can they also collect evidence? Can they request 5 years worth of Kavanaughā€™s calendars? Can they request Safeway employment records? Etc etc etc

2, what happens with their findings? Do they make any attempt to compile them into a cohesive narrative? Do they dump a thousand pages of misc documents on the Senate committee? Do they release a report?

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The challenge may be compiling all of it in a week. I hope they have a quick and reliable typist.

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I hope the FBI will examine Kā€™s search and browsing logs (presumably kept by Google), to see whether he checked out Blasey Ford before her name was known.

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Just heard on CNN that the FBI results will not be available to the public. Only to the senate. I donā€™t think that will stand. I also think some senators will provide it to the public.

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ā€œlimited to current credible allegationsā€

This makes me think it is limited to just the sex abuse allegations. In other words, if they determine that he lied or may have lied in his testimony, they will not report on that as it does not fall under the scope of their investigation.

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OT for humor. There is this.

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Good to see this overview here. Thanks, Michael Balsamo.

But there are a few more details in the Times rundown:

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It sounds like it gives the FBI a lot of latitude. Are ā€˜allegationsā€™ just of sexual assault, or more generally of being a drunken misogynistic asshole. And if evidence of the latter comes out in witness interviews, will the FBI just leave it out of their report?

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The really big question is how eager will this FBI team be. An eager team would examine the yearbook entries for evidence of him claiming to have participated in sexual assaults. His lies would be revealed by that as a sort of side effect. Otherwise, yes, his various other disqualifying aspects, including his casual dishonesty, will never be addressed.

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This looks like broad latitude as it relates to the sexual assault claims. Avenattiā€™s clientā€™s claims should also be included. In many ways, Swetnick has provided an important back story to the notion that Kavanaugh and Judge were obsessive partiers and for them partying always included the potential payoff of sex with submissive women (through alcohol).

I think a wider investigation is needed not just into all sexual assault claims but also into his behavior during adulthood. The financial issues stand out.

In addition, I think a FBI investigation ought to be able to say that several statements made by Kavanaugh were in fact false.

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Just a reminder: What about his mysterious ā€œdebtsā€? Who paid them off? Who is he beholden to?

When will we find out heā€™s been paying off women to keep quiet? I understand itā€™s all the rage these days.

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I hope thereā€™s an assumption that an attempted coverup would be evidence of knowledge of guilt, and that given that assumption they talk to Ed Whelan about all the ā€œit was this other guyā€ craziness. As Josh has been emphasizing, if Kavanaugh suggested or helped him with that it wouldnā€™t look so good.

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I have a feeling the ABA will be quite vocal if the investigation appears not to be adequate. They are not on the team here, and apparently have had misgivings about Kavanaugh for years ā€“ and not on the grounds of sexual assault allegations. If youā€™ve already seen the article, pardon me for the duplication.

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As the week goes on and people recall the testimony, they will be able to compare them much more equivalently. Of course the GOP wanted him on second. The longer we hear him recounted in news bites, the more revolting it becomes - and more validating in what nasty, mean, arrogant piece of work he is. As I hear him again, I hear his absolute rage at having to be subjected to this kind of questioning (especially from a woman). HE does the questioning. I recommend Lucian Truscottā€™s piece on him on Salon.

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At the very least, this investigation can easily prove that Kavanaugh repeatedly lied to the Senate about his high school and college drinking and whether he was at that party with Ford or even knew her. If they can prove that much, it should be enough to disqualify him.

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The FBI has wide discretion in determining the scope of the investigation.

Pucker, Donald. The Deep State (e.g., RULE OF LAW) is about to take its revenge.

And they wonā€™t even mark your tomb.

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McConnell is going to throw Kavanaugh overboard. And the Repubs will go around wringing their hands, saying how could the Dems do such a thing to an innocent man.

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