Discussion: DOJ Issues Statement On Kavanaugh Background Check

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That statement is clarifying but also manifestly false. Itā€™s a federal crime to provide false or misleading information to congress, and, if the allegations are true the nominee appears to have an intention of doing so with respect to them. (Which means that if we follow the Ken Starr rules of procedure he should be detained and questioned without an attorney present until he gives an answer satisfactory to the investigating officers.)

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So the White House and Senator Grassley immediately rushed out and got the 65 signatures attesting to Kavanaughā€™s good character and of course made no effort to determine the validity of the claim.

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If there is even one witness to contradict Kavanaugh after heā€™s on SCOTUS (if confirmed), somebody can blackmail him for his vote the rest of his life.

This is a grotesque dereliction of duty by the FBI.

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ā€œā€˜[P]rior to an Appointeeā€™s assuming the nominated position ā€¦ if the FBI becomes aware of new information that raises questions about the suitability or trustworthiness of an Appointee ā€¦ā€œ

The FBI could ask around to find out if Bret Kavanaugh (aka Bart Oā€™Kavanaugh) was known in high school to get stumbling drunk, and maybe even black out drink.

If so, then his ā€œI donā€™t rememberā€ defense would lose credibility, as would his truthfully being able to say ā€˜I know I never did anything like thisā€

But it looks like the Republicans simply donā€™t want to know the truth

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Maybe because so many of them experience that kind of drinking they think itā€™s completely normal and the behavior is therefore irrelevant to his suitability for the position.

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Even if thereā€™s not a witness, kavanaugh is subject to blackmail. A full-scale investigation while he was on the court would make his position untenable. Of course, heā€™s also subject to blackmail for his behavior during law school, for his behavior as a clerk/protege for a judge who was a serial sexual harasser and ran a porn server, for his actions during the Bush administration, and for all we know for his coaching career or his own behavior in chambers.

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The Department of Justice and the FBI conduct background investigations in accordance with a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by then-Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr., and then-White House Counsel Robert F. Bauer in March 2010.

How long before Sessions and McGahn issue a ā€œclarifyingā€ MOU?

Actually, if he was habitually pass out drunk his ā€œI donā€™t rememberā€ defense would be unimpeachable.

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Well then, how about the State of Maryland opening an investigation? There is no statute of limitations on the alleged crime. Does Christine Blasey Ford need to file a formal complaint first, or can the stateā€™s AG open an investigation unilaterally?

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Iā€™m kinda thinking that if Hilary Clinton was alleged to have assaulted Brett at a frat party with a strapon, DOJ would be all over it, Trump would have been apoplectic and ordered every agency possible to get to the ā€˜bottomā€™ of it.

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Another slime ball going down

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I used to drink like that in my youth, and thought those who didnā€™t were weird or uptight.
Perspective on normalicy

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I donā€™t think thatā€™s quite right. I can only speak for myself:

For a little while as a kid, I had the idea that you learned how to indulge by ***over***indulging. I can recall throwing up from drinking ā€“ not often, itā€™s unpleasant. (I even intensely resist puking when Iā€™m sick, which Iā€™ve always found odd because afterward, I feel better. Go figure.)

So thereā€™s nothing all that bad about Kavanaugh evidently being a kid who did that.

Whatā€™s bad ā€“ downright disqualifying for the Court ā€“ is that he has already perjured himself about this incident, and is likely to do it again on Monday. Worse, he is not insisting that Mark Judge testify, even though he is Kavanaughā€™s only corroborating witness. Sure, Judge was a blackout drunk in high school, so heā€™s not an ideal character witness. But he is a witness. Ford has essentially charged Kavanaugh with a crime ā€“ for which Judge is the only witness (other than Kavanaugh himself) who can testify to Kavanaughā€™s innocence. Both Ford and Kavanaugh are entitled to his testimony, under oath, with his credibility determined by the Senate and We, the People who employ them.

What kind of Supreme Court Justice refuses due process to a person making a criminal charge ā€“ or the one defending against it?

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The allegation involves attempted rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment, which are federal crimes. Itā€™s likely past the statute of limitations but the DOJ probably didnā€™t want to say that because they would admit that the acts constitute a crime.

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Bart Oā€™Kavanaugh lied to the Committee non-stop during his ā€œconfirmation hearingsā€. The 11 mostly old rich white Republican males on the Committee were fawning over him. He is the future Clarence Thomas,another sexual predator who will do their bidding and keep women in their place.
Mark Judge is not willing to testify under oath . Why ? what questions is he fearful of answering ? Certainly not the softball questions of John Cornyn, Raphael Ted Calgary Cruz , the little fuddy duddy Lindsey, " I sit down to pee " Graham or the grumpy ,bitter Orrin " Down the " Hatch, or from, the near comatose Chairman of the rich old white Republicans Judiciary Committee, Chuck " Cornstalk " Grassley .

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The Justice Department on Wednesday made clear in a statement regarding Christine Blasey Fordā€™s sexual assault allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh that it ā€œdoes not involve any potential federal crime.ā€

That may be factually true but utterly disingenuous. We are not talking about criminal investigations here. They can reopen background check anytime.

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The GOP canā€™t handle the truth!!

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ā€œI smoked so much pot I canā€™t remember if I raped her.ā€, said nobody ever. #hoboheretic ENjoy.

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What would the FBI have done if they have received this information before ā€œclosingā€ the file. Would they have investigated it?

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I was wondering about that too, that something may be going on behind the scenes. Thereā€™s a reason Beer-breath Brett lawyered up when he did.

("[S]omething may be going on behind the scenes" is quite possibly the greatest understatement Iā€™ve ever written.)

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