The Independent State Legislature Doctrine

[Typical Lax Dad]

https://theintercept.com/2018/09/17/cyr ... responded/

Federal Ct employees would like to weigh in.

https://mobile.twitter.com/riotwomennn/ ... 16/photo/1

[seacoaster]

Interesting, sometimes humorous, discussion of the situation:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/18/opin ... court.html

Bruni: Collins and Murkowski are definitely the two Republican senators to watch most closely, but I do wonder if we’re wrong not to consider that, say, Joni Ernst might have pause here. She has talked about sexual harassment that she endured in the military, teamed up with Democrats on legislation related to the issue, and seems to take pride in being sensitive on this front.

Also, could this be when Jeff Flake or Bob Corker or both take the revenge against Trump that they go to bed each night so richly and rightly fantasizing about?

Douthat: I think they’ll follow the women, but that’s an interesting point about Ernst. The issue then, though, is whether there’s a ready alternative whom Collins can accept. One theory was that she preferred Kavanaugh to Barrett, and that she’d be loath to vote for a nominee whose personal back story made her seem a more likely anti-Roe vote. On the other hand she voted to confirm Barrett to the lower court not so very long ago. Maybe the only alternative to Kavanaugh is the eternally recurring Thomas Hardiman.

But back to the confrontation ahead of us. Frank, you mentioned Thomas and Hill. Is this just the #MeToo replay?

"Bruni: Glad you asked that, because there’s been a lot of hasty “This is Anita Hill all over again” commentary, and there are differences. The accusation against Kavanaugh involves something that happened (or didn’t) more than 35 years ago. Hill’s claims were fresher than that, and memory can degrade over time. Second, he’s 17 in the story. Also, this isn’t workplace harassment, grave as that is — if her recall of events is accurate and his denial isn’t, this is sexual assault. Aren’t those relevant?

Douthat: They are, but Kavanaugh has effectively removed one of them from play. He’s not saying, “I was a teenager, I was drunk and made a dumb pass, she misremembers it as worse than it was, but I’m ashamed of myself and I apologize.” He’s explicitly putting his reputation on the line by saying that nothing like this ever happened at all. So while it’s interesting to debate how much his age would be a mitigating factor and all the rest, for the purposes of whether he should be confirmed, he stands or falls on his absolute denial.

(Even though there is, yes, the possibility that something happened and he was drunk enough that he doesn’t remember it at all.)"

[MDlaxfan76]

https://thehill.com/homenews/administra ... ending-her

The letter, which says it’s from more than 200 alumnae from classes 1967 through 2018,

https://other98.com/brett-kavanaughs-fe ... ng-letter/

Almost 1,000 signatures from YLS

https://shareblue.com/brett-kavanaugh-a ... nd-by-him/

63 women who signed letter have now gone silent on their support.

No holmes...this is I was referring to as a "well coordinated smear"...not simply the Dem's timing.

IMO, this is a no win for anyone involved.

I didn't find the Yale letter particularly compelling; pretty par for the course that there would be literally a thousand Yale Law grads incensed that there's a threat to Roe and that concern would trump any notion of pride that a fellow Yale Law grad is nominated. Kavanaugh is not a down the middle jurist, way too much known about his views to think he's not well to the right on the spectrum. And he's been quite political, which does invite a political response. But 'well coordinated smear' doesn't fit as it's not a smear. Just pushback.

The women rushing to support their Holton Arms contemporary doesn't look at all to have been planned. That looks to have been put together quickly, but isn't a "smear" of anyone. It's just support of the accuser in the face of the 65 women who had attested to Kavanaugh's behavior and reputation. It's not surprising that the social network of these women is easily tapped by themselves. The 65 does appear to have been "well coordinated" in advance, indeed it's been explained that Kavanaugh had been in touch with these women through the years for his various other nominations. Apparently he'd felt the need or considered it beneficial to have these women's contacts close at hand. That feels a little strange to me, but then I've never been through such a public nomination process.

The women going quiet now, though, post the Professor stepping forward, does raise the question whether they are actually steadfast in their support of Kavanaugh's character and behavior from a position of actual knowledge.

I think there's quite a lot to criticize about how the Professor's name was leaked. It's pretty darn clear that she did not want her name public, but she did want the matter taken into consideration when Trump was considering who to choose. She raised the issue prior to the choice. And she was persistent in that effort. So, it wasn't something made up after Kavanaugh was chosen. Her credibility is further enhanced in that she had previously told her story a couple of times in therapy and with her husband, years and years ahead of this nomination. The polygraph adds another layer. By contrast, the Mark Judge credibility factor is awful.

But the leak was wrong. Then again, if the FBI had this info and it was simply put into the background file, which Trump and McGahn then ignored (and apparently has still not ordered the FBI to investigate, a step that we're told the White House must do in order for the FBI to do so), one can understand the motivation to leak. But it was still wrong to do to this woman.

[runrussellrun]

One of the great things about this country is the right to face your accusers. All this anonymous crap, from op-eds to "black list" million dollar donor/bundlers, some from overseas, has to be raked out. Ford, deservedly so, will now be where she should have been two weeks ago. An Issue. Sen. Feinstein should be ashamed that she never asked any questions about it.

The Judicial committee barely asked about the MOST important issue, Citizens United, etc.

[runrussellrun]

One of the top 5 moments of SNL:

https://sharetv.com/watch/184667

[Typical Lax Dad]

One of the great things about this country is the right to face your accusers. All this anonymous crap, from op-eds to "black list" million dollar donor/bundlers, some from overseas, has to be raked out. Ford, deservedly so, will now be where she should have been two weeks ago. An Issue. Sen. Feinstein should be ashamed that she never asked any questions about it.

The Judicial committee barely asked about the MOST important issue, Citizens United, etc.

Resolution in Support of the Citizens United Decision Exposed

ALEC is a corporate bill mill. It is not just a lobby or a front group; it is much more powerful than that. Through ALEC, corporations hand state legislators their wish lists to benefit their bottom line. Corporations fund almost all of ALEC's operations. They pay for a seat on ALEC task forces where corporate lobbyists and special interest reps vote with elected officials to approve “model” bills.

[dislaxxic]

Team Trump: If We Ditch Kavanaugh, We’re Signing Our Own ‘Death Warrant’

"There has been no talk within the ranks about pulling the nomination and going with an equally conservative—if not less controversial—pick, even if it would remove a major complication from the Republican agenda just 50 days before the midterm elections. To do so, aides and operatives insist, would be a disaster of much greater magnitude: inviting Democrats to launch more aggressive challenges to future judicial nominees and depressing the very base of conservative voters needed in November."

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[Typical Lax Dad]

Whose Government? Whose Voice?

[runrussellrun]

One of the great things about this country is the right to face your accusers. All this anonymous crap, from op-eds to "black list" million dollar donor/bundlers, some from overseas, has to be raked out. Ford, deservedly so, will now be where she should have been two weeks ago. An Issue. Sen. Feinstein should be ashamed that she never asked any questions about it.

The Judicial committee barely asked about the MOST important issue, Citizens United, etc.

Resolution in Support of the Citizens United Decision Exposed

ALEC is a corporate bill mill. It is not just a lobby or a front group; it is much more powerful than that. Through ALEC, corporations hand state legislators their wish lists to benefit their bottom line. Corporations fund almost all of ALEC's operations. They pay for a seat on ALEC task forces where corporate lobbyists and special interest reps vote with elected officials to approve “model” bills.

ALEC type groups have been around since the birth of our Nation. How else could the Adams family, along with Gov. Bowdoin and friends, pass legislation that made the promissory bond payment 100% of the notes value? They had 90% ownership of these bonds, purchased for pennies on the face value. Who did they buy them from? The non-line militia that sacrificed not only their lives, but livelyhoods , in order to put the elites in power without any menace from the King.

WHo got rich from Obamacare?

[Typical Lax Dad]

One of the great things about this country is the right to face your accusers. All this anonymous crap, from op-eds to "black list" million dollar donor/bundlers, some from overseas, has to be raked out. Ford, deservedly so, will now be where she should have been two weeks ago. An Issue. Sen. Feinstein should be ashamed that she never asked any questions about it.

The Judicial committee barely asked about the MOST important issue, Citizens United, etc.

Resolution in Support of the Citizens United Decision Exposed

ALEC is a corporate bill mill. It is not just a lobby or a front group; it is much more powerful than that. Through ALEC, corporations hand state legislators their wish lists to benefit their bottom line. Corporations fund almost all of ALEC's operations. They pay for a seat on ALEC task forces where corporate lobbyists and special interest reps vote with elected officials to approve “model” bills.

ALEC type groups have been around since the birth of our Nation. How else could the Adams family, along with Gov. Bowdoin and friends, pass legislation that made the promissory bond payment 100% of the notes value? They had 90% ownership of these bonds, purchased for pennies on the face value. Who did they buy them from? The non-line militia that sacrificed not only their lives, but livelyhoods , in order to put the elites in power without any menace from the King.

WHo got rich from Obamacare?

A lot of people get rich from a lot of things. Not sure we have seen a systematic nationwide bill making machine like ALEC.... but again, there has always been a ruling class.

[ggait]

Seems like dragging the two before a made-for-tv star chamber of future presidential candidates playing Perry Mason is about the worst way to find out the truth on this.

If you really wanted to figure out the truth, it would be quite simple. You'd get the FBI or other real investigators to look into this. They could figure out in short order where the house was, when the party happened, and what other kids were present. You absolutely have to interview Mark Judge under oath to see how well his story holds up. Unlike most he said/she said situations, here the accuser places an eye witness in the room. That's clearly not a detail that a witness would insert into a fabricated tale. So it would be completely preposterous to only talk to two of the three witnesses at the scene! Even if Judge and/or Kavanaugh were blacked out at the time of the precise incident (which itself would be useful evidence), they could easily provide other corroborating details about the party.

Kavanaugh is obviously a very smart lawyer -- so he knows what his hard denial means. He can't now backtrack to the more typical posture -- drunk teenagers, misunderstanding, apologize -- and current lying will be fatal. My hunch is that Kavanaugh made the initial hard denial in the face of anonymous allegations which he assumed would stay anonymous. And now he's stuck with that posture in light of changed circumstances.

While a real investigation hasn't been commissioned, you'd think that WSJ, Wapo, NY Times and Ronan Farrow are currently chasing down every kid from that neighborhood and those two schools. Probably more to come.

P.S. There's probably no statute of limitations in Maryland applicable to these felony type of allegations. Kavanaugh would obviously know that...

[seacoaster]

I understand that Senator Collins is suggesting that the lawyers for the pseudo-litigants -- Kavanaugh and Ford -- might conduct the examinations of their respective clients and do the cross-examinations. Sounds to me like she is trying to save the Senate from itself and Senators from themselves. But she also says Senators will then be permitted to question each....

Listening to the Senate Judiciary Committee members of yesteryear talk about whether or not to believe Anita Hill is just excruciating; perhaps Collins doesn't want a redux.

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/407 ... -kavanaugh

[dislaxxic]

Kamala Harris says there is no effort to prove a crime...the incident goes to moral standards and fitness for office.

Sounds like Rudy's "court of public opinion" to me...

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[dislaxxic]

Wait...did i just say "moral standards and fitness for office" in the Age of The Donald???

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[youthathletics]

That damned Eve just had to bite the apple and screw everything up for all of us.

[dislaxxic]

i HAVE heard that Eve was a Republican...

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[ggait]

Fine to have Ford and Kavanaugh cross-examined. But it is a sham to just examine those two. Since that will obviously set up a he said/she said tie, which tie would then go to Kavanaugh.

Why wouldn't you talk to all the other people who were there?

Preposterous that you wouldn't examine/cross-examine Mr. Judge under penalties of perjury. Since he reportedly is an eye witness/participant in the freaking room at the relevant time?

[wahoomurf]

I was going to post this on the "strange/weird stories" thread.

https://www.businessinsider.com/conserv ... s%20Select

[seacoaster]

Fine to have Ford and Kavanaugh cross-examined. But it is a sham to just examine those two. Since that will obviously set up a he said/she said tie, which tie would then go to Kavanaugh.

Why wouldn't you talk to all the other people who were there?

Preposterous that you wouldn't examine/cross-examine Mr. Judge under penalties of perjury. Since he reportedly is an eye witness/participant in the freaking room at the relevant time?

Concur.

[dislaxxic]

Fine to have Ford and Kavanaugh cross-examined. But it is a sham to just examine those two. Since that will obviously set up a he said/she said tie, which tie would then go to Kavanaugh.

Why wouldn't you talk to all the other people who were there?

Preposterous that you wouldn't examine/cross-examine Mr. Judge under penalties of perjury. Since he reportedly is an eye witness/participant in the freaking room at the relevant time?

Mitch McConnell already flat out STOLE one SCOTUS seat, why does anyone think he won't have the BALLZ to obstruct this current process, to seal his "legacy"??

Who really thinks ol' Turkey Waddle will allow THIS GUY to get anywhere near this Monday hearing??

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