The Independent State Legislature Doctrine

[jhu72]

the republicans have a women problem. Unless women are convinced a complete investigation has been done this is not going to go away.

I wouldn't be too sure of that jhu. Yes, within certain women groups the R's have a problem - and they always will. But I have read and talked to a LOT of women who say things along the line of: "I have sons, grandsons, brothers, a father and a husband who are all at risk of being destroyed at the whim of an accusation." They equate that senate hearing to McCarthy-like inquiries.

heck, I have had women tell me, "who cares if he even did it, all she's talking about is a little dry hump and ineptly trying to feel her up"

there are a LOT of different perspectives out there.

Undoubtedly there are women who feel that way. I think we may have discussed this last week. Women are not monolithic. It doesn't matter so much if all women have a problem with Kavanaugh. There are enough who do, more than enough to support their crusade against him, as I described above. This is not about mid-term elections. In the minds of you and me, and McConnell, Schumer, etc., mid-terms are a consideration. For these women, this is a wrong and that is all that matters to them.

[jhu72]

Yesterday this Kavanagh(?) chap screwed the pooch big time. His attitude toward women is, of course, appalling...but common knowledge. His Charley Brown ("why's everybody always picking on me) like outburst, attacking everyone but his mamma, was evidence that he is unfit to serve in the SC.

If someone came before him who was within 6 degrees of separation from the Clintons, a Democrat, a person that didn't belong to a country club or a was a moderate drinker, abandon all hope.

https://www.businessinsider.com/brett-k ... s%20Select

He sounded like the whiner in chief. In watching him, I thought he did an incredibly good job of emulating Trump.

[Typical Lax Dad]

Yesterday this Kavanagh(?) chap screwed the pooch big time. His attitude toward women is, of course, appalling...but common knowledge. His Charley Brown ("why's everybody always picking on me) like outburst, attacking everyone but his mamma, was evidence that he is unfit to serve in the SC.

If someone came before him who was within 6 degrees of separation from the Clintons, a Democrat, a person that didn't belong to a country club or a was a moderate drinker, abandon all hope.

https://www.businessinsider.com/brett-k ... s%20Select

He sounded like the whiner in chief. In watching him, I thought he did an incredibly good job of emulating Trump.

I thought the same thing.

[jhu72]

Kavanaugh should have taken a page from this book but he is what he is. He was exposed. I still can't get over how unimpressive he was.....constantly looking over to the senators to throw him a life raft whenever he took on water.....

Gorsuch I actually kind of like. I disagree with him on lots of things, but I do have respect for him. I believe he will to the best of his ability consider things fairly. Elections have consequences and Gorsuch as a man seems like a fair choice. THIS HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM BEING A REPLACEMENT FOR SCALLIA. That argument is totally bogus in my opinion.

That will never happen with the Great Pretender. He lied on 3 issues I counted and it was obvious when discussing his past, long before anything was said about the Ford case. He comes across as a real weasel. No matter what happens with the investigation, I have seen enough and would never vote for him. The vast majority of democrats probably all I am sure feel the same way. If he is cleared by the investigation he still will not get many democratic votes.

[Typical Lax Dad]

Kavanaugh should have taken a page from this book but he is what he is. He was exposed. I still can't get over how unimpressive he was.....constantly looking over to the senators to throw him a life raft whenever he took on water.....

Gorsuch I actually kind of like. I disagree with him on lots of things, but I do have respect for him. I believe he will to the best of his ability consider things fairly. Elections have consequences and Gorsuch as a man seems like a fair choice. THIS HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM BEING A REPLACEMENT FOR SCALLIA. That argument is totally bogus in my opinion.

That will never happen with the Great Pretender. He lied on 3 issues I counted and it was obvious when discussing his past, long before anything was said about the Ford case. He comes across as a real weasel. No matter what happens with the investigation, I have seen enough and would never vote for him. The vast majority of democrats probably all I am sure feel the same way. If he is cleared by the investigation he still will not get many democratic votes.

Seems honest and seems to understand the weight of his responsibilities. Kavanaugh is shallow.....nothing about him seems like a "judge"....seems like a guy that likes his beer....

[jhu72]

This story about the women in the elevators changing Flake's mind is total nonsense. He said they did not, he was already there. The people who were involved, no one in leadership on either side tells me this was totally staged. The republicans who said no, supporting Flake have been know for weeks as being highly uncomfortable and having talked daily with each other. Coons and Klobuchar are both seen as straight shooters - potential future leadership.

I suspect Feinstein and Durbin may have known, but more likely just suspected. Republican Senate leadership had no idea. They really thought they had the votes. These republicans gave their leadership what they were asking for at the time, a committee vote. No obstruction, things would start moving through the process. McConnell and Grassley then thought they would short circuit the process, they had not told their committee members their intentions. This is SOP for McConnell. Normally, there is about 7 to 10 days between being reported out of committee before going to the Senate floor. Flake's argument with his leadership was, you never told me you wanted to move to the floor immediately, you surprised me. I would have never given you my vote in committee if I had known. Simple miscommunication. He needed to stay on leadership's good side, not showing disrespect to get their buy in. If they suspected, McConnell could have screwed things up, by moving ahead anyway, so Flake needed to look innocent, selling this was a spur of the moment thing. McConnell and Grassley both suffer from hardening of the arteries, and McConnell might have moved ahead anyway if is known Flake and the Ds were scheming. It's his pride.

I only suspect the contents of the second paragraph is the way it went, but I think it is highly likely something like this took place.

[jhu72]

A number of Yale acquaintances have now gone public since the afternoon investigation decision. The most damning is from his other freshman roommate, who cooaborates the other roommate's testimony. They both claim there was always vomit from drinking in their shared bathroom. The vomit was from Brett and his friends. Neither believe he was not a blackout drinker. They feel they saw evidence of it all the time during their freshman year. A number of other Yale acquaintances have similar blackout stories.

When the Great Pretender testified yesterday he tried to make it sound like roommate A had a problem with him and it was just a "get even" and that is why roommate A was lying, the full explanation is contained in his written testimony. This sure sounds like perjury to me - he lied to congress.

These are new witnesses except for roommate A.

It will be interesting to learn if any of these witnesses ever talked to someone, the Heritage Society et. al., who generated the original short list.

[Trinity]

Schedule your plow-through vote 24 hours after credible testimony? I don’t think that helps Republicans in Nov.

[runrussellrun]

What has surprised me more than anything is how great Kavanaugh’s background is on paper, but he is one of the least impressive people I have ever seen sit in front of Congress. This is the best we can do? Jeez, we have fallen.

Compare his demeanor to C Justice Roberts. Roberts looked and acted like a judge. Impeccable CV.

Finally watched Kavanaugh's full testimony. Wow, did he look like a the three spoiled prep kids from Scent of a Woman. He brought up the Dems? The Clintons? The election? And this is supposed to be a smart man? He acted like a child who lost his lolly.

Hey Kavanaugh: for those of us with IQ's above room temperature, we all see that the correct play is to comport yourself with dignity and few words. You let the R Senators act like wild dogs.....that way you can look cool, calm, and collected...while still venting spleen. You did none of these things, you boob. Clarence Thomas did a better job in his hearing, and that's saying something.

Straight from the BAR Assn.:

Rule 1.2: Promoting Confidence in the Judiciary
A judge shall act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the independence,* integrity,* and impartiality* of the judiciary, and shall avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety.

After watching that mess of a hearing, I wouldn't hire Kavanaugh to watch my dog, let alone sit on a Federal bench after that performance. Geez, dude. Not a bright moment for you.

What a disappointment to read. You all really have NO clue about what any of the other justices are like, or whether they "party". I can cite many, many cases where our current Justices did no such thing in their rulings (acting with integrity or impartiality ) Watch the very first day of the Kav. hearings, when the never tRumpist Senators acted borrishly. Unprecedented behavior, eh. Don't know about you, but it wears on you after a while. You all talk about "performance" in such a manner, but then spout off against other people on this, and most likely other, forums. People that may different opinions. Lots of hand in cold bucket of water , but will stay it's warm in dry folks here. Unbendable minds. Or, you scurry like rodents to find the "ignore" function. Weak sauce. Who would you prefer to be a Supreme Court judge? Come on, name them? You can't. Bottomline, if the pretends gain Senate seats, will they delay a vote for the next 2 1/2 years? tHINK ABOUT IT.

After finally being able to watch the "performance" of Dr. Ford, she looks like she was living under the stairs with Harry Potter for the past decade. Played the part of the "victim" perfectly. Just not the stuff that in the REAL world (legal) matters. Time, date, etc. No one corroberating her story. If you watched her testimony and came away with someone that seemed credible, especially regarding her shrinks notes where NO names are mentioned, and think she is credible Welcome the further investigation. Hopefully, it will include her "scrubbed" social media.

I dislike Kav. because of his LEGAL writings, not because he threw up while in college. I want a Justice that will tell Riggins to go buy another round. (oh, wait, we have that already, they just didn't have tRump nominate them and no one cares )

AFAN, for someone that makes a living selling products that induces vomiting.......interesting. Would you prefer people buy LESS of your product? This isn't acting, this is real life. If you know that you NEVER did anything like this, you wouldn't get mad? But, that's all you got, a former roommate that said he saw evidence of vomit while in college. Please find something a little more worthy. Lots of college tailgates today. People drinking. Oh No. Maybe it should be against the law again

[runrussellrun]

A number of Yale acquaintances have now gone public since the afternoon investigation decision. The most damning is from his other freshman roommate, who cooaborates the other roommate's testimony. They both claim there was always vomit from drinking in their shared bathroom. The vomit was from Brett and his friends. Neither believe he was not a blackout drinker. They feel they saw evidence of it all the time during their freshman year. A number of other Yale acquaintances have similar blackout stories.

When the Great Pretender testified yesterday he tried to make it sound like roommate A had a problem with him and it was just a "get even" and that is why roommate A was lying, the full explanation is contained in his written testimony. This sure sounds like perjury to me - he lied to congress.

These are new witnesses except for roommate A.

It will be interesting to learn if any of these witnesses ever talked to someone, the Heritage Society et. al., who generated the original short list.

That's the most damning That he threw up? Ok, Molly Hatchet. (thankfully, Rockport, MA is no longer dry !!!)

Lets hope that no Hopkins player ever has to sit in front of Congress and explain what those rolling suspensions were for. Or, if ever arrested. Different standards, b/c they are young, college students. hmmmm.......double standards. Something about hypocrites....only them honey.

[runrussellrun]

Yesterday this Kavanagh(?) chap screwed the pooch big time. His attitude toward women is, of course, appalling...but common knowledge. His Charley Brown ("why's everybody always picking on me) like outburst, attacking everyone but his mamma, was evidence that he is unfit to serve in the SC.

If someone came before him who was within 6 degrees of separation from the Clintons, a Democrat, a person that didn't belong to a country club or a was a moderate drinker, abandon all hope.

https://www.businessinsider.com/brett-k ... s%20Select

What are you basing this on? Appalling? What the heck are you even talking about? You make crap up. Is it beneath you, or is it just you?

[runrussellrun]

What has surprised me more than anything is how great Kavanaugh’s background is on paper, but he is one of the least impressive people I have ever seen sit in front of Congress. This is the best we can do? Jeez, we have fallen.

Compare his demeanor to C Justice Roberts. Roberts looked and acted like a judge. Impeccable CV.

Finally watched Kavanaugh's full testimony. Wow, did he look like a the three spoiled prep kids from Scent of a Woman. He brought up the Dems? The Clintons? The election? And this is supposed to be a smart man? He acted like a child who lost his lolly.

Hey Kavanaugh: for those of us with IQ's above room temperature, we all see that the correct play is to comport yourself with dignity and few words. You let the R Senators act like wild dogs.....that way you can look cool, calm, and collected...while still venting spleen. You did none of these things, you boob. Clarence Thomas did a better job in his hearing, and that's saying something.

Straight from the BAR Assn.:

Rule 1.2: Promoting Confidence in the Judiciary
A judge shall act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the independence,* integrity,* and impartiality* of the judiciary, and shall avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety.

After watching that mess of a hearing, I wouldn't hire Kavanaugh to watch my dog, let alone sit on a Federal bench after that performance. Geez, dude. Not a bright moment for you.

His opening statement was disqualifying in my mind. It was down hill from there.....when asked if he ever passed out from drinking, he said, I have never passed out but I have fallen asleep. He fails rule 1.2 on many levels. Find a better conservative candidate. It should not be hard. When asked about the ralphing references in his year book he came up with some lame lie about eating food that disagreed with his stomach......are people supposed to be stupid? It's not about those things being important.....it's a matter of his truthfulness today. There are so many things he has shaded the truth on, he could be up for perjury. He has been a political operative more than a judge and it shows. We don't need a Supreme Court judge with an agenda. A bias is fine but an agenda is something different.

In the past 70 years, has ANY nominee had to answer questions about their HS yearbook? Or, more specifically, whether they ever passed out from drinking. TLD, please define the difference between passing out and falling asleep? (pretty easy ) Sleeping on a car hood, on the toilet, people drawing things on you, putting shaving cream, shaving hair, dressing them in funny clothes, etc. It's ok for our members of congress to be able to do all these things, take ILLEGAL drugs, because they have no power. No authority to kill people.

[tech37]

I understand people on here who may be uptight regarding Kavanaugh's political positions but I have to agree with rrr that criticism regarding drinking habits in HS and college are ridiculous, and IMO, should not be disqualifying. "Perjury" based on something as subjective as whether he blacked out or fell asleep or barfed in the bathroom a lot? Good luck with that!

BTW, loved the "rolling suspensions" reference

[DMac]

I don't think any of that matters, russy, this man wants to be a Supreme Court judge and it's not his youthful indiscretions (if youthful indiscretions kept one from getting a job I would be looking at a lifetime of unemployment) that are causing problems here, it's his unwillingness to be truthful about them. A beer drinking party boy (some people like their beer and getting hammered much more than others and he's one of them) who has never forgotten a moment of his drunken state. I'm sure he's got a bridge for sale too. Owning up to his youthful behavior would have been a much smarter thing to do as I believe most people would have said, yup, been there, done that too, I get it.
I graduated as a virgin is another feeble attempt at deception (this guy wants to be a SC judge not a used car salesman), I would think a SC judge should be held to higher standards. Why would you say something like that? As tech noted earlier, this has a, "I never had sexual relations with that woman" tone to it. Guess he struck out back then, and I think he's struck out again here. If he hasn't, the country needs some new umpires, IMO.

[seacoaster]

Lying and floating half truths to get oneself a lifetime gig on the most important court in the world seems like enough to disqualify:

A short compendium:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics ... 2b314a161d

“I never attended a gathering like the one Dr. Ford describes in her allegation.”

The word “like” is carrying a lot of weight in that sentence, but it's clear from Kavanaugh's later testimony and the personal calendars he submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee that he attended parties like the one Ford describes — up to the point of the alleged assault. More on this below.

“She and I did not travel in the same social circles.”

Ford testified that in the spring and summer of 1982 she was going out with a friend of Kavanaugh’s nicknamed “Squi,” who appears more than a dozen times on Kavanaugh’s calendar of social events.

"Dr. Ford’s allegation is not merely uncorroborated, it is refuted by the very people she says were there, including by a long-time friend of hers. Refuted.”

As we noted Thursday, Kavanaugh’s presentation of what the others have allegedly said about Ford’s accusations is misleading. At various points in his testimony, Kavanaugh said that the two male friends alleged to have been at the party, Mark Judge and P.J. Smyth, had sworn under penalty of perjury that the party didn’t happen. Both actually said that they didn’t recall the party as described, and Judge’s statement to that effect didn’t carry the weight of sworn testimony. (After Kavanaugh’s testimony was complete, he submitted a letter that met that standard.)

At other points, Kavanaugh refers to the fact that the four witnesses that Ford alleges were at the party all rejected her account. One of those four witnesses is Leland Keyser, who told The Washington Post in a brief interview that she believed Ford’s allegation, although she didn’t remember the party. Another of the four witnesses is Kavanaugh."

[seacoaster]

The guy lied to the Senate:

"Rachel Mitchell, the Republicans' prosecutor: “Dr. Ford described a small gathering of people at a suburban Maryland home in the summer of 1982. She said that Mark Judge, P.J. Smyth and Leland [Keyser] also were present, as well as an unknown male, and that the people were drinking to varying degrees. Were you ever at a gathering that fits that description?”

Kavanaugh: “No, as I’ve said in my opening statement.”

In a later set of questions, Mitchell asked a similar question.

Mitchell: “Is there anything [on your calendars] that could even remotely fit what we’re talking about, in terms of Dr. Ford’s allegations?”

Kavanaugh: “No.”

The latter response is noteworthy because Mitchell had just asked about the July 1 gathering (which included drinking) that Kavanaugh acknowledged was attended by Judge and Smyth."

Just because the Senate majority doesn't care, doesn't mean we shouldn't.

[tech37]

This story about the women in the elevators changing Flake's mind is total nonsense.

Nonsense or not, how on earth were these people allowed anywhere near the Senator? Also, it comes off as so obviously staged...

How can security be so lax? Now that the left has started to interfere with these proceedings via mob intervention, without better security, someone is going to get killed.

[tech37]

seems like

There's the rub...

As I said before and not that it matters, but I don't like the guy, from what I've heard/seen. I am trying to be realistic/objective here though.

[tech37]

I like to put all this into the larger context of how this will affect mid-term voting. Seacoaster, you're a lawyer and I'm not surprised that you see all of this through that lens, a liberal lawyer lens I might add.

The minutia obviously matters to you.

IMO though, most people see this simply as HS/college youthful indiscretions and pure political theatre.

[Typical Lax Dad]

What has surprised me more than anything is how great Kavanaugh’s background is on paper, but he is one of the least impressive people I have ever seen sit in front of Congress. This is the best we can do? Jeez, we have fallen.

Compare his demeanor to C Justice Roberts. Roberts looked and acted like a judge. Impeccable CV.

Finally watched Kavanaugh's full testimony. Wow, did he look like a the three spoiled prep kids from Scent of a Woman. He brought up the Dems? The Clintons? The election? And this is supposed to be a smart man? He acted like a child who lost his lolly.

Hey Kavanaugh: for those of us with IQ's above room temperature, we all see that the correct play is to comport yourself with dignity and few words. You let the R Senators act like wild dogs.....that way you can look cool, calm, and collected...while still venting spleen. You did none of these things, you boob. Clarence Thomas did a better job in his hearing, and that's saying something.

Straight from the BAR Assn.:

Rule 1.2: Promoting Confidence in the Judiciary
A judge shall act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the independence,* integrity,* and impartiality* of the judiciary, and shall avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety.

After watching that mess of a hearing, I wouldn't hire Kavanaugh to watch my dog, let alone sit on a Federal bench after that performance. Geez, dude. Not a bright moment for you.

His opening statement was disqualifying in my mind. It was down hill from there.....when asked if he ever passed out from drinking, he said, I have never passed out but I have fallen asleep. He fails rule 1.2 on many levels. Find a better conservative candidate. It should not be hard. When asked about the ralphing references in his year book he came up with some lame lie about eating food that disagreed with his stomach......are people supposed to be stupid? It's not about those things being important.....it's a matter of his truthfulness today. There are so many things he has shaded the truth on, he could be up for perjury. He has been a political operative more than a judge and it shows. We don't need a Supreme Court judge with an agenda. A bias is fine but an agenda is something different.

In the past 70 years, has ANY nominee had to answer questions about their HS yearbook? Or, more specifically, whether they ever passed out from drinking. TLD, please define the difference between passing out and falling asleep? (pretty easy ) Sleeping on a car hood, on the toilet, people drawing things on you, putting shaving cream, shaving hair, dressing them in funny clothes, etc. It's ok for our members of congress to be able to do all these things, take ILLEGAL drugs, because they have no power. No authority to kill people.

Come on man. Move on to the next guy. It’s not what he did in high school...it is his dishonesty. You can cheer for him if you like. He is getting a raw deal....just like Gorsuch got...yeah he is a lying sloppy drunk. If he were just a sloppy drunk It would be different. The kids like tRump and kAvanaugh need people like you to champion their cases because life has been unfair to them....