Defending Brett Kavanaugh

[basilio]

Donald Trump has proposed Brett Kavanaugh as his Supreme Court nominee. At 53 he would sit on the Supreme Court for potentially 25-30 years.

Is he fit for office ?

Kavanaugh
Brett Kavanaugh faces second allegation of sexual misconduct
Deborah Ramirez, who attended Yale with Kavanaugh, has described a drunken party during which genitals were thrust in her face

Oliver Laughland in New York and Ben Jacobs in Washington

Sun 23 Sep 2018 21.28 EDT Last modified on Sun 23 Sep 2018 21.52 EDT

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Brett Kavanaugh is facing a second allegation of sexual misconduct from his youth Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh faces a second allegation of sexual misconduct after another woman came forward accusing him of inappropriate sexual behaviour during his college years at Yale University.

The New Yorker magazine reported on Sunday evening that a 53-year-old woman, Deborah Ramirez, who attended university with Kavanaugh, has alleged that the judge appeared to have thrust his genitals in her face at a drunken party during their freshman year in 1983-4 academic calendar. She said she clearly remembers the judge, then a teenager, pulling up his pants after a penis was thrust in her face during a drinking game. She also accused Kavanaugh of laughing at her in the aftermath and has said the FBI should investigate the incident.

The judge already faces a separate allegation of sexual assault made by Christine Blasey Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University, who claims Kavanaugh attempted to sexually assault her at a drunken high school party in the early 1980s.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...-allegation-sexual-misconduct-deborah-ramirez

 

[basilio]

Another sexual misconduct bombshell has been lobbed into the Brett Kavanaugh nominee discussion.

 

[SirRumpole]

We all do stupid things as teenagers, but for a Supreme Court judge there has to be high standards.

 

[Knobby22]

How old was he when this happened? 17,18? Drunk, etc. Probably watched too many stupid teen movies like Animal House before he went to college.
I am sure that as a 53 year old he is quite a different person. I am not sure that this sort of misconduct should make him ineligible. there doesn't seem to be any more recent incidents. Then again it's a very important position. (Think of the present and some past Presidents, much more problematic)

 

[Darc Knight]

Not totally sure of all the facts but the one thing that stands out is Trump's responce. He Trump apparently contradicted himself from what he said at a Rally and what he then said on Twitter. Trump PR machine in overdrive - BS meter about to break.

 

[basilio]

The conversations could go in a number of directions.
1) Brett acknowledges he did some dumb, nasty things as a drunken teenager. Not rape or sexual assault reallly... but "rapey" behaviour. So far he has stated he never, ever did anything of the sort and therefore...

2) These allegations are pure fiction dreamt up by highly creditentialled female Professors just to drop him in the poo and keep him from being a Supreme Court judge for the next 25 years

Another possible direction recognises that attempting to prove or disprove these events is going to be exceptionally messy and almost impossible. But then the question would be asked about the character of this new Supreme Court Judge and whether this cloud is sufficient to say he shouldn't be on the bench of the Supreme Court.

Lastly. The two public allegations to date deal with individual behaviours. The Avenatti email however suggests Brett and Mark Judge systemically organised/took part in frat parties where younger girls were gang banged as they become drunk or drugged. If this is true then
1) There is every likelihood that other witnesses will come forward
2) Brett Kavanaugh would almost certainly be deemed unsuitable for public office.

Brett and his friends were going to Ivy League colleges and represented the cream of society.

 

[basilio]

The challenge of "who to believe" and "what actually happened" in these drunken parties is revealed in Ronan Farrows story in the New Yorker..

Well worth a read IMO

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news...rett-kavanaughs-college-years-deborah-ramirez

 

[Tisme]

Victim of the mid term elections with socialists trying to smear the republicans

 

[Darc Knight]

Victim of the mid term elections with socialists trying to smear the republicans

You just speculating or have an argument?

 

[Knobby22]

You just speculating or have an argument?

Just baiting imo.

 

[SirRumpole]

Whatever happened to proof ?

 

[basilio]

Whatever happened to proof ?

Of what ?

 

[SirRumpole]

Of what ?

Of allegations made about events decades ago ?

Witnesses, confirming evidence etc ?

Otherwise people might think it's just character assassination.

The guy may be a complete drop kick for all I know but if someone is going to ruin his career at least they should have to come up with evidence.

 

[Darc Knight]

I gotta say, if you were a person who had spent a lifetime building a good reputation, then had Donald Trump appoint you to the Supreme Court you'd have second thoughts about having your reputation sullied by being associated with Trump.

 

[basilio]

Of allegations made about events decades ago ?

Witnesses, confirming evidence etc ?

Otherwise people might think it's just character assassination.

The guy may be a complete drop kick for all I know but if someone is going to ruin his career at least they should have to come up with evidence.

Read the background to the accusations. There is plenty there to warrant an investigation. The article I referenced by Ronan Farrow was a good start. There are many others.

 

[SirRumpole]

Read the background to the accusations. There is plenty there to warrant an investigation. The article I referenced by Ronan Farrow was a good start. There are many others.

Yeah well, he said, she said, in the fog of alcohol induced haze, I doubt if it's anything that could be proved in a court decades later.

 

[wayneL]

How old was he when this allegedly happened? )

Corrected for accuracy.

I am stunned by the irony of a man that will be charged to uphold the utmost highest quality of evidence, is Being sullied by the lowest quality evidence... Almost inadmissible edvidence.

 

[Tisme]

You just speculating or have an argument?

Repeating the press comments in USA

 

[Tisme]

Just baiting imo.

Do your homework

 

[basilio]

Yeah well, he said, she said, in the fog of alcohol induced haze, I doubt if it's anything that could be proved in a court decades later.

Perhaps. But then isn't that even more reason to have a proper FBI investigation to assess all the evidence and clear the matter up properly ?
Rather than just dismissing it out of hand ?