Kavanaugh/Blasey Ford Sexual Assault Allegations Hearing

[Cartmann99]

@fraurosena, the American Bar Association is a voluntary professional organization for legal professionals, and they do not have the ability to discipline or disbar anybody.  It just looks bad when your professional organization starts trying to distance itself from you.

Quote

The American Bar Association is one of the world’s largest voluntary professional organizations, with over 400,000 members and more than 3,500 entities.  It is committed to doing what only a national association of attorneys can do: serving our members, improving the legal profession, eliminating bias and enhancing diversity, and advancing the rule of law throughout the United States and around the world.

Founded in 1878, the ABA is committed to supporting the legal profession with practical resources for legal professionals while improving the administration of justice, accrediting law schools, establishing model ethical codes, and more.  Membership is open to lawyers, law students, and others interested in the law and the legal profession.

Our national headquarters are in Chicago, and we maintain a significant office in Washington D.C.

https://www.americanbar.org/about_the_aba.html

[formergothardite]

49 minutes ago, Cartmann99 said:

never knew that much about Senator Tillis of North Carolina before this whole  Supreme Court nominee process started. I now want to get pictures of him to put on the bottom of my cats' litterboxes.

Tillis is so, so, so awful. Last year he claimed he couldn't hold town hall meetings to meet face to face with people because too many out of state people come to cause problems so he would hold Facebook live ones. He was so rude and treated people asking questions awful. His staff will actually write you a reply but most of the time it is condescending and rude. I've called but it is pretty hopeless. 

[fraurosena]

Fuck Joe Manchin. He voted yes, in essence nullifying Murkowski's no.

Kavanaugh cloture vote count: Here's how senators voted

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Senators today cast a key procedural vote that allowed the Senate to move forward on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination. His nomination, which was once seen as an almost sure bet, has become seeped in drama after several women came forward and accused the nominee of sexual misconduct more than 30 years ago. The full floor vote is expected Saturday afternoon.

Two senators broke with party lines. Republican Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted not to advance the nominee. Democrat Joe Manchin of West Virginia voted in favor.

[graph]

 

[47of74]

I told the dean at my law school just today that I would hope they never invite Rapey Brett in any capacity to the school regardless of how the coronation nomination goes, and if the school doesn't listen to reason and invites Rapey Brett to school that they do not mandate students attend.  I flat out told him I wouldn't attend even under the threat of disciplinary sanctions.  I might be standing outside with a big ass protest sign calling out Rapey Brett but I sure as hell ain't going to dignify him by attending whatever talk, lecture, etc he might give.

[wotdancer]

Oklahoma Senator Inhofe (R) just quoted THE BIBLE as proof that the allegations against Kavanaugh go against due process. (To be fair, he then went on to talk about US law...but) It pissed me right off.

Why am I watching this? It's awful for my blood pressure and overall mood.

Edited October 5, 2018 by wotdancer

[Cartmann99]

Senator Inhofe of Oklahoma is giving Kavanaugh a tonguebath. I didn't recognize him at first without his stupid snowball that disproves global warming.

 

1 minute ago, wotdancer said:

Oklahoma Senator Inhofe (R) just quoted THE BIBLE as proof that the allegations against Kavanaugh go against due process. (To be fair, he then went on to talk about US law...but) It pissed me right off.

Why am I watching this? It's awful for my blood pressure and overall mood.

Has anyone quoted Deuteronomy yet?

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23 If a man happens to meet in a town a virgin pledged to be married and he sleeps with her, 24 you shall take both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death—the young woman because she was in a town and did not scream for help, and the man because he violated another man’s wife. You must purge the evil from among you.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+22%3A23-27&version=NIV

It's not an exact fit, but surely they can find a loophole to only stone Dr. Ford. 

[Rachel333]

23 minutes ago, fraurosena said:

Fuck Joe Manchin. He voted yes, in essence nullifying Murkowski's no.

Kavanaugh cloture vote count: Here's how senators voted

 

It doesn't mean though that he'll definitely vote yes tomorrow. From what I've read, he doesn't want to be the "deciding" vote, so it really comes down to how Collins will vote tomorrow.

[prayawaythefundie]

44 minutes ago, 47of74 said:

I told the dean at my law school just today that I would hope they never invite Rapey Brett in any capacity to the school regardless of how the coronation nomination goes, and if the school doesn't listen to reason and invites Rapey Brett to school that they do not mandate students attend.  I flat out told him I wouldn't attend even under the threat of disciplinary sanctions.  I might be standing outside with a big ass protest sign calling out Rapey Brett but I sure as hell ain't going to dignify him by attending whatever talk, lecture, etc he might give.

What did the dean respond?

[precious blessing]

Never really thought I'd be here... but I find Kavanaugh so vile, I cannot forgive senators who vote for him. I could not bring myself to vote for Manchin if he votes Kavanaugh through. I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

I went out with my hardcore conservative, 'boomer dad today. We're on totally different sides of the aisle - he watches Fox all day and I listen to MSNBC every night. Because I'm a masochist, I usually engage him on political matters... never in an angry or sanctimonious way - just trying to find points we can agree on. He, however, gets extremely defensive, calls me a socialist, tells me he's "so glad I have everything figured out." Ugh.

I tried to discuss the Kavanaugh thing... he won't even acknowledge Dr. Ford's allegations as credible. He even sees her as a flat-out liar. 

This whole thing has really triggered me like so many others...While even before the hearings I could not outright pin what's been making me feel off, clearly it's this scenario.

A few years ago when I was 19, a good friend and I decided to hang out at her place and get totally wasted - just have a good time together. I was under the impression that I was safe in the company of my trusted friend. I ended up drinking way more than she did, and eventually she started talking about inviting some guys over. At this point I was extremely drunk, but I still had my senses to say "please don't invite anyone over, I'm in a very vulnerable state." She told me she wasn't, she wouldn't. I continued to drink and have fun to the point where I couldn't stand up. Eventually some guys showed up... I was pissed and afraid, and unable to walk, I attempted to remove myself from the situation. I crawled to the hallway and tried to sleep on the floor, but they kept pestering me. I moved to the bathroom to get away, but once again they came and pestered me. Finally I moved to her brother's room who wasn't home, and got into bed. Again they pestered me. I was sad and afraid and felt like I couldn't get out of this situation. I felt trapped and hopeless. Finally, so they would leave me alone, I gave in. We didn't sleep together, but I was a girl who'd never even had my first kiss. I was traumatized and I felt so helpless, but what hurt the most is that my childhood friend put me in that situation when I practically begged her not to. She knew I didn't want to but she pressured me into doing it, as well as the guy. He was... disgusting. He wasn't even drinking but coerced a girl who was too drunk to stand up into doing shit she adamantly didn't want to. It still hurts me, and because I eventually consented, I feel disgusting, I feel like it's my fault. I just have a lot of conflicting feelings about it.

I've never really claimed "me too" because I felt what happened to me was not technically assault. In that moment, I wanted to tell my dad, but I know I never will. We aren't close. I feel what happened to me was not a big deal, it was something that happens all the time. But that's what this whole thing is about... It's not okay. It's not something that should be treated as "boys being boys"

Edited October 5, 2018 by precious blessing

[Rachel333]

It sounds like she's voting yes. I expected it but this is still absolutely devastating.

[Audrey2]

@precious blessing, I'm so sorry that happened to you. What happened was not your fault.

We welcome you here in Quiverfull of politics any time you want to vent politically and feel surrounded by conservatives. We really are a friendly bunch in this forum and get into many, many fewer dust-ups than in the Duggars, Bates, and Rodrigues threads. We do use the wtf and disgust responses frequently, as we are completely disgusted with much of the current political climate and.

Welcome!

Edited October 5, 2018 by Audrey2

[fraurosena]

30 minutes ago, precious blessing said:

I've never really claimed "me too" because I felt what happened to me was not technically assault. In that moment, I wanted to tell my dad, but I know I never will. We aren't close. I feel what happened to me was not a big deal, it was something that happens all the time. But that's what this whole thing is about... It's not okay. It's not something that should be treated as "boys being boys"

Dear @precious blessing, do not downplay or diminish what happened to you. It was awful and disgusting. And it happened to you, not by you. You actually were assaulted. You were in no condition to consent or not. Even if you said yes, your condition negated anything you said. And as the other person was not inebriated, they were fully aware of your condition. What a horrible, loathsome person. They took advantage of you to get you to do something to which you could not consent. That equals an assault.

 

[SassyPants]

And there it is.

Eff them. They don't care about Americans or America. They care about maintaining their own positions and power-

Now we have an unqualified, unvetted POTUS.

We have  extremely partisan legislative and judicial branches.

VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!!!!

[neurogirl]

I had a very minor experience with sexual boundaries and yes, Kavanaugh's nomination still has made me think about it. I was 18, it was the very end of my senior year of high school, and I was having a shy flirtation with a friend that led to being prom dates and eventually boyfriend/girlfriend. We were both very shy self-professed band nerds, I was a year older, and he was very sweet to me. I didn't feel in any danger. It took us 3 weeks to kiss, which was initiated by me and it was very wanted and awkward and sweet. The very next night, we went to a friend's grad party, and then stayed out late in my car to talk and kiss. In the middle of kissing, I found that his hands were under my bra, and he kept trying to pull my dress and bra down. There was no asking, and I had not thought that was even a remote possibility yet. I had the super-effective reaction at first of completely freaking out internally and freezing but still kissing him, but pulled my straps back up. He kept trying though, and it seemed like somehow this nice, shy guy I knew was taken over by a perv-ball. I was pushed up against the door in the back of the car and he was trying to go up and down under my dress and it just freaked me the fuck out because he was not responding to my physical cues and I was too afraid to speak. Eventually I had to push him off me and DRIVE HIM HOME silently. I called my best guy friend at 2am and cried. A few days later I called my boyfriend and broke up with him from the backseat of that same car. He tried to say he loved me as we were breaking up, and spent the next week texting me how he had lost his will to play music or what the fuck ever and said he didn't "want me to think of myself as a harlot." Later, when i went to college out-of-state I heard he was going to visit my college. He asked to see me and I said no. He never visited the college. There were a number of other incidents but I eventually had to tell him to never fucking contact me again. It truly was a minor incident in so many people's experiences, but I was literally on day 2 with any kind of physicality with a boy and I had nightmares, etc.

Then my now-husband, then-friend asked me to watch Tangled with him at the end of freshman year of college. I was so nervous all day, but liked him. I went to his room and eventually we started kissing, and I started involuntarily shaking. He immediately let go of me and said we didn't have to do anything, basically explained consent to me because no one else had, and just held me for a while. I didn't even know guys could do that. 

Neuroboy and I were broken up for two months still in college, and I went to a Halloween dance where a member of the soccer team dressed in a fucking penguin suit put his hands down my pants as we danced. Immediately left and cried and that was the event that actually led Neuroboy and I to start talking to each other again, eventually getting back together. 

Wow ok didn't realize I needed to talk about that. These things are so minor compared to a million other stories that it feels embarrassing to even share affected me, and high school boyfriend at least has grown and matured and we've actually talked years later and he admitted he made a huge mistake and HE LEARNED. BUT Kavanaugh getting approved for the SC will essentially say that that kind of behavior doesn't even matter, there is nothing to not to or learn from that. Or at least, if it's not PinV rape it doesn't matter. And that is heartbreaking. 

I'm not sure where I was going with us other than to say that survivors of boundary-breaking stories, dramatic or not, are having their pain publicly invalidated, when we as a society should've continued moving towards "rape is bad. You know what else is bad? Not having consent even if it's not literal rape." And we should've been teaching our children, girls and boys, about boundaries of all types. Not this Kav situation of "well Timmy, as long as you are in the right circle and don't have eyewitness accounts of you committing a graphic rape, you won't get in any trouble." WTF AMERICA

[candygirl200413]

I personally have assumed the worst I think more of a coping strategy than anything. Joe Manchin is always a lost cause and I felt like if Susan Collins really cared she would have voted no earlier. We now have two sexual assaulters on our highest court of the land and no one who should care cares. 

 

May this be enough to get people to vote. I'm still nervous about how the midterms are going to go in part because we have nothing protecting them.

[47of74]

I personally have assumed the worst I think more of a coping strategy than anything. Joe Manchin is always a lost cause and I felt like if Susan Collins really cared she would have voted no earlier. We now have two sexual assaulters on our highest court of the land and no one who should care cares. 
 
May this be enough to get people to vote. I'm still nervous about how the midterms are going to go in part because we have nothing protecting them.

I’m going to write each member of the Democratic Senate leadership and demand that Manchin (R-traitor) be expelled from the caucus. We don’t need any Rapey Brett enablers in the caucus and it needs to be made clear that we’re past the nice person point in this game.

[Cartmann99]

Tucker Carlson is a jackass:

 

[Mecca]

It looks like Kavanaugh has the votes to get confirmed. Yay. Awesome. ?

I know this is supposed to perhaps light a fire under progressive’s cans and get them out to vote come November, but for me it has done the complete opposite. I stepped away from this board shortly after Trump’s inauguration. I went and protested on the day of Trump’s inauguration and marched in the Women’s March. After I got back home, I knew I had to fight and throw myself into whatever I could do to make it right. I have been very active with my local Resistance chapter and protested locally and back in Washington several times. I have sat down and talked with Senators and Reps both state and federal. I have tried to get people to register to vote. I have written a million letters and made a million calls. I have protested in the halls of Senator’s office. You name it, I have done it. But honestly after watching this all go done over the last few weeks, I think I am done. I feel seriously so defeated. Today has been the worst. The democratic Senator I have been campaigning for came out today and said if he were in the Senate he would vote for Kavanaugh. Unreal. I quit. I can’t work for a person as a survivor of sexual assault and back that BS. 

I am truly feel the U.S. is on a hayride to hell, and I don’t think I can stay on the tractor any longer. 

[fraurosena]

 

10 minutes ago, Mecca said:

It looks like Kavanaugh has the votes to get confirmed. Yay. Awesome. ?

I know this is supposed to perhaps light a fire under progressive’s cans and get them out to vote come November, but for me it has done the complete opposite. I stepped away from this board shortly after Trump’s inauguration. I went and protested on the day of Trump’s inauguration and marched in the Women’s March. After I got back home, I knew I had to fight and throw myself into whatever I could do to make it right. I have been very active with my local Resistance chapter and protested locally and back in Washington several times. I have sat down and talked with Senators and Reps both state and federal. I have tried to get people to register to vote. I have written a million letters and made a million calls. I have protested in the halls of Senator’s office. You name it, I have done it. But honestly after watching this all go done over the last few weeks, I think I am done. I feel seriously so defeated. Today has been the worst. The democratic Senator I have been campaigning for came out today and said if he were in the Senate he would vote for Kavanaugh. Unreal. I quit. I can’t work for a person as a survivor of sexual assault and back that BS. 

I am truly feel the U.S. is on a hayride to hell, and I don’t think I can stay on the tractor any longer. 

Aww, @Mecca, that must be so rough! How disheartened you must feel. 

But please, don't jump off the tractor. It's a setback. You lost a battle. But the war is still raging all around you. Don't give up. The war will be won. And it will be won by the good guys. 

If there is one good thing that is coming from all of this wretchedness it's that people are showing their true colors. There will be no hiding behind pretty words and empty promises anymore. How elected officials behave, how they vote, what they do, who they rally behind is laid bare for all to see. And they will be judged for it. 

Don't give up. If this Senator you were campaigning for showed you his ugly colors, be glad of it. Now you know, and you can take appropriate action. Choose someone else who you can campaign for (if that's possible). Keep helping people to register to vote. Keep your chin up. Keep protesting, making your voice heard. 

I'm so proud of you. You saw something you didn't like and you went out and did something about it. Keep your head up high, feel the righteousness of your cause, and keep going for it. Don't stop until you've attained it. Because it's worth fighting for. You'll win that war. I'm sure of it.

[fraurosena]

And now we know why they're so hellbent on confirming Kavanaugh. The big boss wants it.

The Kremlin’s For Kavanaugh: Russian State Media Back Trump's Supreme Court Nominee

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The Kremlin’s support of Donald Trump’s objectives, devoid of traditional U.S. values, has spilled out into the issues typically outside of Russia’s purview, such as Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court.

Trump’s disregard for human rights and values is balm to the Kremlin’s sanction-wounded heart, which is why the Russians were quick to jump on the Kavanaugh wagon.

Russian state media is supporting Trump’s Kavanaugh nomination both in its domestic publications, as well as those aimed at the English-speaking audiences.

Hamilton 68, an organization which tries to track Russian influence operations on Twitter, also recorded extensive activity pertaining to the Kavanaugh nomination.

When Trump complains: “It’s a very scary time for young men in America,” but “women are doing great.” A Kremlin propagandist Dmitry Kiselyov commiserates on TV: “Guess what stands in Kavanaugh’s way? Certainly, the disease of malignant feminism… used to destroy promising careers and eliminate political opponents.”

The message that women’s rights are nothing more than the ploy of wicked feminists resonates with the Russian government. Vitaly Milonov, an ultra-conservative lawmaker from Putin’s United Russia party, openly argues on Russian state television that feminists aren’t even people, but mere “monkeys” and “witches.” He calls for feminists to be subjected to forced psychiatric treatment or imprisonment. “Lock her up” has a greatly expanded meaning in Russia.

Kavanaugh says: “The Swetnick thing is a joke, that's a farce.” Kiselyov echoes: “The case against Brett Kavanaugh sounds like a joke.”

All this is part of a broader picture in which the Kremlin continues to differentiate between Trump and the American government.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently exclaimed that the relations between the United States and Russia are “the worst in history.” At the same time, Lavrov emphasized that the relationship between the President of the United States Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is “very constructive” and “positive.” Pro-Kremlin experts and political strategists on Russian state TV explain that their support of Trump is based on the convergence of interests.

Karen Shakhnazarov, a prominent film director and an influencer who makes regular appearances on Russian state TV, has explained that by destroying the European Union, imposing tariffs upon China and hastening “the destruction of the American empire” Trump is “lightening Russia’s load” and giving it “breathing space.”

Mikhail Remizov, President of the Russian think-tank, Institute for National Strategy, has said that the reasons for the Russians to support Trump’s election were not based on the desire to gain a friend in the White House. He argued that the real motivation is twofold: Trump’s restructuring of America’s global financial agreements distracts the West from Russia, thereby allowing it more room to maneuver. The second reason is that Trump is “forming the new global ideology” with respect to protectionist economic policies, restrictions on immigration and fostering skepticism towards global jurisdictions, such as the International Criminal Court, “all of which is exactly what Russia wants.”

Russian Political Scientist Sergey Mikheev added that Trump does not care about values, concerning himself “only with money and interests.” Tatyana Parkhalina (President of the Association for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation) cautioned the pro-Kremlin talking heads not to confuse Trump’s values (or lack thereof) with those of the United States. “Trump is not America – thankfully. They are not one in the same.”

It’s worth keeping that context in mind when Trump calls Democrats the “party of crime,” and blames them for “sick attacks against Kavanaugh.” RT excitedly chimes in: “Tired of the political divide in America? Don’t worry, it’s going to get much worse.”

No doubt the Kremlin is willing to do its part to ensure just that.

 

[Satan'sFortress]

I am so shaken by this that I want to crawl into a hole.  I know that "they" are all laughing their asses off---just like Kavanaugh and Mark Judge laughed at Christine Blasey Ford all those years ago.

I am feeling completely hopeless.  I live in a Blue state with two Democratic Senators and a Democratic Rep.  One of my Senators is Chris Coons, who I believe did try to help move the FBI investigation forward by talking with Jeff Flake.  But what can I do now---my state politicians don't need convincing---does my voice matter to other states?

[SassyPants]

1 hour ago, Satan'sFortress said:

I am so shaken by this that I want to crawl into a hole.  I know that "they" are all laughing their asses off---just like Kavanaugh and Mark Judge laughed at Christine Blasey Ford all those years ago.

I am feeling completely hopeless.  I live in a Blue state with two Democratic Senators and a Democratic Rep.  One of my Senators is Chris Coons, who I believe did try to help move the FBI investigation forward by talking with Jeff Flake.  But what can I do now---my state politicians don't need convincing---does my voice matter to other states?

I'm in the exact same situation. I will tell you one thing,  I am not voting for Feinstein again. She and all the other "lifers" need to go. It's time for fresh blood and a different attitude. I could kick Hatch, Graham and Grassely right in their collective asses.

[47of74]

16 minutes ago, SassyPants said:

I'm in the exact same situation. I will tell you one thing,  I am not voting for Feinstein again. She and all the other "lifers" need to go. It's time for fresh blood and a different attitude. I could kick Hatch, Graham and Grassely right in their collective asses.

I've pretty much decided that I'm going to leave Iowa when I'm done with school.  Maybe even if things work out well for us this November.  A state that sends the likes of Grassley, Ernst, and King to Congress is not a state that I want any part of.  I further would recommend people not visit Iowa and not spend any money in the state.

[fraurosena]

 

[fraurosena]

Good thread, about egregious acts that got forgotten about because of the sexual assault and undignified partisan behavior.

The truth will come out.