Supreme Court Nominee

[EuTuCroquet?]

I’m of the opinion that Kavanaugh is the victim.

Waiting for testimony.

Let’s pick up the white courtesy phone and page @Tricia or @sillybilly and see what they have to say.

Kavanaugh is the accused. He isn’t proven guilty, but that’s not intellectually or literally synonymous with him being the victim. He’s also a public figure.

 

[sorrell skye]

I have a difficult time believing any person would continue to go to – according to the affidavit – ten parties over a two-year period where women were routinely gang raped and not report it.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) September 26, 2018

Republicans stand by Kavanaugh, fire back at Avenatti as new allegations jolt court bid


Yeah What about that!

Why did she continue to see this and not report it.?

I can't speak for any of the victim/survivors in this matter. They can speak for themselves when/if they are all given the opportunity.

For myself, I will offer this: As a completely naïve young teenager in the early 70s, our family moved from a sheltered suburb to a big city. When I was 14, 15 years old, I desperately wanted to 'fit in' with the 'popular' crowd at my new school, so I attended parties where shady s**t was going on.

Teen peer pressure is a very real, compelling force. Teen peer pressure can, IMO, cause someone to ignore any number of red flags. Besides which, I must challenge anyone who declares that a young teen is sophisticated enough and emotionally/psychologically developed enough to not only fully recognize red flags (even when those red flags might be fully unfurled to an informed adult in this age of #metoo), but to also possess the psychological maturity to know that what they had witnessed might be a potential crime that must be reported.

After all, the prevailing mythos has been: If a girl/woman gets sexually assaulted/raped, it's because "she was asking for it". Ergo, if a young teen naively believes that she isn't "asking for it", then she's assured (in her own innocent mind) that she will not be sexually assaulted and/or raped, even while attending a party where other girls are being sexually assaulted/raped.

This is the very foundation of what is known as '-shaming' - the shaming of sexual assault/rape survivors and the labeling of them as '' or otherwise not credible.

I'm a survivor of a brutal gang-rape sexual assault. As a young teen, I naively believed that I could attend parties where other girls were sexually assaulted and raped. At the time, as an ignorant, naïve young teen in the early 70s, I mistakenly believed the patriarchal mythos that only "" were sexually assaulted/raped.

I learned then and have known since that the mythos was and is a lie, promoted by those with the most to lose.

And, no, I didn't tell my parents that I was gang-raped. I didn't even tell my younger sister (with whom I was close). I didn't report it to the police. I didn't tell anyone, until recently, when I finally - after all these long years - disclosed it to my therapist and my long-time life partner. And now, here on this forum.

Why didn't I tell someone all those years ago when I was a young teen?

Because I felt such a soul-shattering sense of shame that I was incapable of uttering the words "I was gang-raped by I don't know how many", let alone describe the despicable, filthy acts that I had been forced to endure.

Because I told myself that it was my fault (for being at the party).

I'm sick and tired of sexual assault/rape victims being blamed for not reporting.

Anyone who doesn't 'get it' needs to get with the damn program.

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

How many of those parties did Kavanaugh attend and didn't report it?
Maybe Lindsey should include him in the chiding or is that only the victims he is going after. IMO

Kavanaugh's claim in regards to the gang rape is that he never did any such thing and he's never known about any such thing. If that claim is true then I don't know how he could possibly report it.

 

[sds71]

Breaking from@NBCNews
Capitol Hill correspondent
@Kasie
Hunt: "The Senate Judiciary Cmte. is probing an additional anonymous allegation of physical assault against Brett Kavanaugh." Learn more: (link: https://nbcnews.to/2R2LXt7) nbcnews.to/2R2LXt7 #11MSNBC #11thHour

 

[sds71]

A Republican aide on the committee said the conversation took place shortly after noon. While Republican staff posed questions to Kavanaugh, their Democratic counterparts were also on the call but did not ask any questions.
According to an anonymous complaint sent to Republican Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado, Kavanaugh physically assaulted a woman he socialized with in the Washington, D.C. area in 1998 while he was inebriated.
The sender of the complaint described an evening involving her own daughter, Kavanaugh and several friends in 1998.
“When they left the bar (under the influence of alcohol) they were all shocked when Brett Kavanaugh, shoved her friend up against the wall very aggressively and sexually.”
Senate probing new allegation of misconduct against Kavanaugh

 

[BingoBongo]

In your opinion, why did he bring up his virginity while bring questioned about the assault accusations?

If you were accused of burning someone with a cigarette, and you didn't...what might you say?

 

[simba16]

MSNBC--new complaint #4. In a letter to Republican senators an anonymous woman claims in 1998 a drunken Kavanaugh slammed a woman against a wall outside a DC bar.

 

[BingoBongo]

You’re missing the point. There needs to be an investigation. You should not assume the alleged victims are the liars. But it seems the powers that be don’t want to hear witnesses or investigate these allegations. That in itself tells you something. This stinks and is very smoky- and I suspect there’s FIRE. I watched his hearing and the guy was squirrely and evasive. I didn’t like him then, and I want to hear more about these allegations via a proper process before the GOP rams him onto the SCOTUS for life.

By the same token, you (nor anyone) should assume that the accused is a liar.

"But it seems the powers that be don’t want to hear witnesses or investigate these allegations."
That isn't true. They have gone out of their way to be accommodating to Ms. Ford, her atty. and her demands...SHE is the one who has begged off, more than once. That, in and of itself is fishy. Every request she and her atty. have made, has been accommodated...and STILL she's not willing to testify.

 

[Inthedetails]

If you were accused of burning someone with a cigarette, and you didn't...what might you say?

I'm not into riddle games and prefer plain speaking.

He is accused of sexual assault. He stated that he was a virgin at the time. Why would he talk about his virginity, if not to imply virgins cannot commit sexual assault, which is not true?

jmo

 

[Inthedetails]

MSNBC--new complaint #4. In a letter to Republican senators an anonymous woman claims in 1998 a drunken Kavanaugh slammed a woman against a wall outside a DC bar.

Rachel Maddow MSNBC on Twitter

 

[BingoBongo]

Excellent post. Thank you!

Jumping off what you said, other women victim-blame, too, and convince themselves it won’t happen to them. For all sorts of reasons, as we’re seeing in this case (and elsewhere).

The cognitive dissonance is dangerous, unfortunate and sad, really. I’m so glad the culture is starting to change, even if it can’t change fast enough.

And yet it did happen to some of us who are NOT convinced that what is being claimed about Kavanaugh is true, why? Because we're waiting for facts and corroboration by other witnesses.

 

[Boodles]

Donde esta Mark Judge and her corroborating witnesses? Oh, that’s right, not allowed. And the hearing is tomorrow at 10am, at which she is expected.

 

[mickey2942]

Did every other current Sitting judge have this through of a vetting? To include actions that occurred in high school? Will this be the new standard, for public appointments, that anyone can make an arbitrary and capricious accusation against the appointee, and it is taken at face value?
Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone.

 

[simba16]

Not all her accommodations have been made: Dr Ford's attorney did not want outside counsel or "assistant" to question her. Dr. Ford wanted to give her testimony after Kavanaugh, not before.

Meanwhile a new report of physical assault from 1998 breaking...

 

[BingoBongo]

I'm not into riddle games and prefer plain speaking.

He is accused of sexual assault. He stated that he was a virgin at the time. Why would he talk about his virginity, if not to imply virgins cannot commit sexual assault, which is not true?

jmo

Please don't make this something other than what it is. No riddles.

If I were accused of burning someone with a cigarette, I would deny it and probably assert that not only did I not burn someone, but I don't even smoke. Has nothing to do with me believing or not believing a non-smoker capable of that kind of assault.

I believe that is why Kavanaugh brought up his virginity.

 

[BingoBongo]

Not all her accommodations have been made: Dr Ford's attorney did not want outside counsel or "assistant" to question her. Dr. Ford wanted to give her testimony after Kavanaugh, not before.

Meanwhile a new report of physical assault from 1998 breaking...

And why should she give her testimony after vs. prior?? SHE is the one making the claims!! When someone is accused of something, they generally are allowed to counter those accusations after learning exactly what those accusations are!

People are given the right to KNOW what their being accused of, BEFORE, not after.

And, I'm not clear on what you mean by "outside counsel or assistant". A female expert in the field of sexual crimes was supposed to interview both. This was supposed help with the clarification of what happened by finding facts vs. assumptions.

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

Not all her accommodations have been made: Dr Ford's attorney did not want outside counsel or "assistant" to question her. Dr. Ford wanted to give her testimony after Kavanaugh, not before.

Meanwhile a new report of physical assault from 1998 breaking...

Which seems quite ridiculous imo.

 

[simba16]

I know about peer pressure too. In high school I was very conservative, virgin.
When I got to college I met some wild friends and overnight I was drinking, smoking pot, a shocking change.
I can understand the girls who would continue to go to the gang rape parties, never thinking they'd be a victim.

 

[Inthedetails]

Did every other current Sitting judge have this through of a vetting? To include actions that occurred in high school? Will this be the new standard, for public appointments, that anyone can make an arbitrary and capricious accusation against the appointee, and it is taken at face value?
Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone.

I have a feeling there are candidates to be found who didn't assault people, as he is accused of doing. And if he is lying about his past, that is troubling to me. Telling the truth matters for a Supreme Court Justice. I do realize that we don't know for sure yet if he is lying or if he committed assaults. That is what is being investigated.

What if someone cheated through high school or on college entrance exams like the SAT? Would that matter? I think it would. What if someone plagiarized in school? I would want to know when deciding whether or not to hire a candidate. And I would pay close attention to how the candidate grew from any bad experience and how s/he reacted to allegations.

Character matters, and so far, I want more investigation into his character. Why rush? And what candidate would want a shadow over his/her selection? I would expect a candidate of integrity to see the process through....which, to his credit, he is doing. So, let's see it through.

jmo

 

[simba16]

I'm sure we will know soon the woman in 4th allegation who was shoved against the wall...and more to come. He got away with the behavior for years.

This is not just teenage drinking which I would excuse. This is attempted rape and assault. Most people are not stupid enough to accept the "left wing conspiracy."