Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

Ron DeSantis, the grand wizard, oops, governor of FL

We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

In after Baud. Damn.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

Chutkan laughs. Lauro sits back down.

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

Just because you believe it, that doesn’t make it true.

You come for women, you’re gonna get your ass kicked.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

Republicans can’t even be trusted with their own money.

If you are in line to indict donald trump, stay in line.

Glad to see john eastman going through some things.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

When do the post office & the dmv weigh in on the wuhan virus?

Joe Lieberman disappointingly reemerged to remind us that he’s still alive.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

They were going to turn on one another at some point. It was inevitable.

Balloon Juice has never been a refuge for the linguistically delicate.

You are here: Home / Economics / C.R.E.A.M. / Like a drunk in a midnight choir

Like a drunk in a midnight choir

by | 121 Comments

This post is in: 

I’m really just here to fundraise but I couldn’t not use this title after this article.

If this lying POS gets to the Supreme Court, we should impeach him for perjury with our new House majority. Give here to the Balloon Juice Forty House Seats to Freedom Fund. It’s all the Republican seats listed as Toss Up or Lean Democrat plus four more candidates nominated by you the readers.

Goal Thermometer

Here’s the full list of candidates. You can just give to one or two at a time (it’s an option when you click through above to contribute) to avoid getting on too many mailing lists.

Cindy Axne (IA-03)
Andrew Janz (CA-22)
Paul Davis (KS-02)
Antonio Delgado (NY-19)
Katie Hill (CA-25)
Angie Craig (MN-02)
Abigail Spanberger (VA-07)
Jessica Morse (CA-04)
Colin Allred (TX-32)
Mike Levin (CA-49)
Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)
Katie Porter (CA-45)
Gil Cisneros (CA-39)
Dean Phillips (MN-03)
Vangie Williams (VA-01)
Elissa Slotkin (MI-08)
Haley Stevens (MI-11)
Harley Rouda (CA-48)
Kim Schrier (WA-08)
Aftab Pureval (OH-01)
Abby Finkenauer (IA-01)
Andy Kim (NJ-03)
Brendan Kelly (IL-12)
Conor Lamb (PA-17)
Jason Crow (CO-06)
Dan McCready (NC-09)
Sean Casten (IL-06)
Xochitl Torres Small (NM-02)
Cathy Albro (MI-03)
Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07)
Sharice Davids (KS-03)
Jennifer Wexton (VA-10)
Tom Malinowski (NJ-07)
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-02)
Jared Golden (ME-02)
Susan Wild (PA-07)
Elaine Luria (VA-02)
Josh Harder (CA-10)
Anthony Brindisi (NY-22)
Amy McGrath (KY-06)

Reader Interactions

121Comments

  3. 3.

    Nicole

    It was perjury they used on Clinton, seeing as how what he actually did wasn’t technically illegal. I would support impeaching.

    There might not be enough votes to remove the creep, but the rooting around in his past as part of the process might be enough to make him resign. Seeing as how there’s no statute of limitations on sexual assault in Maryland.

  4. 4.

    Rand Careaga

    Only slightlly O/T, but I realized that I’d yet to hear from David “Bobo” Brooks at FTFNYT (to which I maintain paid online access because, for all its many black sins, it is a vast resource in other realms) on l’affaire Kavanaugh, and went looking for this, since he can usually be counted upon for high comedy in these matters. Turns out he hasn’t published anything there in almost three months. Has something happened to the second-dumbest man to hold an op/ed post at the Times in living memory? Is he in the Federal Witness Protection Program along with Mark Judge and the Balloon Juice edit function?

  6. 6.

    Anonymous At Work

    Impeachment means nothing if the Senate wouldn’t convict. Holding extended hearings into his answers and calling him to testify further under Oath (when he’s made it clear how badly he does that) and hearings into sexual assaults to call Mark Judge are the best bets.

    I’d also suggest coughing discreetly when presenting to the Supreme Court with “Drunkrapistsaidwhat?” any time he spoke. “Republicanratfuckersayswhat?” also works.

    Finally, the best bet to keep him off might be Avenatti’s bombshell. He’s a bit of a self-promoter but his batting average and political & media savvy give me hope.

  8. 8.

    Ella in New Mexico

    Done! I’m going to try and donate once a week. Thanks for doing this, Doug, and thanks for adding Xochitle Torres Small to the list! She needs all the help she can get.

    Feeling a lot more hopeful this morning…:-)

  9. 9.

    WaterGirl

    @Doug!: thank you! It was a great idea for you to include the list in your thread. Makes it easier to research someone that catches your eye before heading to Act Blue.

  10. 10.

    Mai Naem mobile

    Orrin Fucking Hatch is trying to extend Trumpov’s pardon powers to state crimes. Jeezus WTF? The Russians must have something huge on Hatch. I thought it was just dementia but now I am wondering if hes got some kinky stuff or bribery stuff.

  12. 12.

    catclub

    @Anonymous At Work:

    There’s nothing so far that would stand up in court for a criminal conviction. So far.

    Now if you had eyewitness testimony from one white male, that has often been sufficient for a criminal conviction.

  13. 13.

    catclub

    @Mai Naem mobile: Once he is gone – and that is as of jan 2019, no one will care.
    But GOP paranoia now extends to ‘the Democrats will criminalize political differences of opinion’ because they thought Obama might consider (ha! right) going after torturers and their enablers.

  15. 15.

    --bd

    Why, oh, why, do I keep falling down wiki rabbit holes with you guys? Google the lyric since it’s not Elvis Costello; Leonard Cohen; Bird on a Wire; Songs From a Room; Personnel: Charlie Daniels – bass guitar, violin, acoustic guitar. WHAAATTT??? Yep, that Charlie Daniels.

  17. 17.

    Frankensteinbeck

    Has anyone seen this? Damn. https://twitter.com/TheRickyDavila/status/1044728633720475649

    @Nicole:

    seeing as how what he actually did wasn’t technically illegal

    Considering she wasn’t an intern at the White House at the time, it was completely consensual, and she had no complaints about the relationship itself, I wouldn’t even put ‘technically’ there. The adultery part, yeah, that’s all kinds of moral issues, but certainly not legal ones. The affair was just publicly humiliating and he obviously didn’t want to reveal it.

  18. 18.

    Immanentize

    @Anonymous At Work: About the sexual assault? I think the testimony of the victim/eyewitness that the two young men tried to rape her, held her down, put his hand over her mouth to prevent her from screaming in a way that made her fear for her life is all any prosecutor needs to make out the prima facie case of attempted rape.

    The testimony of the victim/witness is the gold standard of evidence in such cases. Nothing more is needed.

  19. 19.

    Kay

    Wisconsin Governor: Tony Evers (D) 50%, Scott Walker (R) 43%
    Walker down 7 perhaps the most notable result but it’s also essentially what Marquette found recently

    I don’t even live there and I love that.

  21. 21.

    cmorenc

    Both conformation by the Senate and impeachment by the House are light-years easier than conviction and removal from office by the Senate – the former two procedures require only a one-vote majority, while the latter requires a 2/3 majority. If Kavenaugh does get confirmed by even the slimmest of margins (i.e. 51-50 with Pence as VP casting the tie-breaking vote) – it would take a blue wave larger than our current Constitutional system of Senatorial elections is capable of producing to remove him, because it would require 67 Senators to vote “aye” for removal. That kind of Democratic Senate majority hasn’t happened since the late 1930s/early 40s, and so would instead likely require a significant number of Republican crossovers to vote for removal. How likely is that?

    Once on the Court, Kavenaugh like Thomas, is probably there for life, alas..

  23. 23.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Nicole: There is that whole gambling and mysterious disappearing debt issue that is a much more serious with a judge than being a jerk frat boi that the Republicans refused to look into. Gambling debts = Mob = Russian Mob = Putin’s Choice, but apparently that’s boring, we all want to talk about sex.

  25. 25.

    chopper

    and he paid all that credit card debt from his big winnings at the truth-telling contest. uh, you know, two towns over.

  26. 26.

    Fleeting Expletive

    I’d been wondering why this nomination was the hill Republicans are willing to die on. Kav’s not really all that special or unique, and he’s not holding up well. There’s more to it. David Corn says that the Whelan/evil twin guy, working for CRC, is significant: CRC was registered as FARA for Ukraine o/b/o Yanukovich the former dictator (?) for whom Manafort worked. So it occurs to me that the reason for the balls-to-the-wall defense of Kav could be to preclude exposure of any more of that information on the Russia angle. Also, of course, Kav’s documents from the Bush years on torture, etc., the murky and suspicious financial aid ($200K in credit card debt–who does that?) need to be explored. The Republicans seem to want to wrap ol’ Brett in tissue paper and bubble wrap lest too much of their stuff gets examined.

    Curiouser and curiouser.

  28. 28.

    Nicole

    @Anonymous At Work:

    There’s nothing so far that would stand up in court for a criminal conviction. So far.

    “So far” being the operative. All they could come up with for Clinton was perjury but not for lack of trying. I don’t think that will be the case with BK and the question then becomes, how far does he want to push things. As was pointed out in a comment on this thread, there are plenty of financial oddities in his record.

  31. 31.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques:

    There is that whole gambling and mysterious disappearing debt issue that is a much more serious with a judge than being a jerk frat boi that the Republicans refused to look into.

    As is becoming clear to me, nothing is more important to one whole Hell of a lot of women victims than the way Republicans are publicly supporting rape.

  32. 32.

    LAO

    @Immanentize: I know that I haven’t been around much (so it may have already been talked to death) but do you think it’s possible that Judge told the Republicans that if called to testify he would invoke the 5th amendment?

  34. 34.

    tobie

    @lurker dean: yes, he delivered. The woman is accusing him of being witness to, if not a participant in gang rapes. Yes, there are holes in the statement but it’s consistey with much of what we’ve already heard.

  37. 37.

    Anonymous At Work

    @Immanentize: Not saying I don’t believe her. I do. But “beyond a reasonable doubt” is a high standard. Physical evidence or other testimony to corroborate the specific allegations, given the time frame, would be needed to start a real criminal investigation.

  39. 39.

    eric

    @Anonymous At Work: No. not at all. her allegations are enough to START an investigation. Plus, given his statements under oath that appear not to be true, I would take a shot in front of a jury. He is a bad witness. If she is a good witness, he would have a tough time.

  40. 40.

    Anonymous At Work

    @Crashman: Faith, not too much. Trust, so far, he’s been bankable on delivering. And what just dropped the day before the ‘hearing’ is a credible accusation in a state with no statute of limitations for the crimes named.
    Presidential candidate? No.
    Advocate of the Year? Most def. Were I teaching law school, I’d let him lecture on the unteachables of being an attorney.

  42. 42.

    catclub

    @eric:

    He is a bad witness. If she is a good witness, he would have a tough time.

    The Avenatti one that just dropped certainly has something that all Kavanaugh backers will jump on. ‘Around 1982’ that specific? wow.

  44. 44.

    kindness

    I want to commend who ever nominated Josh Harder (CA) to this list. He’s running against my TeaBagger Representative Denham. I will donate here as well as outside to defeat that asshole. Gotta wait till I get paid though.

  45. 45.

    WaterGirl

    @catclub: signing a statement under penalty of perjury is a big Joe Biden deal.

    A lot of my memories from college aren’t tied to a particular year, even important ones. You would likely recall where you were living at the time, but if you didn’t move every year like I did, that wouldn’t help.

  47. 47.

    Shrillhouse

    @Anonymous At Work:

    Bill Cosby just got 3 years in prison, for a crime committed years ago, with no witnesses, and no physical evidence.

    Not minimizing how hard it was to get that conviction, nor over looking the fact that it took years, but these assaults can be successfully prosecuted long after the fact.

  49. 49.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Avenatti not coming up on MSNBC quite yet, some allusions but no details.

    They cut live to Melania’s speech at the UN, where she had a “Be Best” sign in front of her that looked like it was on a piece of paper snatched from a printer and drawn up with markers. If a kid put it up as part of an 8th grade oral presentation, you’d give it a B- for “visual aids” out of compassion and grade inflation

  50. 50.

    low-tech cyclist

    Well if you’re gonna quote from one of my favorite Leonard Cohen songs, Doug, how can I refuse? (Not to mention, this was one of the fundraisers I requested.) Money’s on its way!

  51. 51.

    Fleeting Expletive

    “Reasonable doubt” is of course not the standard of proof that applies unless there is a criminal investigation involved, and thus far that is not the case although potentially could be in states w/o SOL for sexual assault. Kav has lied a fair amount so far. The drinking age? This stellar specimen apparently told himself he was legal to drink at 18 when the legal age was still 21. He seems not to tell truth about very much.

    Since this is an open thread, I want to mention a phenomenal Oklahoma journalist who died yesterday. Pam Henry was a pioneer in journalism before there were women journalists. She had polio. She was ubiquitous in covering government and politics. I saw an inspiring documentary about her not long ago thinking it was about another Ms. Henry, Kim–the wife of former Democratic governor Brad Henry, a friend of a friend. RIP Pam Henry.

  55. 55.

    Elizabelle

    The “in approximately 1982” attached to a claim of being gang-raped does seem a red flag. UNLESS it’s strategic: Avenatti and the witness know exactly the date. They want to have Kavanaugh and Judge wondering.

    A gang rape would be a “before and after” event. Very hard to believe the date would not be remembered. Unless it happened a few times, which seems implausible …

  59. 59.

    hueyplong

    Glad Avenatti might have Susan Collins squirming a little bit.

    Mad that no GOP male senators will be at all troubled by that or anything else that comes out before the vote.

  61. 61.

    Victor Matheson

    Just donated here for the first time.

    Normally I have a short list of charities that I would much rather give to than to political candidates, but these fucking guys in power in DC…

  62. 62.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @LAO: I don’t know this guy, a law prof at UC-Irvine, what his political associations might be, but…

    Rick Hasen @ rickhasen
    I am *NOT* a fan of the showboating @MichaelAvenatti. And I detest how he has played politics with this. But this affidavit cannot be ignored.

  63. 63.

    Immanentize

    @LAO: Thanks. I signed onto an amicus in that case written by Paul Clement advocating overturning the dual sovereignty doctrine. I was one amicus counsel for NACDL in US v. Gonzalez in 1996 where we were arguing the dual sovereignty principle should now allow cross-jurisdiction concurrent sentencing. They blew past our argument, but Stevens in dissent had figured it out.

    The current case has really nothing to do with Presidential pardon powers, but I will read Hatch’s brief. I would love to see some future president change every death row sentence in every State to one of life instead. Which is why the President will never be allowed such powers.

  64. 64.

    No Name Today

    @Elizabelle: I don’t remember the date of my assault. It was spring of 1980 but an exact date? Nope, nor the month. I know it was a Friday or Saturday and it was warm but that’s all I can tell you. Certainly cannot speak for anyone other than myself. I can easily believe she doesn’t remember the exact date.

  67. 67.

    maya

    @Fleeting Expletive:

    Kav has lied a fair amount so far. The drinking age? This stellar specimen apparently told himself he was legal to drink at 18 when the legal age was still 21. He seems not to tell truth about very much.

    I looked that up. The legal drinking age in Maryland up to 1984 was 18. That changed after 1984 to 21. So, not a lie.

  68. 68.

    Immanentize

    @Immanentize:
    “Now” = “not”. should NOT allow cross-jurisdictional consecutive sentencing. I am rushing to class and making mistakes everywhere. Sorry!

  69. 69.

    eric

    @LAO: the other sign is knowing where you are weak (or appear weak) and preparing for the big comeback, laying in wait for the other side to take the bait ….. and then…he strikes me as that kind of guy (thus far)

  70. 70.

    Corner Stone

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    you’d give it a B- for “visual aids” out of compassion and grade inflation

    A B- ? You’re getting soft. The BeBest part take up about 4 inches of the sheet of paper. And what I think was BeBest.com at the very bottom was not visible from 5 feet away. Doesn’t she have a whole freakin staff to prep for shit like this? Somebody took the time to plagiarize a speech for Melania to read, you’d think they could have a couple graphics done that were at least full sized.

  71. 71.

    Elizabelle

    @WaterGirl: That’s possible. I would guess it’s like remembering a death or a terrible shock. Cannot perhaps remember the date outright years after, unless there’s something extremely memorable externally (a holiday or someone’s visit). And perhaps one would destroy diaries or letters, in the years after … be interesting if any classmates and friends come forward with more specific information.

    Anyway, this is turning into They Said/He Said and They Said/this one wants to take the fifth/He Said, on Fox …

  74. 74.

    Immanentize

    @LAO: The affidavit also allows for more information to be produced later with more specifics, names of witnesses, etc.

    Rape Train — shit. So sad yet unsurprising.

  75. 75.

    jacy

    @Elizabelle:

    I’m graduated high school in 1982. I drank a lot in high school and went to a ton of parties. I can remember specific parties, but I would have a hell of a time remembering the dates, or sometimes even the year. In college there was a party at the DKE frat where a boy who was a very good friend of mine fell into the bonfire and was badly burned and had to be helicoptered to Denver to a burn unit. What year was that? I don’t remember. I remember the party. The one incident of unwanted sexual contact I had in college — I don’t remember the date of that either. Maybe I was a freshman? I might have been a sophomore. I can remember exactly what happened and where, but the rest of it lost.

    My cohort in high school and college drank a hell of a lot. A lot of my free time from those periods is pretty hazy.

  77. 77.

    Bupalos

    Really have to add Betsy Rader for Ohio 22. This is winnable, and one of the races that is right on the edge of the blue wave for us. She’s also awesome-sauce. read her response to JD Vance in her wapo op-ed.

  78. 78.

    Corner Stone

    @LAO: All the right side pundits were already waaayyyy around the bend hard selling the “Avenatti got played by 4Chan hoax” theory. They were salivating at the chances to attack him when he flopped.

  80. 80.

    Corner Stone

    Mimi Rocah is absolutely livid about the Kavanaugh sham. Smoke is about to burst from her ears she’s so pissed.

  82. 82.

    guachi

    @maya:
    The drinking age in Maryland was raised to 21 from 18 effective July 1982 with a grandfather clause for those already 18.

    Kavanaugh was 17 and a half at the time.

  86. 86.

    Mike in DC

    They should have Klobuchar interview Ford for the full 50 minutes, and put Harris on Kavanaugh for 50 minutes.

  87. 87.

    guachi

    The drinking age in Connecticut where Kavanaugh went to Yale had its drinking age raised to 19, then 20 then finally 21 in 1985 and Kavanaugh was (basically) always one year away from being able to legally drink.

  88. 88.

    Corner Stone

    @LAO:

    Avenatti is (probably) a huge dick but, he’s our huge dick at the moment.

    Finally! At long last I can finally dispose of all my firearms!

  89. 89.

    Rommie

    Remember, our choir-boy has supposedly never seen anyone abused, and never saw or heard about women being taken into rooms and raped, with lines of boys waiting their turn. The newest sworn statement says he was IN the line at least once.

  92. 92.

    Ocotillo

    How come Collins and Murkowski are the only GOP women senators that may give an F about this? I know the men are party uber alles but Cole’s own Capito Moore, Joni Ernst and the Nebraska senator are all on board with rubber stamping Rapey McFratboy?

  93. 93.

    jacy

    @Mike in DC:

    Don’t know this for a fact — but I’ve heard that the only person who is going to be allowed to question both Kavanaugh and Ford is the Republican-picked lawyer. If that’s true, that’s the real reason the Republicans are going that route. They really don’t want Kavanaugh to face any uncomfortable questions. Would be interested to know if this it the set-up or not, because there has been conflicting reports on the news and lately I think a lot of misinformation gets out because everybody is trying to scoop everybody else in the frenzy.

  95. 95.

    sheila in nc

    @guachi:

    The drinking age in Maryland was raised to 21 from 18 effective July 1982 with a grandfather clause for those already 18.

    Kavanaugh was 17 and a half at the time.

    But the drinking age in DC was not raised from 18 until 1985, again with a grandfather clause. Kavanaugh’s stomping grounds in MD were right next to the DC line. (Google the address in the yearbook.)
    I also grew up in Bethesda; alcohol from DC was de rigueur.

  96. 96.

    Leto

    @Elizabelle:

    be interesting if any classmates and friends come forward with more specific information.

    In the affidavit she says she has more witnesses who can testify about her incident. She also told people, right after it happened, about it so they could be called too. That too was in the affidavit. If she doesn’t remember, it’s a possibility that her multiple other witnesses do.

  97. 97.

    Elizabelle

    FWIW, GOP Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina has left himself some wiggle room, in article from The State today. It may just be giving himself his own fig leaf. But I found it interesting.

    The State: Tim Scott could change his mind on backing Kavanaugh

    Sen. Tim Scott still backs Brett Kavanaugh to serve on the Supreme Court, but the South Carolina Republican also said he could change his mind.

    Scott’s view is markedly different from most other GOP senators, who are not wavering in their support for Kavanaugh as he battles allegations of sexual misconduct — even before they have had a chance to hear sworn testimony from one of his accusers.

    “It would be foolish of me to say I am unwilling to be open to changing my mind if something pops up,” Scott told McClatchy on Tuesday.

    …. Scott emphasized the allegations alone are not enough to prompt him to reject on Kavanaugh. He pointed out that three people Ford listed as witnesses have refused to corroborate her account that Kavanaugh tried to force himself onto her at a party while they were still in high school. [Haven’t followed. Is this the case??]

    The senator conceded, however, that Ford’s version of events were “concerning.”

    “The allegation itself should cause everyone to stop and pay attention,” he said.

    Scott isn’t likely to draw great praise with Democrats or Ford’s allies. For those who view the current debate as a referendum on whether the political environment has evolved since the 1991 — when senators of both parties initially discredited Anita Hill’s testimony that she was sexually harassed by then-Supreme Court Justice nominee Clarence Thomas — any lawmaker who hesitates to cast Ford as a credible witness is falling short. [WTF, reporter?? That statement would seem to be opinion, opinion, opinion.]

    …. Scott is being exceedingly cautious, even refusing to comment on how his colleagues have navigated the debate. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Scott’s fellow South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and other Republican lawmakers have accused Democrats of launching a smear campaign against Kavanaugh.

    …. Pressed on whether the tactics of discrediting Kavanaugh’s accusers risk alienating voters, specifically women, ahead of the midterm elections, Scott said repeatedly, “I’m not going to speak for any of my colleagues on this issue.”

    Political observers also know the chances are highly unlikely that Scott actually breaks with his party to oppose Kavanaugh. He is a notoriously careful politician who typically declines to wade into controversies, and unlike Susan Collins, R-Maine or Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska he’s not on any list of “swing” senators being targeted to vote against the nominee.

    … Still, Scott has shown he will cross leadership — even the president — if and when he feels he must.

    Last year, as the Senate’s sole black Republican, Scott stated Trump moral authority was “compromised” after suggesting there was a moral equivalency between the neo-Nazis and counter-protestors who attended a deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

    A few months ago, Scott said he would vote against a candidate for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals who could not answer for racially charged writings from his college years. Scott found other Republican senators to pledge to oppose the judicial nominee as well, and leaders were forced to ask for the nominee’s withdrawal.

    At this point, Scott said all he could promise was to watch the Thursday hearing, either live on television or later via recording, and see what happens.

    “We’re not going to find innocence or guilt,” he said. “I have not been persuaded based on the fact pattern or information that has come forward thus far, but I am still willing to hear from the accuser and listen for anything that tells me there is a reason to be persuaded otherwise.”

  100. 100.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Frankensteinbeck: And how will becoming a satellite of a country back assed and reactionary as Russia help with the rape issue? There is a reason why the Hard Right is seeing the Russians as co-travelers in their war against modernity. Eye on the prize and all that.

  101. 101.

    RinaX

    Michael “Where’s The Camera?” Avanetti can be annoying, but so far he’s always gotten his facts together before going on the TV circuit. I mean, we keep whining that the people on our side are too nice and malleable. Avanetti seems to have decided that there’s more money to be made appealing to the left, so that’s where he’s setting up camp.

  102. 102.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Bradley P. Moss @ BradMossEsq
    I have no idea if Julie Swetnick is telling the truth. I can say this: submitting a sworn affidavit carries with it criminal liability if she perjured herself.

    Also, as a clearance holder, giving perjured statements would be a career-ender. Take that for what it’s worth.

  103. 103.

    Elizabelle

    @WaterGirl: That the allegations are piling up against Kavanaugh, and it is not just She Said/He Said, despite what the Republicans Uber Alles Kavanaugh supporters would have you believe.

    I hope we get a full FBI investigation out of this. It could happen.

  106. 106.

    Leto

    @A Ghost To Most: Are you saying Kamala Harris or Mazie Hirono need a man to do their job? Personally I want D’s to give their time to Sen Harris and to let her go to work on Kavanope.

  107. 107.

    Mike in DC

    @jacy: I would imagine that would go over very poorly with the Dem committee members. Coupled with refusing to hear additional witnesses, it makes it very easy to say that the fix is in, and there will be political consequences to forcing this through. Not to mention, if there’s credible evidence of criminal misconduct by the nominee, it gets a lot easier to remove him later.

  108. 108.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques:

    And how will becoming a satellite of a country back assed and reactionary as Russia help with the rape issue?

    I would say that women being furious with the Republican Party and blocking a Republican Supreme Court nominee are both very good for helping us avoid being a satellite of Russia and are as ‘eyes on the prize’ as you can get.

  112. 112.

    Anonymous At Work

    @eric: Missed this and you have two good points. First, he’s a horrible witness, whose best corroborating witness is possibly the worst character witness possible, Mark Judge, who wrote about doing everything everyone has accused Kavanaugh of doing, and doing them with a friend that is Kavanaugh under a pseudonym. Second, depending on corroboration, start an investigation and see where it goes. At worst, grand jury decides the evidence is too thin.

  115. 115.

    Fleeting Expletive

    This episode has shone a little light on a creepy boys’ culture in the world of wealth and exclusivity too. The Dean of Georgetown Prep, the Rev. James Van Dyke, wrote a letter to students addressed to “guys”…”need to show respect to women and other marginalized people.”
    Also, Kav has a tell in his lies: remember when he was asked his reaction in learning of Kosinski’s sexual predations. He went on and on about “gut punch, shock, a swirl of emotions”. Coulda said “I felt awful.” He surely reminded me of John Belushi to Carrie Fisher in the tunnel “ran out of gas, my suit wasn’t back from the cleaners…” Simpering little weasel, he is.

  116. 116.

    Bobby Thomson

    When and if this stuff comes up concerning Kobach, the Kansas legislature phased in the drinking age on 3.2 beer. It went to 19 in July 1985 (so some people who had been legal no longer were), and went up another year in 1986 and 1987. Kris was in the grandfathered class of 18-year-olds.

    Kavanaugh was not because Maryland had no distinction and switched earlier.

  117. 117.

    Kent

    @Immanentize:

    Wouldn’t the dual sovereignty thing discussed by Hatch go both ways? For example, couldn’t states preempt Federal drug prosecutions by fining all marijuana offenders some trivial fine like $1 and then claiming that the Feds are therefore preempted from prosecuting the same individual for the same crime?

  119. 119.

    Ukko

    @doug! I think you have a typo in “If this lying POC” unless POC means something else nowadays. I would not have said anything normally but that is kind of an important acronym in the context.

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