Nominee Brett Kavanaugh

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eazybee - please don't be surprised that an alleged victim didn't speak out in public, earlier than s/he did. It's extremely difficult to report alleged abuse. Dr Ford began to talk about her experience several years ago, it's often the case that speaking with friends, partners, doctors or therapists enables victims to own their abuse experience, rather than keep it locked away in a box. The woman and her family are in hiding, he's been appointed to the Supreme Court. I'm drawing no conclusions about guilt or innocence because I don't have enough information to do so. I continue to believe that his demeanour at the investigation convinced me he doesn't have the temperament for the job he's now been given.

45 seconds of awkwardness.

Did you see the awful video of him pushing his wife around and grabbing her neck- with Trump starring her?

Poor woman and poor kids- she looked absolutely terrified.

This was the sixth FBI background investigation of Kavanaugh since 1993.
As far as I am able to ascertain the previous FBI checks/investigations were all routine requirements for clearance assessing his suitability for posts he was offered: Clerk to Court of Appeals, Clerk for Justice; Associate Counsel, Assistant to President, USA Court of Appeals etc.
I am surprised (genuinely) that Christine Blasey Ford did not raise her objections to his suitability on any of these occasions.

Why have you just repeated my post in bits POGS. ?

Just to clarify I have never supported 'kangaroo' court approaches to anything! Especially ones run by various red top media outlets.

Umm..lots of people state the obvious to emphasise a point!

I do not understand what you are trying to say in your last sentence! Sorry to be so thick!

" I have no idea of his innocence or guilt in this case"
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Nobody does but that is the danger in a Kangaroo Court scenario.
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"I know too many lovely men to begin to think all men are rapists."

I would hope not!
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" However there are many men who are sexual predators and potential rapists. They come from all areas and backgrounds and being a judge does not mean you may not be misogynist or a potential sexual abuser "

Stating the obvious.
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One could say that just because somebody ' accused of rape' is a judge he is a misogynistic , potential sexual abuser.

Echoes what PECS said.

I cannot feel respect for the man based on what I have seen /read. I have no idea of his innocence or guilt in this case but his demeanour and behaviour during this time of his nomination/ accusation is not very inspiring or statesmanlike!

Trump was wrong to say Kavanaugh had been found innocent..he had not been tried so there is no verdict!

I know too many lovely men to begin to think all men are rapists. However there are many men who are sexual predators and potential rapists. They come from all areas and backgrounds and being a judge does not mean you may not be misogynist or a potential sexual abuser.

A good post POGS.

" He has not been proven guilty- which does NOT mean he is innocent."

It also does not mean he is guilty!

How can a conclusion be made when it is based on a ' gut feeling', ' political bias ', believing no man or woman ever lies and that applies to both Kavanagh and Ford.?

We as individuals either hold the ' Innocent until proven guilty' to be sound reasoning or 'Guilty until proven Innocent ' to be sound reasoning.

Lord knows the Kangaroo Court has been proven to be nothing short of holding an unfounded belief in other peoples lies time and time again . There are so many people caught up in the collateral damage caused , lives are ruined because they fell foul of the Kangaroo Court and nothing can make it up to them for the injustice done to them.

Nobody knows which of them told the truth , is innocent or guilty.

Jura, he has not been found guilty as you say quite correctly, but I'm amazed so many people appear to know that he is guilty. I wonder how they know.

Iam64, interesting reading. Last week a relative of mine was found to be Not Guilty, a unanimous verdict in less than two hours, of a malicious and totally false claim of rape.

This was the sixth FBI background investigation of Kavanaugh since 1993 ...

can there really be that much smoke without real fire?

He has not been proven guilty- which does NOT mean he is innocent.

maddyone, the latest research in the UK in 2017 reported 4% of all allegations made to police were found to be false. Research throughout Europe and North America concludes between 2% and 6%.
The police and CPS only take a case to trial if they are 85% certain of a successful prosecution. That excludes children under the age of 7, who are rarely seen as appropriate witnesses, not least because of the possible damage to the child who will face fierce cross examination, clever questions designed to trip them up, confuse them. If there are multiple alleged perpetrators, the child can face that kind of cross examination from several barristers. That's what happened in the various child sexual exploitation trials reported on recently.

Iam64, do you have proof that false allegations are made only rarely?

A good article by Kate Maltby, who has personal experience of accusing a man in power.

www.nybooks.com/daily/2018/10/05/what-to-expect-when-a-woman-accuses-a-man-in-power

My daughter has just told me about the hazing rituals they observe in this court. As the last in he has to hold the door open for all the other judges until a new judge is appointed. One judge did it for 12 years. He also has to go to the door if an official knocks to see what they want e.g. Judge X left their specs in the court. Please give to him/her. He sits on the cafeteria committee and has to listen to all the complaints about the food and drink served. This is designed not to humiliate but to make the judges humble. They may be the highest judges in the land but they are not above anyone else. It reminds them that they are human. A quaint custom but very effective.

I've just been reading that Nikki Haley resigned today from her position at the UN.
I wonder if there's any connection?

I agree Elegran. I believe the allegations were outside the statute of limitations. Additionally, there is the age old problem of lack of corroborative forensic or other evidence.
The reality is that false allegations are rare. Successful prosecutions are rare.
This case was complex and unpleasant enough without a Potus who has no filter, no sense of decency and is himself an ‘alleged’ mysoginistic man who admits having grabbed women by the pussy and believes they let you do anything if you’re rich,

It would have been better for all concerned if he had been tried in a real court of law, and not (essentially) in a hyped-up employment interview. Proper rules of evidence and cross-examination would have been appled to both parties, the friend who wasn't called to give their version would have been present and under oath, and a judge and jury would have given short shrift to emotional posturings. As it was, he was neither proved innocent nor guilty - the judgment was only that they accepted him into the position to which he had been proposed.

For Trump to apologise to the man when a serious allegation had been made and aired was ridiculous and showed an unacceptable degree of bias.

Elegran

" K for kangaroo court - verdict reached without due process of law. As a result he is now a part of the highest law court in the land."

I spoke of the Kangaroo Court scenario in my post . The Kangaroo Court is basically ' Guilty until proven Innocent.

There have been so many case cases where the Kangaroo Court has been shown to be nothing more than a body of people who for what ever their reason irrationally rely on no evidence other than a ' gut feeling '. It is not only a dangerous course to take but can and does destroy lives not only of the individual ' assumed ' to be guilty but for their families too. Lord knows we have witnessed the public Kangaroo Court at it's worst too many times.

I have not a clue which of them was telling the truth or not but the Kangaroo Court is a dire way of coming up with a supposed conclusion surely.

I note from reading this thread some make a conclusion as to an individuals guilt because of their political leanings !

I note from reading this thread some make conclusions because she was a women and therefore must be telling the truth!

Why?

I repeat I do not know , none of us know the truth but one thing that is perfectly clear due diligence and ' Innocent until proven guilty ' has once again been put out to pasture and that worries me far more to be honest.

This could happen to any one of us and what would we feel if our husband/son had to prove his innocence ?

I think this will not go away and quite possibly more accusations/revelations may be coming down the road but until a proper court and jury have heard the facts and evidence I can't go along with the Kangaroo Court.

I think that Americans are finding out that their Constitution is n't quite as perfect as they like to think it is. It only takes a desire to hold on to power for its to be undermined. The FBI's role in this is very worrying. They should be upholding the rule of law, not kowtowing to the President.

Well said Elegran

K for kangaroo court - verdict reached without due process of law. As a result he is now a part of the highest law court in the land.

Just how little does Mr T. understand about running a civilised country?