1) So.....
Something that is currently lost when talking about whether or not the FBI should investigate Ford's allegations against Kavanaugh. Really, a couple somethings that have been lost.
Something that is currently lost when talking about whether or not the FBI should investigate Ford's allegations against Kavanaugh. Really, a couple somethings that have been lost.
2) First off... the Democrats and Ford's lawyer are demanding that an executive branch agency investigate an appointee from the executive branch.
That is a violation of the separation of powers in our government.
Full stop.
That is a violation of the separation of powers in our government.
Full stop.
3) The entire point of the hearings on appointees like SCOTUS nominees is that it is the LEGISLATIVE branch who investigates appointees from the EXECUTIVE branch. This is so that it is not the executive branch investigating the executive branch.
Full stop.
Full stop.
4) Do you know what the Democrats on the Judiciary committee have?
Subpeona power. The ability to compel testimony from someone.
Dianne Feinstein and the rest of the Senate Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee are fully capable, even now, of investigating this.
Subpeona power. The ability to compel testimony from someone.
Dianne Feinstein and the rest of the Senate Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee are fully capable, even now, of investigating this.
5) That's what @ChuckGrassley has been trying to tell us this entire time.
The investigation that Democrats are demanding is the investigation that THEY should be doing.
The investigation that Democrats are demanding is the investigation that THEY should be doing.
6) In fact, @SenFeinstein was in a perfect position to investigate this. She is the ranking member on the @senjudiciary. She STILL IS in a perfect position to investigate this. She had the letter since July. She could have started investigating immediately. She had the power.
7) Instead what's happening?
She leaked Ford's name to the press which forced her to come forwards, and is now demanding that the FBI do the @senjudiciary's job in a clear violation of the separation of power between the Executive and Legislative branches of government.
She leaked Ford's name to the press which forced her to come forwards, and is now demanding that the FBI do the @senjudiciary's job in a clear violation of the separation of power between the Executive and Legislative branches of government.
8) The Senate Democrats are not powerless, and they are not incapable of doing the investigation. Kamala Harris was the California AG after all. They have the skillset and the authority AND the jurisdiction to investigate this on their own. They DO NOT NEED the FBI to do this.
9) I want to throw some sympathy out to Ford. I know, weird right? But I'm going to, because fuck your couches.
10) She attempted to lob these accusations from behind a screen of anonymity.
I am NOT covering whether the allegations are real. I am NOT covering WHY she was trying to launch these allegations.
I am NOT covering whether the allegations are real. I am NOT covering WHY she was trying to launch these allegations.
11) But, I spoke to a few survivors of sexual assault and rape that I know that are rather apolitical. I went over the actions she had taken and the timeline.
12) And whether or not the allegations are true, when you're dealing with a potential political firestorm that might result from your allegations, lobbing them anonymously and then trying to avoid the fallout is a reasonable response in their minds.
13) And really, assuming she believes the allegations are true (not whether they are, whether she BELIEVES they are), she didn't go about it a bad away. She sent a letter asking for anonymity and presented the allegations.
14) Dianne Feinstein's office then instead of investigating the allegation like they could leaked her name to the press, throwing her under the bus, and then the Senate Democrats and that dipshit #metoo lawyer proceeded to back the bus back over her by making an impossible demand
15) Think what you want of Ford. Believe her, don't believe her, it really is irrelevant. It DOES NOT MATTER at this point whether she was being as truthful as she was capable of or not.
16) Harpooning you in because this is actually relevant to my next point. Her refusal to speak up is actually logical if the assumption was she was trying to stay anonymous in the first place.
17) She is currently running and hiding from the political firestorm she accidentally kicked off that the Democrats threw her into.
18) Let's make an assumption.
Let's assume she did her research and figured out what the process was SUPPOSED TO BE.
The process was supposed to be: she sends the letter, and asks for anonymity for her accusations.
The Senate Judiciary investigates behind closed doors.
Let's assume she did her research and figured out what the process was SUPPOSED TO BE.
The process was supposed to be: she sends the letter, and asks for anonymity for her accusations.
The Senate Judiciary investigates behind closed doors.
19) The Democrats would be in the loop as they presented the allegation, and if they have the ability to go public with the accusation if the GOP were to softball or sweep it under the rug.
20) Feinstein never presented the letter to the wider Senate Judiciary Committee, leaked Ford's name, and kicked off a complete shitstorm.
21) Her name was leaked in August and she was dragged into the upcoming shitshow. She's acting on advice from her lawyer at that point hoping she stays anonymous. Remember: The WaPo WENT TO HER. Not the other way around.
22) Think about it. You send a letter in July hoping for anonymity. August you have a WaPo journalist at your front doorstep asking you about the letter you sent to your congressman, meaning it leaked, and a famous lawyer saying she'll represent you pro bono.
23) At that point, you're doing everything you can to stay anonymous and stay out of it. "Here, take a polygraph, to help build your credibility, because it will be attacked." "You're politically active delete your social media accounts." You're being told this will keep you safe
24) But then, the WaPo and the Democrats leak your fucking name and you found out that they didn't investigate anything, and now they and your lawyer are saying the FBI needs to investigate it, while the FBI is saying they CAN'T investigate it
25) You're in a fucking shitshow that you never intended to be caught up in, and your story is now being used for political gamesmanship, and now you're being told you're making a MOCKERY of rape victims everywhere.
26) That beeping noise you're hearing?
That's the bus you were thrown under being put in reverse to back up over you.
/end
That's the bus you were thrown under being put in reverse to back up over you.
/end
