I got some unexpected reactions to yesterday’s blog I wrote about the Ford/Kavanaugh hearings. I though I’d write this follow up to clarify what I thought.
I believe that Thursday’s hearings were set up where two individuals are talking and there are no witnesses or no sort of investigations to back up what either Ford or Kavanaugh are saying. So the Senate hearing was set up by the commission to be a he said/she said situation. That is unfair to both Ford and Kavanaugh.
I thought Kavanaugh was being defensive in his testimony. I think he was playing to a conservative audience in his testimony. That may show that he has a bias that may raise legitimate questions about his impartiality on certain issues that may come up on the Supreme Court. That doesn’t necessarily show he is guilty or innocent though of sexual assault.
I don’t agree with Kavanaugh’s politics and I don’t want him in the Supreme Court. But I also don’t want his personal life destroyed or his reputation ruined without first investigating the accusations. I don’t like Kavanaugh’s politics, but I don’t know what he’s like on a personal level. In a similar way, I don’t want Christine Blasey Ford to come under personal attacks and have threats on her family for having the courage to speak out. Ford’s sexual assault accusations should be taken seriously and investigated.
I personally think, for the sake of both Ford and Kavanaugh, we should continue the investigation into the accusations. And those investigations should be done by a nonpartisan body, not the Senate, where both the Republicans and the Democrats have a vested interest in how the investigation would turn out.
Ford requested an FBI investigation and I think that is a good idea. Talk to the people who were in the party that Ford talked about. Question Mark Judge. Find out whether Kavanaugh had other incidents of heavy drinking and belligerent behavior during his high school and college years. Test the credibility of the individuals making the accusations. And give Kavanaugh a chance to defend himself.
If that means extending the length of the investigation past a week, then so be it. If the Supreme Court is a lifetime appointment, then we should take the time necessary in the moment to investigate this and be sure about Kavanaugh.
