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Bob Corker and Jeff Flake have “lightly dialed back” their insistence that the Senate Judiciary Committee had to hear directly from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford before taking a vote on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Instead, Corker is now saying that by offering Blasey Ford an option to appear—on their date, under their terms—the Republicans have put in a “good faith” effort. Flake had said that Blasey Ford “should be heard” before a vote, but now puts the emphasis on the “should” part of that, as in it would be nice, but… In the grand tradition of everything, ever, Corker and Flake stood up just long enough to be recorded as standing, and not one moment longer.
If the painfully transient Republican resistance is ready to do without any testimony from the victim of Kavanaugh’s actions, the remainder of Team Trump is more than willing to accelerate the approval process and give Blasey Ford a sharp kick to the ribs in the process. As the Washington Post reports. Republicans provided a complete set of statements to show that yes, they are that bad.
There’s no reason to investigate.
Chuck Grassley: Dr. Ford’s testimony would reflect her personal knowledge and memory of events. Nothing the FBI or any other investigator does would have any bearing on what Dr. Ford tells the committee, so there is no reason for any further delay.
There’s no point in bringing in witnesses.
Lindsey Graham: There’s no reason to have [Mark Judge, the only other person alleged to have been present with Kavanaugh and Ford] appear. He’s already said what he’s gonna say.
And while the thoroughly invertebrate Graham doesn’t need to hear from witnesses, he already knows the real victim here.
Graham: This has been a drive-by shooting when it comes to Kavanaugh.
In statements that could be lifted straight from Clarence Thomas’ hearing, Republicans closed ranks around Kavanaugh and tsk’ed over the injustice of a man having to answer for his past actions.
Donald Trump: I feel so badly for him that he’s going through this ... This is not a man that deserves this.
Apparently, Kavanaugh spent too much on baseball tickets to afford a proper “fixer” to take care of hiding his past behind NDAs and parking lot threats. It’s a serious oversight, but Republicans are still sticking with him.
And if some Republicans were only willing to give Blasey Ford a implied kick, there were others ready to get in there and drive down the boot. Republican Senator John Cornyn “sharply questioned Ford’s credibility” and said he was “concerned by gaps” in her account.
If it all seems like an attempt to crush any hint of progress since Anita Hill’s testimony in 1991, that’s absolutely the case. But since the whole purpose of putting Kavanaugh on the court is to crush any progress in women’s rights since at least 1973, that seems inevitable.