Category Archives: Kavanaugh
Presidents Have the Same Legal Immunity as You
The Supreme Court heard arguments for presidential legal immunity. Trump, naturally, wants unlimited immunity if he wins. Would that mean he could gun down ex-president Joe Biden on Fifth Avenue? The Court seemed to be leaning to a more limited immunity from prosecution. More like what you and I have – up to $10,000 in free shoplifting.
Scorched Earth Response to Filibuster Nuclear Option
Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell gave a “scorched earth” speech last week. Democrats have been threatening to end the filibuster which requires 60 votes to pass legislation. But McConnell said if they do that they’ll turn the Senate into a “100 car pile-up.” And nothing will get done:
Let me say this very clearly for all 99 of my colleagues: Nobody serving in this chamber can even begin — can even begin to imagine — what a completely scorched earth Senate would look like.
Mitch McConnell on the U.S. Senate floor
Senate rules require the consent of all its members to conduct business. So Republicans could easily grind the place to a halt. For example they could withhold consent to minor votes without quorum calls.
Harry Reid invoked the “nuclear option” in 2013 to kill the filibuster for approving most presidential appointments. But when the worm turned McConnell added Supreme Court nominees to Reid’s list and Trump landed three new justices.
Due Process for Me but not for Thee
Vice President Biden gutted due process for college students accused of sexual assault. While serving under President Obama he helped change Title IX rules so that accused offenders were considered guilty until proven innocent.
But along comes President Trump’s Education Secretary Betsy DeVoss. And on Wednesday she brought colleges back to the Magna Carta era by restoring due process to Title IX.
Biden says that’s “wrong.” And he promises to “put a quick end to it January 2021.”
And its not just an academic thing for him. Here’s what he had to say about the Brett Kavanaugh hearings:
Start off with the presumption that at least the essence of what she’s talking about is real, whether or not she forgets facts.”
But no such presumption for Tara Reade.
On Friday, Biden said in a statement that Reade’s claims “aren’t true,” adding that “this never happened.”
Newsweek
Not Just Hair Sniffing for Joe Biden Anymore
It’s not just hair sniffing anymore. Tara Reade, a former Joe Biden senate staffer, has accused Biden of sexual assault. Uh oh! As President Obama’s point man reforming campus “rape culture” Biden helped gut due process rights for those accused of sexual assault.
Biden’s rhetoric has also employed a de facto presumption of guilt. On a 2017 conference call with campus accusers’-rights activists, Biden offered a simple message to those who alleged that they had been sexually assaulted: “I believe you.”
KC Johnson, City Journal
And during Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing Joe had this to say:
For a woman to come forward in the glaring lights of focus, nationally, you’ve got to start off with the presumption that at least the essence of what she’s talking about is real
Robby Soave, Reason
Senator Threatens Supreme Court Justices
Senator Chuck Schumer was feeling it at an abortion rights rally outside the Supreme Court. So he threatened two justices by name. Here’s what he said:
“I want to tell you, Gorsuch! I want to tell you, Kavanaugh! You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.”
Chief Justice Roberts was having none of it, and he rebuked Schumer:
“Threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous.”
So Senator Schumer apologized. Kind of:
I shouldn’t have used the words I did, but in no way was I making a threat. I never — never — would do such a thing.