Something seriously wrong with the way USA handles Supreme Court Justice nomination hearings; Judge Kavanaugh says it has destroyed his family and his name!
Today I saw the opening statements of both the sexual assault accuser Dr. Christine Ford as well as the accused Judge Brett Kavanaugh who has been nominated as a Supreme Court Justice.
Christine Blasey Ford delivers opening statement at Kavanaugh hearing, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD8MlhOosEk, around 18 mins, published by ABC News on 27th Sept. 2018 [I saw Dr. Ford's opening in statement in a longer video but this video seems to be her statement video.]
Brett Kavanaugh delivers opening statement at hearing, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVJdy3FmlCo, around 45 mins, published by ABC News on 27th Sept. 2018
Both opening statements are very powerful. One can't figure out who is saying untruth which could be unintentional untruth which is mistakenly assumed as the truth.
But it is Brett Kavanaugh and his family whose life has taken a terrible battering. Yes, Dr. Ford and her family too have faced nasty verbal attacks on them. But it is Brett Kavanaugh who is being tried by the US Senate and US media on a very serious charge of sexual assault! Neither the US Senate nor the US media have the ability to arrive at the truth in a fair way. That job can be done only by a US court of law assisted by investigative agencies like the FBI.
My view is that the US Senate hearing process is what is to blame. It must be changed to ensure that any nominee who faces serious criminal allegations like sexual assault is provided complete due process like what is provided by US court of law.
Undoubtedly what Dr. Ford recounted was horrifying and must be taken very seriously. But the people who should do that is an investigative agency and then a court of law.
In this 1 min 12 secs video clip, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlV4TStKx3A, having part of his statement, Kavanaugh says, "In those ten long days (between Ford allegation going public and this hearing), as was predictable and as I predicted, my family and my name have been totally and permanently destroyed by vicious and false additional accusations. The ten day delay has been harmful to me and my family, to the Supreme Court, and to the country. When this allegation first arose I welcomed any kind of investigation - Senate, FBI or otherwise."
Judge Kavanaugh has two young daughters who have to go through this!
My prayers to God to help Judge Kavanaugh and family, as well as Dr. Christine Ford and family to overcome this very difficult period in their lives.
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Update on 29th Sep. 2018
Here's what Jeff Flake just did -- and what it means for Brett Kavanaugh, https://edition.cnn.com/2018/09/28/politics/jeff-flake-brett-kavanaugh-judiciary-committee/index.html - I am glad to see this development. Don't know whether a week is long enough for an FBI investigation into those very serious charges made by Dr. Ford against Judge Kavanaugh. But the FBI is a proper body with knowledge, skills and processes to do such an investigation into the very serious sexual assault charge, unlike the Senate or US media.
Note that US President Trump has given the go-ahead for the limited FBI investigation into these charges.
Christine Blasey Ford delivers opening statement at Kavanaugh hearing, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD8MlhOosEk, around 18 mins, published by ABC News on 27th Sept. 2018 [I saw Dr. Ford's opening in statement in a longer video but this video seems to be her statement video.]
Brett Kavanaugh delivers opening statement at hearing, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVJdy3FmlCo, around 45 mins, published by ABC News on 27th Sept. 2018
Both opening statements are very powerful. One can't figure out who is saying untruth which could be unintentional untruth which is mistakenly assumed as the truth.
But it is Brett Kavanaugh and his family whose life has taken a terrible battering. Yes, Dr. Ford and her family too have faced nasty verbal attacks on them. But it is Brett Kavanaugh who is being tried by the US Senate and US media on a very serious charge of sexual assault! Neither the US Senate nor the US media have the ability to arrive at the truth in a fair way. That job can be done only by a US court of law assisted by investigative agencies like the FBI.
My view is that the US Senate hearing process is what is to blame. It must be changed to ensure that any nominee who faces serious criminal allegations like sexual assault is provided complete due process like what is provided by US court of law.
Undoubtedly what Dr. Ford recounted was horrifying and must be taken very seriously. But the people who should do that is an investigative agency and then a court of law.
In this 1 min 12 secs video clip, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlV4TStKx3A, having part of his statement, Kavanaugh says, "In those ten long days (between Ford allegation going public and this hearing), as was predictable and as I predicted, my family and my name have been totally and permanently destroyed by vicious and false additional accusations. The ten day delay has been harmful to me and my family, to the Supreme Court, and to the country. When this allegation first arose I welcomed any kind of investigation - Senate, FBI or otherwise."
Judge Kavanaugh has two young daughters who have to go through this!
My prayers to God to help Judge Kavanaugh and family, as well as Dr. Christine Ford and family to overcome this very difficult period in their lives.
=================
Update on 29th Sep. 2018
Here's what Jeff Flake just did -- and what it means for Brett Kavanaugh, https://edition.cnn.com/2018/09/28/politics/jeff-flake-brett-kavanaugh-judiciary-committee/index.html - I am glad to see this development. Don't know whether a week is long enough for an FBI investigation into those very serious charges made by Dr. Ford against Judge Kavanaugh. But the FBI is a proper body with knowledge, skills and processes to do such an investigation into the very serious sexual assault charge, unlike the Senate or US media.
Note that US President Trump has given the go-ahead for the limited FBI investigation into these charges.
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