Supreme speed bump
What’s the rush?
Regarding “Judge’s accuser pushes for FBI inquiry” (Front page, Wednesday), if the Senate moves forward on the Brett Kavanaugh vote without hearing the testimony of Christine Blasey Ford, the Billionaire Boys Club wins again. We must look at Ford’s accusation seriously in this day and time when we continue to hear about sexual assault in all forms from those in power, most notably elected officials and clergy. To dismiss this as high school antics is to dismiss Ford as a person and to dismiss the effect it has had on her life.
Victims of sexual assault have suffered a deep wound that can rear its head with various triggers encountered in life. Those of us who work with children and adults who have suffered sexual assault, even if the assault was by a peer, have seen the long-term effects.
We must put the Kavanaugh vote on hold. There are important lessons to be learned that will help us move forward as a nation that respects all. Laura Laine, Houston
It all stinks
Regarding “Judging the judge” editorial (Opinion page), let’s be clear about this allegation by Ford. She can’t remember details, and yet she knows it was Kavanaugh. At least one report said she had consumed alcohol. She was 15 and yet told no one of the incident at the time.
Her therapist’s notes say she said it was four boys, but her therapist got it wrong. Sen. Diane Feinstein held the letter for two months before bringing it up, presumably to see if the Democrats couldn’t stop the nomination beforehand. Ford took a polygraph and passed, but her lawyer set it up. She says she wants to tell her story, but not yet.
All of this stinks and your editorial suggesting that the truth must be found will never happen. It’s been 36 years. If it happened to her and she can’t remember any details, then who can? Let the nomination continue. Tom Bieltz, Katy
Conflicting stories
Judge Kavanaugh has been through six FBI background checks to get to this point in his career and has numerous vocal female supporters, at least one of whom dated him in high school. All other information about him stands in stark contrast to this lone allegation that has remained buried for 36 years.
I fail to see what the FBI can do with this. What exactly is the FBI to do with a “he said, she said” situation supposedly taking place 36 years ago at a high school party in a private home where alcohol was allegedly involved? Everyone including Sen. Diane Feinstein knows the answer is nothing. But she evidently thought she could leverage some #MeToo fervor to block a vote or delay it until after midterm elections this November.
In my opinion this is strictly payback for the way Republicans handled President Barack Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court during the waning months of Obama’s second term. Democrats’ anger is no doubt justified, but the circus in D.C. being called a confirmation hearing for Kavanaugh has prompted scoldings from three current Supreme Court justices — two liberal and one conservative. It’s time for senators to start acting like responsible leaders of our nation. Greg Groh, Spring
A useful pawn
It should now be obvious to everyone that Ford is being used by the Democrats as a pawn in a blatantly cynical ploy to leverage the #MeToo movement to delay and in the end derail Kananaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court. She now says she will only testify after an FBI investigation. What nonsense. That is because her story doesn’t stack. This is simple blackmail.
Even Sen. Diane Feinstein has said she doesn’t know if Ford’s claim is true. If she doesn’t show up on Monday, the Senate Judiciary Committee should immediately vote to send Judge Kavanaugh’s name to Senate floor for a full vote. To delay any further would be an affront to due process. Jon Elmendorf, Houston