Sexual harassment and a done deal?

Although I’m a lifelong Democrat, I found the latest assault on Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee tasteless, opportunistic and politically motivated. I know of very few men who could withstand an FBI investigation into their behaviors during high school and I suspect Brett Kavanaugh is no different. I didn’t like the angry and confrontational defense of himself when faced with the charges brought against him by Christina Blasey Ford because they sounded too much like Clarence Thomas’ defense against Anita Hill‘s charges several years before. But conservatives say their defenses were due to the outrage of being charged for something they didn’t do and I can accept that. If I was accused of something I was innocent of, I would react the same way.

The reason why I say these charges were politically motivated should be obvious. This wasn’t Mr. Kavanaugh’s first foray into the eye of the public. In fact, he’s been a judge for several years and has been advanced through appointment often. If Mrs. Ford was truly sexually assaulted by him in high school, the question begs as to why she hasn’t complained about him publicly before. Why did she wait until he became a nominee for the United States Supreme Court to lodge her complaint? I’ve always turned a deaf ear to the Republican’s claim that people are being paid off to testify against conservative nominees but I haven’t done that this time because I have to consider that’s at least a possibility.

The Me Too movement has taken hold in this country to the point that we are painted as bad people if we don’t believe ALL their complaints and allegations but I’ve never believed every story someone tells me and I never will. An afternoon at happy hour will teach you better than that where the lies get bigger based on the amount of beer consumed. High school boys do a lot of things they’re sorry for later and I did too. Fortunately, I got away with most of them and suffered no ill consequences for my aberrant behavior but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. If you did ANYTHING wrong, someone will call you on it sooner or later if you become a public figure and that’s why so many choose not to engage themselves in public service anymore.

An often used quote from the Bible cautions those without sin to cast the first stone. We’ve all made mistakes we wish we hadn’t of made so it seems highly hypocritical for one person to criticize another when both have made errors in judgment.

The charges against Kavanaugh stem entirely from the fact that Democrats don’t want another conservative confirmed to the Supreme Court. I understand that and I’m sure you do too, just like the Republicans sat on President Obama’s nomination for the vacant seat a year without taking action because they didn’t want another Democrat on the Supreme Court.

But the Republican Party is still in charge of the Senate and the House of Representatives and have the votes to confirm Mr. Kavanaugh whether the Democrats win back one or both houses in the November election because Mitch McConnell can call for a vote anytime he wishes.

In other words, it’s a done deal. The Democrats can delay but not defeat this nomination and to turn to the tactics they’re presently using does nothing for their reputation as caring, progressive people who won’t stoop to antics the Republicans have used for many years to their advantage.

Shame on them for even trying.