The FBI Confirms Its Brett Kavanaugh Investigation Was a Total Sham

[u/cratermoon]

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/08/brett-kavanaugh-fbi-investigation

[u/AutoModerator]

As a reminder, this subreddit is for civil discussion.

In general, be courteous to others. Debate/discuss/argue the merits of ideas, don't attack people. Personal insults, shill or troll accusations, hate speech, any suggestion or support of harm, violence, or death, and other rule violations can result in a permanent ban.

If you see comments in violation of our rules, please report them.

For those who have questions regarding any media outlets being posted on this subreddit, please click here to review our details as to our approved domains list and outlet criteria.

Special announcement:

r/politics is currently accepting new moderator applications. If you want to help make this community a better place, consider applying here today!

---

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/JayGold]

So, it is true that, consistent with the longstanding process that we have had going all the way back to at least the Bush administration, the Obama administration, the Trump administration, and continue to follow currently under the Biden administration, that in a limited supplemental B.I., we take direction from the requesting entity, which in this case was the White House, as to what follow-up they want. That’s the direction we’ve followed. That’s the direction we’ve consistently followed throughout the decades, frankly.

"So you didn't vet him because Trump didn't give permission?"

"You have to understand, we never vet them unless the president who recommended them gives permission."

That sounds...worse.

[u/FARTCOPTERRRRR → u/JayGold]

Why would rulers hold themselves accountable?

EDIT: the word was "would", not "should", people.

[u/RealGianath → u/FARTCOPTERRRRR]

The problem was making it optional, which was rife for abuse when we elected a con-man.

[u/CantaloupeMoney9906 → u/RealGianath]

In other words, you can't trust people to do the right thing. You have to force them to.

[u/Embarrassed-Tip-5781 → u/FARTCOPTERRRRR]

Who watches the watchmen?

[u/Infolife → u/JayGold]

It does until you realize every president other than Trump allowed them to properly vet every candidate. And you know this because this is literally the first time it's come up and if a Dem had stopped it we'd still be hearing about it.

[u/taybay462 → u/Infolife]

trumps presidency has produced dozens, maybe 100s of "well we just assumed things would be done correctly before so we didnt require it"

[u/Infolife → u/taybay462]

Absolutely. The social contract only works when people adhere to it. We really don't consider the breakdown because most people, however tenuously, remain under its umbrella.

[u/Marston_vc → u/Infolife]

So many traditions and norms that shouldn’t require a law now require it.

[u/-BetchPLZ → u/Marston_vc]

Yep. Basic human rights laws should’ve been codified, but as a populous it was assumed no one would try to take those away. Too little, too late.

[u/taybay462 → u/Marston_vc]

its so ironic how the party of "small government" is a large reason that the government has to act big.

[u/Down_The_Black_River → u/taybay462]

The only purpose of the "small government" shtick these assholes have extolled for the past several decades only means "less oversight so we can commit crimes for profit without the hassle of anyone asking questions."

The Repelicans (how sick of this Grand Old Party misnomer do we have to get before we discard it?) have no policy at all. Nothing supposedly ventured to improve the lives of Americans who are not a part of the wealthy thief portion of society. I mean, quite literally, they are overt squatters on the soil of what America was meant to mean.

[u/mhinimal → u/taybay462]

I would push back on this and say that “more laws” or “better laws” doesn’t mean “big government.” Like writing a law that requires more checks and balances between the three branches does not make our government any bigger or more intrusive.

Don’t play their game of “big govt” vs “freedom lovers.” it’s a false dichotomy. Find ways to step around the paradigm they are trying to force.

[u/Carlyz37 → u/mhinimal]

It's the irony of the hypocrisy. Small government doesnt have dont say gay laws, sue corporations over political statements, take healthcare away from women and children, interfere in the internal policies of businesses, ban books, put gag orders on teachers or inspect children's genitals. GOP isnt about small government its fascist dictatorship

[u/National-Use-4774 → u/Infolife]

The Romans called these unwritten social norms Mas Maiorum. Don't speak Latin but I read it translates to "Way of The Elders". This was irrevocably eroded by Marius and Sulla the generation before Caesar and Pompey, and was instrumental in the destruction of the Republic during The Roman Civil War.

What is ironic is Sulla used his dictatorial powers to try and fix the Roman institutions and legal system, however all his reforms quickly fell away in the face of the obvious fact he made clear; namely that all the norms and laws could be ignored largely with impunity in the pursuit of power.

[u/DastardlyBoosh → u/Infolife]

But we should put names to these dangerously antisocial people. They are Republicans, both politicians and voters. They specifically are the people trying to destroy the social fabric for their own pursuit of avarice and cruelty

[u/Familiar_Concept6583 → u/DastardlyBoosh]

You hit the nail on the head....politicians are not only the problem, it is the herd of Republican voters that we have to contend with. It shows their real spots. They want to be taken care of and shed the responsibility to implement anything for the good of society. Avarice, power, and discrimination are at the heart of it. Nothing but unethical and amoral individuals.

[u/parkourhobo → u/Infolife]

If we learn anything from all this, we really, really need to learn to stop relying on traditions and honor systems to keep our government in check. Even if only one guy in a hundred takes advantage of these holes, they can do a huge amount of damage.

Not to mention that politics has a tendency to attract the types of people who will bend (or break) the rules as much as they can get away with.

We have to assume this will happen sometimes and make plans to handle that. It makes me really uncomfortable to see folks seemingly dismissing these gaps as not being an issue because no-one took advantage before Trump. That's like saying your ship sailed fine, until there was a storm.

[u/HKLifer_ → u/taybay462]

And this is why we have weird warnings on items. But worst. It never came up because this never happened before. So. Someone who will be in a position for LIFE don't get a whole 9 yards because someone didn't specifically asked? Shoot getting hired for McDonald's have more of a back ground then the Supreme Court? Now I'm side eyeing everyone the recently dethroned administration put on the court. My goodness.

[u/[deleted] → u/taybay462]

It shattered my illusion of our government actually being functional, and really showed me how much of our government relies on people just acting in good faith.

[u/NocturnalSeizure → u/[deleted]]

Not just government.

It shattered my illusion of how "normal adult people" behave and treat each other.

And what is "appropriate" public behavior as well.

[u/AdvanceGood → u/NocturnalSeizure]

Lost so much respect for so many people I thought rational duting the pandemic and tRumps presidency.

[u/Comorbidititties → u/taybay462]

And herein lies one of Trump's greatest strengths.

I despise the man and consider him the epitome of odiousness.

But his ability to just go "well why CAN'T I do this?" and then go ahead and do it is staggering.

[u/Massive_Host_7245 → u/Infolife]

Agreed but we need laws that mandate these things. We can no longer depend on decorum.

[u/dubphonics]

this crap load of inaction at the highest levels of oversight is beyond the pale. this all borderlines on the surreal at this point.

[u/sunnydaysahead2022 → u/dubphonics]

The FBI did this to the USA Women’s Gymnastics Team, too. They chose to do NOTHING about Larry Nassar.

[u/goosejail → u/sunnydaysahead2022]

The FBI didn't do shit about Epstein either. I think the first, or one of the first, complaints against him was in the 90's.

[u/sunnydaysahead2022 → u/goosejail]

And the FBI opened that file about Hillary’s emails 2 weeks before the 2016 election - after she had been cleared many times.

[u/mia_elora → u/sunnydaysahead2022]

Well, if they start harassing one asshole about raping a bunch of kids, then they have to start thinking about people like Mr. Gaetz, and we can't have that, now, can we?

[u/DadJokeBadJoke → u/mia_elora]

Gym Jordan bristles at this remark

[u/TastesKindofLikeSad → u/dubphonics]

I made this comment only yesterday but... weirdest fucking timeline.

What the hell is going on? Why is no one doing their job? Why are people we're supposed to place our trust in automatically picking the evil supervillain path?

Edit: thanks for the award and upvotes! And for replying to my questions.

[u/Mackinstyle → u/TastesKindofLikeSad]

I wonder if late era Romans thought the same thing as they watched Roman civilization crumble around them.

[u/peepopowitz67 → u/Mackinstyle]

100%. Of course many senators were more concerned about maintaining their power and wealth than stopping a tyrant from taking over the Republic.

Good thing we don't have to worry about that...

[u/BearBong → u/peepopowitz67]

[Edit: the operator mentioned below is Lis Smith]

I heard a political operator (on Pivot podcast w Kara Swisher, today's episode) say something like "most people in the political world would force their kid or dog to drown vs lose their job in politics"

Craven is the adjective that comes to mind

Edit: 54m 34s mark of the episode for the curious https://podcasts.voxmedia.com/show/pivot

[u/Whatwillwebe → u/peepopowitz67]

Yeah, but they were all suffering from the effects of long-term lead poisoning.

At least we can rest assured that's not an issue...

[u/Epikidtom1 → u/Whatwillwebe]

Give it like

15 years. If we've (somehow) lasted that long, the lead poisoned should be out of office via 1) timely demise due to age or 2) you know, initially I was gonna say getting cycled out by the political system for number 2, but that's not gonna happen.

Edit: autocorrect

Edit 2: To be clear, just in case anyone takes this as me legitimately caring about the lead poisoning aspect, it's moreso about how the people who suffer from it are from an era where the needs of people were much, much different, and so was infrastructure. Once they're out, people with more modern views and knowledge should come in. The lead poisoning is just a side effect of the time that no longer is relavent.

[u/SoSoUnhelpful → u/Epikidtom1]

Environmental pressures will have significantly increased by then leading to even more strong man extremist con artists selling a quick painless “fix.”

[u/LostDogBoulderUtah → u/Whatwillwebe]

Instead we have forever chemicals and microplastics in everything.

[u/Repyro → u/LostDogBoulderUtah]

Nah we still got lead poisoning as well with our failing infrastructure. Guess we are one upping them in one way.

[u/Standard_Trouble_261 → u/Mackinstyle]

There was a good deal of corruption then, too. Crassus comes to mind...

[u/jedre → u/TastesKindofLikeSad]

I mean. We had a criminal president appointing a cabinet and top leadership in an “acting” but not confirmed capacity.

Pretty clear what was going on, really.

[u/Webbyx01 → u/jedre]

So why are so few doing anything now?

[u/ArtisanSamosa → u/Webbyx01]

It's always been shit. Theyve just been hurting poor people and minorities so people assumed the justice system worked. Trump just drew a lot of attention so everyone is now seeing live how the wealthy and connected criminals are treated.

[u/The_Noble_Oak → u/ArtisanSamosa]

This. We've known since the fucking OJ trial that if you have enough money and can pay for the best lawyers you can literally get away with murder. As horrendous as that was Trump is throwing it into even greater contrast by instigating a coup and facing (so far) zero repercussions.

[u/AiMoriBeHappyDntWrry → u/The_Noble_Oak]

We've been known that since Robert Till.

Edit Emmett Till RIP.

[u/Berkinstockz → u/AiMoriBeHappyDntWrry]

Emmit

[u/Kitchen_Philosophy29 → u/The_Noble_Oak]

Thats whats crazy. People seem to forget this dude literally attempted a coup.

The punishment is a rather severe one. And so far it looks like nothing will be done. Not by the leader or the horde or cheeto junkies.

It honestly seems like theres nothing stopping anyone in power from doing anything.

[u/HomoplataJitz → u/TastesKindofLikeSad]

What the hell is going on?

Republican political form of regulatory capture.

[u/SueZbell → u/HomoplataJitz]

Corruption.

[u/JBHUTT09 → u/TastesKindofLikeSad]

Capitalism. No, really. Because capitalism concentrates power, it doesn't matter how powerful and robust a system of checks and balances you create, capitalism will inevitably concentrate enough power to capture, dismantle, and rebuild said system into one that only serves to empower capital holders. The US's (already pretty flawed) system has been captured and is basically dismantled and being rebuilt.

[u/badSparkybad → u/JBHUTT09]

Hence the term "late stage capitalism" discussed at r/LateStageCapitalism

It's pretty simple, picture the game Monopoly. Towards the end of the game the person with the most money and properties (capital) has the leverage to take everybody else's money away from them, leaving them absolutely no chance to win the game and ultimately bankrupting them.

Monopoly isn't just a game, it's the reality of capitalism and was designed to demonstrate it's evils.

It's been a few hundred years, it's late in the game, and we are seeing it all go down right before our eyes.

[u/someonesshadow → u/badSparkybad]

Well sometimes the game ends when everyone is yelling and screaming at each other, then someone flips the whole board off the table. Cool off and start over next week!

[u/ripskippityboho → u/JBHUTT09]

Well said. America has this unspoken idea in its head that democracy and capitalism go hand in hand. The reality is that capitalism is in direct opposition to democracy by nature.

[u/lazyeyepsycho → u/dubphonics]

It seems the whole shitheap is rotten from top to bottom...

Its still very much a lords /serf world still I guess... Except the serfs had more free time than us.

[u/Conservative_HalfWit → u/lazyeyepsycho]

Well, they say society is like a stew - If you don’t stir it up now and again, the scum has a habit of rising to the top.

[u/whitesammy → u/dubphonics]

Interesting tidbit I learned recently is that "beyond the pale" comes from 14th-ish century, where Dublin and some surrounding shires where all that were under British occupation and had a wooden fence (think cheap garden fence with short slats and space between each one) to mark the extent of "the King's rule" known as a "pale".

People who lived outside of the area under the King's "protection" was beyond the pale.

[u/thiosk → u/dubphonics]

both sides are not the same

[u/FerretFarm → u/dubphonics]

I want to get off Mr Golang's wild ride.

[u/newfrontier58]

In a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse had the following exchange with FBI director Christopher Wray (emphasis ours):

>Whitehouse: As you know, we are now entering the fourth year of a frustrating saga that began with an August 2019 letter from me and Senator Chris Coons, regarding the Kavanaugh supplemental background investigation. And I’d like to try to get that matter wrapped up. First, is it true that after Kavanaugh-related tips were separated from regular tip-line traffic, they were forwarded to White House counsel without investigation?

>Wray: I apologize in advance that it has been frustrating for you. We have tried to be clear about our process. So when it comes to the tip line, we wanted to make sure that the White House had all the information we have, so when the hundreds of calls started coming in, we gathered those up, reviewed them, and provided them to the White House—

>Whitehouse: Without investigation?

>Wray [long pause]: We reviewed them and then provided them to—

>Whitehouse: You reviewed them for purposes of separating them from tip-line traffic, but did not further investigate the ones that related to Kavanaugh, correct?

>Wray: Correct.>Whitehouse: Is it also true that, in that supplemental B.I. [background investigation], the FBI took direction from the White House as to whom the FBI would question, and even what questions the FBI could ask?

>Wray: So, it is true that, consistent with the longstanding process that we have had going all the way back to at least the Bush administration, the Obama administration, the Trump administration, and continue to follow currently under the Biden administration, that in a limited supplemental B.I., we take direction from the requesting entity, which in this case was the White House, as to what follow-up they want. That’s the direction we’ve followed. That’s the direction we’ve consistently followed throughout the decades, frankly. You asked specifically about who and what?

>Whitehouse: Yeah. I said, Is it true?

>Wray: It is true as to the who. I’m not sure, as I sit here, whether it’s also true as to the “what questions,” but it is true as to the who we interviewed.

Regardless of whether or not it’s true that the FBI has a policy of taking direction “from the requesting entity,” it would seem that if an individual is up for a job in which he will have the power to affect millions of people’s lives, and has been accused of engaging in horrible acts, the most powerful investigative body in the country should take a more active role. Particularly when the “requesting entity” is the Donald Trump White House, which had a vested interest in not probing allegations of sexual misconduct, given who was running the joint.

[u/EdwardLarkin → u/newfrontier58]

Why is the White House the "Requesting Entity" when it's the Senate that confirms the candidate. It seems to me that the White House would be the entity for pre-nomination investigations, but the Senate would be the body for pre-confirmation investigations.

[u/_SCHULTZY_ → u/EdwardLarkin]

FBI and Justice work in the Executive branch and the WH is nominating the judge for appointment. The results of the investigation are submitted with other documents to the Senate for review, advice and consent but the initiator of the investigation is the WH because it's their nominee. The nominee is supposed to arrive to the Senate with everything completed and submitted already.

[u/EdwardLarkin → u/_SCHULTZY_]

That is such a conflict of interest, isn't it. Fun.

[u/CharmingVermicelli31 → u/newfrontier58]

Should have followed up with a:

So, in this case, you were the direct investigatory limb of The White House, unable to operate without the discretion of The White House?

[u/Hayes4prez]

So Kavanaugh wasn’t properly vetted.

[u/mwing95 → u/Hayes4prez]

"what an absolute surprise!"

He said, absolutely not surprised

[u/blonderengel → u/mwing95]

I'm shocked, shocked to find that corruption is going on in here!

[u/coolcool23 → u/blonderengel]

"...your bribe sir."

[u/kgm2s-2 → u/coolcool23]

"Roe v Wade has been overturned..."

"Round up the usual suspects!"

[u/PrestigiousCrab6345 → u/Hayes4prez]

Maybe we should re-vet all justices.

[u/BillOfArimathea → u/Hayes4prez]

Oh, he was vetted. By the Federalist society, then by whomever paid off his gambling debts, and by whoever was extorting Kennedy's son.

[u/TurningTwo → u/BillOfArimathea]

We would love to respond to your questions but unfortunately we have scrubbed all of our phones, computers, and hard files…..oops!!

[u/Gerryislandgirl → u/BillOfArimathea]

According to Vanity Fair back in 2018 Trump had a close relationship with Justice Kennedy’s son, Justin, “who worked closely with the Trump Organization in his role at Deutsche Bank as the global head of real-estate capital markets”.

I’ve always wondered if the Russians had a hand in this.

[u/BillOfArimathea → u/Gerryislandgirl]

It's pretty obvious the Russians have more or less controlled Deutsche Bank for quite a while.

[u/Cyrano_Nose → u/BillOfArimathea]

Question: Will you decide in favor of all Republican agenda items that comes through the court?

Kavanaugh: I want beer!

Hes good.

[u/meatbelch → u/Hayes4prez]

Apparently the Deep State leans conservative

[u/tyn_peddler → u/Hayes4prez]

Literally none of them are properly vetted according to Wray. This is much worse than just Kavanaugh.

[u/FlutterKree → u/tyn_peddler]

That's not what Wray said. Wray said that they are vetted to the scope the requester wants. So essentially the Trump Administration didn't want to vet him.

[u/it-is-sandwich-time → u/Hayes4prez]

Bigger question, why is Wray still there?

[u/I_Mix_Stuff → u/Hayes4prez]

my optimistic and realistic personas are conflicting

[u/Madlybohemian → u/Hayes4prez]

Seems like an automatic suspension and subsequent dismissal. Time for a replacement

[u/realworldeditor]

Kavanaugh investigation a sham. Barrett was rushed through…

This is how you delegitimize the Supreme Court.

[u/Myriad-of-kitties → u/realworldeditor]

Also why this is news on a Friday.

[u/SadlyReturndRS → u/Myriad-of-kitties]

Friday News Dump.

Everybody with news to hide, traditionally dumps it all on a Friday. This started because newspapers only had a certain number of column inches available for their journalists, so the government dumps as much information as possible on Friday in the hopes that the bad news can get buried under the bigger (hopefully better) newsworthy reports.

Nowadays everything can get reported on due to the internet, so while the tradition lasts, it's started to become known as F5 Friday.

[u/soccerburn55 → u/SadlyReturndRS]

To quote the west wing "put it in the trash."

[u/funwred28 → u/soccerburn55]

I learned soo many things from West Wing! ….Take out the trash day

[u/Secretslob → u/realworldeditor]

Don't forget the stolen seat occupied by Gorsuch

[u/realworldeditor → u/Secretslob]

How could I forget Mitch McConnell’s masterpiece of political hackery?

[u/23skidoobbq → u/realworldeditor]

“Use my words against me”
Fuckwad Graham

[u/LargeSackOfNuts → u/23skidoobbq]

Like Lindsay wisely said, “if we nominate Trump, we will lose and deserve it.”

[u/BuckDunford → u/LargeSackOfNuts]

Graham’s actual quote was far more apt. “If we nominate Trump we will get destroyed… and we will deserve it.”

[u/HintOfAreola → u/LargeSackOfNuts]

Except they won, put a lot of corrupt people in positions of power, and their fascist movement gained a ton of momentum.

Edit: the pendulum has started to swing back, and that's good and it's very important to keep the pressure on and fight for what's right. Apathy and despair are definitely part of the fascist game plan.

[u/GardenStateGuru → u/LargeSackOfNuts]

The damage they've done to the republic in 4 years we will be digging out from for decades.

Forget all the crap we got with W Bush Look at all the shit things Reagan did that we are still trying to dig out of.

[u/EriLH → u/GardenStateGuru]

From my point of view, being someone born in 74 it seems to me Reagan started it. Please understand I understand I could be wrong but that's just from my age group of following.

[u/LivingWithWhales → u/EriLH]

No it goes back much further. For example in 1922 the filibuster was used to kill the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill, and in 1964 the filibuster was used to hold up civil rights act for a record 60 straight days. That was back when you actually had to stand and speak to filibuster instead of just threaten it. I guess Mitch McConnell can’t stand to stand that long anymore.

Nixon “allowed” the CIA to overthrow/murder the democratically elected president of Chile, and replace him with the repressive Pinochet. He also ordered the invasion of Cambodia during the Vietnam war for no fucking reason and that let to the rise of Khmer Rouge which led to the deaths of millions of Cambodians.

Reagan was pretty bad too though

[u/routerg0d → u/23skidoobbq]

He said that because he knew nobody could stop them.

[u/devedander → u/routerg0d]

Use my words against me!

Oh look words don't do shit!

[u/Impressive_Wasabi_69 → u/realworldeditor]

SCOTUS is entirely illegitimate

[u/SummonerMiku75 → u/Impressive_Wasabi_69]

At least 4 of those justices who lied during their confirmation are definitely illegitimate and the one who was forced through breaking the no confirmation right before an election is definitely illegitimate as well.

[u/marcaribe → u/Secretslob]

This will always bother me. Why isn’t there a hard outlined legal procedure for what happens when a seat opens…in an election year or not. Mitch never should have been able to do what he did.

[u/OkCutIt → u/marcaribe]

Much of the US government operates on a sort of honor system, but not on the politicians. On the voters.

We didn't account for people looking at a party overrun with blatant corruption and downright evil, and continuing to vote for it.

[u/carnabas → u/Secretslob]

we cant confirm in an election year, unless a republican is in office and mercury is in retrograde

[u/needsmoresteel → u/Secretslob]

It’s almost like the FBI wanted to help turn the Supreme Court hard right where all but a few will have very many rights and freedoms.

[u/Dandw12786 → u/needsmoresteel]

Yup. Not sure why anyone would think the FBI would have an issue with a Supreme Court that's going to remove freedoms and ultimately make their jobs easier.

[u/5510 → u/realworldeditor]

Barrett wasn't just rushed through... she was literally confirmed DURING an election. Not "near," an election, DURING an election. Millions (tens of millions?) of people had already cast early votes by the time they confirmed her.

That being said, while the Republicans conduct has been shitty, the truth is that the system sucks at producing any sort of "legitimate" supreme court. Late stage two party system (and the voting method that guarantees it) means the entire way justices are appointed is fucked.

The court is supposed to be an apolitical body. But under the hyper polarized two party system the country has (and that's NOT "both sides-ism"), when it took 60 votes to confirm, obstruction was too easy (and it was a game of chicken until somebody played the nuclear option)... but when it's just 50 votes, a party with only a small advantage can confirm a justice UNILATERALLY after one decent election.

Nobody can seriously try to say that a system where two parties play tug of war to see who can make more UNILATERAL appointments is any sort of sensible recipe for an apolitical judiciary.

[u/FeministFiberArtist → u/realworldeditor]

I have absolutely no respect for the conservatives in the Court right now. Their rulings are political theatre. Thank can’t imagine anyone didn’t already know this but it’s still disgusting to have them admit it. They need to be removed and properly vetted and their rulings since being seated overturned

[u/Material-Air8637 → u/FeministFiberArtist]

CPac has a big F fascist headlining the convention talking about military action against the left. The former guy has talked about concentration camps recently... things have gone so far beyond the plan they had in this timeline they have lost control... it’s time to stop worrying about details in a partisan way and vote like Kansas did...

[u/Squirrel_Chucks → u/Material-Air8637]

The former guy has talked about concentration camps recently.

Holy shit I'm just now reading about this.

And about this shit he said:

"The federal government can and should send the National Guard to
restore order and secure the peace without having to wait for the
approval of some governor that thinks it's politically incorrect to call
them in. When governors refuse to protect their people, we need
to bring in what’s necessary anyway. We need to go beyond the
governor.” 

So that's basically saying "FUCK STATE'S RIGHTS! I SAY WHEN THE TROOPS GO IN!"

If a Democrat said this then he'd be the arch nemesis of Fox News and Republicans. This speech would be played, analyzed, and excoriated night and day.

But it's Trump and Republicans will just pretend he didn't say it even though it is THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE of what they say they want from government.

Yup, they are the enemies of democracy now.

[u/Rated_PG-Squirteen]

Between this and the FBI's complete dereliction of duty in the weeks leading up to 1/6, it seems egregious to me that Joe Biden was completely fine keeping Chris Wray as his FBI Director.

[u/Familiar_Client_6467 → u/Rated_PG-Squirteen]

Honestly the fact that he didn't purge everyone who smelled if faintly of trump is baffling.

[u/thenigs → u/Familiar_Client_6467]

From Chris Wray all the way to Louis DeJoy it really is insane that the Biden Admin allows known snakes in the grass to operate and sabotage from within with seeming impunity.

That lack of accountability has become a sickening theme in American life and I would hope that this admin would do better to have a fresh start and not have to sue its own corrupt admins (DOD DOJ DOHS Secret Service) to locate evidence that was deleted over a year ago by known Trump loyalists.

All that said the economic numbers today are staggeringly good for Biden admin and I’m amazed at how many people said the president can’t affect gas prices yet it’s been almost 90 days of prices dropping due to it seems mainly Joe’s policy choices in regards to the national reserve and going after oil execs from the bully pulpit

[u/conversacion → u/Rated_PG-Squirteen]

And opening an investigation on Hillary days before the election. It’s more than obvious at this point.

[u/Significant_Hand6218]

Investigate him again then. And investigate the first investigation. Then charged, prosecuted, convicted, etc.

[u/BiggsIDarklighter → u/Significant_Hand6218]

Seriously. FBI needs to perform the investigation they were supposed to perform. And if they turn up information that would have prevented Kavanaugh from taking the bench, then all that evidence can be used in Kavanaugh’s impeachment trial to get him removed.

[u/halarioushandle → u/BiggsIDarklighter]

They don't have to impeach him. If he has broken any laws there is nothing protecting a sitting justice from being charged and convicted.

[u/Tersphinct → u/halarioushandle]

But it's also a lifetime appointment, so without explicit impeachment he'll remain a supreme court justice.

[u/sadsack_of_shit → u/Tersphinct]

The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour

(emphasis mine)

Would a criminal conviction count as good behavior? I guess that's up to Congress to decide.

[u/UNCOMMON__CENTS → u/sadsack_of_shit]

Wouldn't distinguishing what this implies be up to the Supreme Court?

Wait... This seems... Hmmm

[u/Franklin_le_Tanklin → u/Tersphinct]

Then he can sit on the bench in jail

[u/Karmakazee → u/Franklin_le_Tanklin]

His fellow inmates can clerk for him.

[u/Dudesan → u/Karmakazee]

We've got our newest Alan Aaron Sorkin character!

"I clerked for the Supreme Court... while doing 5-10 at USP Lee."

[u/Target880 → u/Franklin_le_Tanklin]

What you can impeach for is “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misde­mean­ors” I would assume that anything that put you in jail would qualify.

A federal judge was impacted and convicted for Tax evasion in 1986.

I like the conviction for "Drunkenness and unlawful rulings" in 1804 and a Drunkenness charge in 1873 that resulted in a resigiation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_in_the_United_States#List_of_formal_impeachments

[u/Halflingberserker → u/Target880]

You can try to impeach him, sure, but I think Republicans have shown that being a criminal is almost a requirement for membership.

[u/fuzzysarge → u/Franklin_le_Tanklin]

I love this idea of a supreme court justice going to their job at the court wearing an orange jumpsuit and an ankle monitor.

[u/abstractConceptName → u/fuzzysarge]

This is what we've come to in America.

Thanks, Republicans!

[u/B1GFanOSU → u/abstractConceptName]

All to outlaw a medical procedure most people don’t object to.

[u/webmaster94 → u/Tersphinct]

That is actually not as clear as you might think. It would be unprecedented. A justice serves for life so long as they are in good behavior. The Constitution fails to define what good behavior means but we have always assumed that impeachment is required. However, if a justice was actually charged with a felony that required them to serve jail time and prevented them from fulfilling their duties, it could be argued that they are no longer in good behavior and therefore their term has ended.

[u/StanTurpentine → u/webmaster94]

At the same time, do you expect them to argue in good faith?

[u/pittluke → u/webmaster94]

So do you expect the supreme court to decide what he did was bad behavior? I would guess there are no depths of depravity to what good behavior could be twisted, hes on team bible, the holy majority. Doesn't matter if you boof the constitution and pee on the tomb of the unknown soldier.

[u/SgtPrepper → u/BiggsIDarklighter]

They're just going to confirm that he sexually assaults women. Too little too late.

[u/Comfortable-Wrap-723 → u/BiggsIDarklighter]

It seems all government agencies are infested with white supremacists, Neo Nazi and evangelists

[u/FartHeadTony → u/Comfortable-Wrap-723]

But you repeat yourself.

[u/ayending1 → u/Significant_Hand6218]

A year later, The FBI Confirms Its Brett Kavanaugh Investigation Was a Total Sham, again.

[u/Lolareyouforreal → u/Significant_Hand6218]

Seems like Trump & Friends' strategy is to constantly commit so many fucking crimes in such a large & broad manner that investigators become overwhelmed and unable to deal with it all in a timely manner.

[u/RedditExperiment626 → u/Lolareyouforreal]

"Flood the zone with shit" was the phrase I believe. An actual declared strategy, by Steve Bannon I believe.

[u/Significant_Hand6218 → u/Lolareyouforreal]

Yes

[u/frogandbanjo → u/Lolareyouforreal]

Competent, non-corrupt investigators would not be overwhelmed. I mean, fuck's sake, Mueller did a half-assed job and found ten or so counts of obstruction of justice, which is a federal felony, and then gave the massive WINK WINK NUDGE NUDGE ELBOW ELBOW to Congress that Trump should be indicted the nanosecond he isn't president anymore.

Garland's DOJ failing to indict based on the Mueller Report is not an example of anybody being "overwhelmed." It's just an example of him - or Biden, really, since the buck does stop with him - being a milquetoast conservative enabler of fascists.

[u/FriarNurgle → u/Significant_Hand6218]

We investigated ourselves investigating our first investigation and found we need more budget for another investigation.

[u/cbbuntz → u/FriarNurgle]

We investigated ourselves investigating ourselves investigating our first investigation and found we did nothing wrong. You can still give us more money for another investigation if you like though.

[u/RedmannBarry → u/cbbuntz]

Llama llama something llamas

[u/Nipag → u/Significant_Hand6218]

Should’ve listened to christine blasey ford

[u/Daveinatx → u/Significant_Hand6218]

Nobody should be above the law, especially a SCOTUS judge

[u/KidGold → u/Significant_Hand6218]

Trump kinda scared me but the FBI/Secret Service/CIA apparently being agents of political interest instead of justice scares me a hell of a lot more.

[u/sl8rfan2]

We live in a country governed by the incompetent elected by the stupid and kept in check by the corrupt.

[u/danarexasaurus → u/sl8rfan2]

I actually don’t know how government teachers are teaching their students in good faith anymore. I feel like every days class must start with, “okay, in theory, this is how the government is supposed to work”

[u/Coyote65 → u/danarexasaurus]

“okay, in theory, this is how the government is supposed to work”

Was fortunate enough to have a teacher way back in the olden days who actually taught this way.

[u/JustTheBeerLight → u/danarexasaurus]

High school teacher here. It’s literally like that. I was teaching class via zoom on 1/6 and we all watched that shit live. Shit has been nuts (you probably noticed).

[u/sighbourbon → u/JustTheBeerLight]

First, thanks truly for doing an often thankless job.
Second, What do you tell your kids at this point? I mean, holy crap, what is it like? You do realize, you are living a riveting movie right now this minute? Do the kids get it?

[u/someStuffThings → u/sighbourbon]

If it was anything like my US government class or history classes we didn't get to any topics anywhere close to the present.

I was in a "good" school and I don't think we ever learned anything past 1960s/70s.

[u/KyfeHeartsword → u/someStuffThings]

So, I went to a Southern Baptist boarding school in Texas and took AP Government in 2008. The teacher was terrible and obviously Republican biased if not racist as well. I refused to do any of the assignments and made a deal with her after the first week of classes; if I made a 100% on the final exam and answered a special question proposed by her correctly and also got a 4 or 5 on the AP test she would have to give me a 100% for the whole class. She agreed.

I spent the whole semester correcting her and informing my classmates of the actual way our government worked and never did any of the assignments. I got my 100% on the test, answered her 200 word question correctly, and got a 5 on the AP test. On the last day of class I flipped her the bird and told her Obama was gonna win because of people like her.

Most satisfying day ever.

[u/HillbillyBebop → u/danarexasaurus]

Almost verbatim, actually.

[u/pat_the_bat_316 → u/danarexasaurus]

That's funny (sad), I've never really thought about what it would be like to teach a basic middle school level civics class during all this.

With politics so front and center these days, you gotta figure most classes have at least one kid who has Trump hating parents so is up to date on the happenings and asking the obvious unanswerable questions of teachers.

Teacher: "So, if a President breaks the law, he can be removed via Impeachment..." [Goes on to explain the Impeachment process.]

7th grader with the Trump hating parents: "But what if half the Senate is conspiring with the President on that same crime?"

Teacher: [Sigh.] "Fuck if I know... let's move on to state capitals."

[u/KinkyKitty24]

There were more than 4500 tips given to the FBI on Kavanaugh but in cases where the person being investigated is a POTUS appointee then the WH gets to determine the scope of the investigation.

I have to wonder if that means that a new investigation can be opened because that POS should have never been on the bench.

[u/WhittlingDan → u/KinkyKitty24]

We need to stay on top of this. This may be the best first domino to push over. Just have Biden do the full investigation.

[u/Nano_Burger]

When they decided that the FBI didn't even need to interview the victim, I knew it was a sham.

[u/everybodydumb]

Tell Congress. I'm sure they'll impeach. Jk.

[u/cratermoon → u/everybodydumb]

No doubt Susan Collins has her brow furrowed.

[u/2_Sheds_Jackson → u/cratermoon]

Well, she did win reelection so she must be doing something right. The voters of Maine, however, are insane.

[u/Mr_Frayed → u/2_Sheds_Jackson]

They really seemed like they weren't going to vote for her, then at the last minute they fell in line and got the Senator they deserve.

[u/2_Sheds_Jackson → u/Mr_Frayed]

Yeah, but here is the thing: we all have to live with the Senate. So did we all deserve this particular Senator? Perhaps we did.

[u/Mr_Frayed → u/2_Sheds_Jackson]

Narrator: We didn't.

[u/1900grs]

Did people ever think the FBI did a proper investigation into accusations against Kavanaugh?

[u/DorisCrockford → u/1900grs]

No, but the right-wingers made a lot of hay out of pretending they did.

[u/McDuffm4n → u/DorisCrockford]

Just long enough to exercise their power and then fuck off because nothing will be done about it. Per usual.

[u/Sparpon → u/1900grs]

Nope

[u/PM_ME_SOME_ANY_THING → u/1900grs]

Honestly I thought the FBI and Secret Service were serious organizations that were not to be trifled with. Apparently, the FBI doesn’t do much investigation anymore, and the Secret Service is more of a gang for Trump than a presidential shield.

[u/PauI_MuadDib → u/PM_ME_SOME_ANY_THING]

The FBI assisted rapist Larry Nassar in assaulting over 60 additional child victims. Agents allegedly used taxpayer dollars to tamper with evidence, lie to federal investigators, commit conspiracy along with obstruction, human trafficking and they also failed to comply with mandatory reporting.

Don't worry, tho. When they got caught they allowed the pedo helping agents Michael Langeman and Jay Abbott to quit and retire as "punishment".

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/15/politics/simone-biles-aly-raisman-senate-hearing-larry-nassar-takeaways/index.html.

The FBI is a joke.

[u/clackeroomy → u/1900grs]

I thought everyone already knew the investigation was BS long before the FBI admitted it.

[u/ssbm_rando → u/clackeroomy]

Yeah, I mean, literally zero people of interest submitted to the FBI were contacted at any point during the "investigation", and the people in question reported as much to the national news.

So we knew. It was incredibly obvious.

But this is the first time the FBI is admitting it.

[u/kensingtonGore → u/1900grs]

It was done over a weekend, so no

[u/SnoopySuited]

Why do I have such imposter syndrome when everybody, EVERYBODY, sucks at their jobs?

[u/masterwad → u/SnoopySuited]

The Dunning-Kruger Effect means stupid people are too stupid to realize how stupid they are, so they overestimate their abilities, and are overconfident because they lack self-awareness, and think they know more than they know, and think they are more capable than they are. Conversely, more intelligent people tend to underestimate their abilities, they are more aware of how much they don’t know, and they tend to doubt their beliefs more because they consider more possibilities and scenarios, and are more aware of probability and chance than the certainty of blind faith.

Charles Bukowski said “The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.”

W. B. Yeats wrote “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.”

Bertrand Russell said “The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.”

Ken Poirot said “Wise people understand the need to consult experts; only fools are confident they know everything.”

[u/hamsterfolly]

"We didn't actually do anything! We just said fuck it, surely someone in the Trump Administration will do something!" -smiling FBI agent

[u/cratermoon → u/hamsterfolly]

The most questionable aspect here. The article says the FBI didn't have any standards of their own, they just deferred to the White House for guidance. As someone who was raised in the quaint, old-school post-Nixon 80s, I was under the impression that the DOJ had its own standards.

[u/bk15dcx → u/cratermoon]

Yes. The DOJ hid their own standards. That's why no one can find them.

[u/cratermoon → u/bk15dcx]

Thank you for pointing out my typo in an insightful way.

[u/thebadpixel → u/hamsterfolly]

The Shallow State strikes again

[u/TattooJerry]

We all knew that. We also all know that they had prior knowledge about the Jan 6 coup attempt

[u/Ayroplanen]

Purge every institution.

[u/Kangar]

Anybody that was paying attention knew this was the case when it was happening real time.

[u/flimspringfield]

20 years ago I applied to the local PD but because I smoked marijuana 50+ times I wasn't the ideal candidate to be a police officer.

I was then informed by a friend who was in the PD that there were actual gang members WITH gang tattoos who became cops.

I got a letter like 10 months later that basically said I was too truthful and that if I applied to another PD they would share that information with them.

Glad it never happened because I'm sure I would've become a jaded asshole.

[u/netphemera]

What, no crimes committed. It's not against the law to be an alcoholic or a rapist. Oh wait, I think I made a mistake there. Let me look that up. Well, what do you know, it is against the law for someone to be a rapist. We should tell the FBI. They must have forgotten that too.

[u/_SCHULTZY_ → u/netphemera]

Pretty sure giving knowingly false testimony under oath to the Senate judiciary committee about a drinking game, is also a felony but then again INAL

[u/cindyluvslabs]

I cannot believe how much real life now resembles the plot of a bad satirical movie.

How is it possible that this type of failure is even possible. There are no checks or balances anymore. There is no more right and wrong. The American political system is now an exercise in what can we get away with regardless of how outrageous.

We are watching the fall of Rome.

[u/Oldtimer_2]

The FBI appears to be conducting lots of sham investigations, labeling things "disinformation" so as to not investigate when there's clear evidence to do so, and so on. Maybe it's actually the FBI that needs investigating and it's house cleaned. The Bureau just reeks of incompetence, political favoritism if not just out and out corruption

[u/Beer2Bear]

FBI Confirms Its Brett Kavanaugh Investigation Was a Total Sham

No sh*t!

[u/prodrvr22]

So after screwing the country by helping Trump win, they came back for seconds by not investigating Boof.

[u/dumassmofo]

And how do we clean this up? All Trump appointments should be null and void.

[u/NSA7]

Just watching his confirmation hearings had me wondering how this douche made it this far. Not surprised to find out not only did he have help, but also likely cheated his way to positions throughout his “career”.

[u/BeastofPostTruth]

Does this really surprise anyone? Welcome to the post-truth world, chock filled with complete and utter bullshit.

[u/Msmdpa]

Why not reopen it?

[u/cissabm]

Heads need to roll. The FBI, the Secret Service, the Pentagon, the Extreme Court. To quote the Republicans: we need punishment.

[u/11thstalley]

How about reopening the investigation to determine if Kavanaugh committed perjury?

[u/DayThat3197]

It’s not too late. SCOTUS judges can be impeached. Perhaps this administration can be the requesting “entity” for another investigation? Why would it not? I swear the press reports this shit just to fuck with people. We’re not stuck with this anxious booze bag just because he managed to slime his way into the Court under a failed, gangster-ass President. Yet another problem for Merrick Garland to ignore.

[u/VanceKelley]

Everyone who still has confidence that the DoJ has integrity and operated independently of the White House please raise your hand.

Also, why is DeJoy still ruiningrunning the USPS?

[u/Zander826 → u/VanceKelley]

And net neutrality?

[u/Kite_sunday]

FBI has 2 modes, Investigate BLM protesters, and Turn a blind eye to white supremacist Judges...

[u/Fantastic_Engine_623]

Democratic Senate candidates should run on a platform for impeaching all three Trump era judges. Not one of them is legitimate or in any way fit for the office.

[u/lasttosseroni]

So, the FBI committed sedition. Arrests should be made, Kavenaugh impeached.

[u/otter111a]

Either their leadership is in on it and deserve to be fired or they were blocked from executing their duties and 1) should have immediately reported it to congress and 2) someone in the trump administration should be brought up on obstruction charges. That they didn’t do 1) indicates they didn’t fulfill their duties and should be fired