* Tribune…
Hours before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote on Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on Friday said the process should be delayed after Thursday’s testimony of Christine Blasey Ford.
“Dr. Ford’s allegations are very serious and they seem very credible. I believe they deserve to be investigated and I believe a vote should be postponed until they are fully investigated,” Rauner said on WBEZ-FM’s “Morning Shift” program. […]
On Thursday morning, Democratic governor candidate J.B. Pritzker was asked about anti-harassment policies proposed this week by a panel of women formed in the wake of allegations in longtime House Speaker Michael Madigan’s organization. In answering, he also raised the Kavanaugh case.
“I happen to think that in Washington, D.C., that the Judiciary Committee in the Senate should be handing over to the FBI the investigation of the allegations that have been made about Kavanaugh,” Pritzker said. “That’s the way to do it. I’m not sure that here in Illinois that things have been handled the way they should have, but under our administration, they will be.”
OK, everybody take a deeeeeeeeeeeep breath and then exhale fully before commenting, please. Leave your DC talking points out of the comment section. Something you saw on Facebook is also not an acceptable fact source here, so do an honest Google search.
In other words, don’t get banned for life.
...Adding… Speaker Madigan…
“Yesterday, we saw Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s courage in standing before United States senators and a criminal prosecutor to tell her story. The allegations against Judge Kavanaugh are extremely serious, and his belligerent testimony failed to address the concerns of women and men across our country. In fact, it confirms the concerns we’ve expressed about Kavanaugh’s fitness to serve on our nation’s highest court.
“Now, even conservative newspapers, the American Bar Association and Governor Rauner have joined us in calling on senators to stop this nomination on the floor and open an FBI investigation into the very serious allegations facing Judge Kavanaugh.
“I urge senators to do the right thing and allow for a full investigation.”
*** UPDATE *** Sen. Sam McCann…
In response to Governor Rauner siding with Senator Feinstein and the Democrats Sam McCann issued the following statement:
I am following the lead of the President of the United States, and the strong conservative leadership of Senator Grasley, who are intimately involved in the details of the allegations and hearings regarding Kavanaugh. I would not base any decisions on the slanted media and conjecture. Rather, I put my faith in our commander and chief who was duly elected by our electoral process of the United States of America. Unfortunately, Bruce Rauner has shown time and again, as highlighted this morning, when he sided with Diane Feinstein and the Democrats, that he has no faith in President Trump and the Republican controlled Senate. I call on the American people to put faith back in Government.
- Amalia - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:35 am:
good comment from Rauner. good comment from Pritzker re the FBI. note that many R gov incumbents are not on the same page with Grassley, Hatch, Graham, Lee, Cornyn and all those people who think a signed letter equals a FBI investigation.
- Annonin' - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:38 am:
It was clear there was enough there to know Kavanaugh should not be confirmed.
Most of us are still waiting for the Merrick Garland.
sadly GovJunk now has public opinions on these issues. Very glarin’ Very embarrassing for him.
- Sue - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:38 am:
Perhaps someone should tell both of these fine folks- you have no input and no one cares what you wznt
- Phenomynous - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:39 am:
It should have been done from the outset. It was unfair to everyone in the process to air this publicly and in the court of public opinion. A confidential investigation process should have been started in early August. Period.
- Honeybadger - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:41 am:
This is day two that I’m glued to the television watching these proceedings. I felt empathy for both Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh. Dr. Ford’s testimony was heartbreaking and riveting. While I think Judge Kavanaugh came out of the box swinging I still felt empathy every time he broke down or started to break down with emotion. We are now living in very difficult times politically. We need to come together as a country and recognize that all charges of this nature should be thoroughly investigated. I also think the charges that come up within the state should be thoroughly investigated by an impartial 3rd party.
- Dance Band on the Titanic - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:41 am:
First off, good for Rauner to show courage by taking a position on this controversy.
Sadly, it will be too little, too late to win back suburban women voters while driving Trump voters deeper into McCann’s camp.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:42 am:
I expect Kavanaugh to be confirmed. I think he will go down as one of the worst Justices ever, but I’ll have to wait 40 years to find out if I’m right. The sexual assault allegations against him notwithstanding, he also lied to the Senate on multiple occasions during this and his previous confirmation hearings. There is evidence that he leaked grand jury testimony during the Starr investigation, which is a crime. I guess none of that matters to anyone.
Elections have consequences, and this is a direct consequence of Trump being elected president and the GOP Congress abdicating its powers to act as a check on executive authority.
Hopefully our nation’s descent into madness is almost complete. Maybe once we hit bottom we can begin to recover.
- CharlieKratos - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:43 am:
The American Bar Association has also called on the Senate to wait until the FBI can look into the many allegations. They are, rightly, concerned about the perceived validity of the Supreme Court.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:46 am:
I’ve seen enough to know we can do better than the current nominee and I wish we would, but a delay and further investigation would be better than nothing.
- SinkingShip - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:50 am:
===- Sue - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:38 am:
Perhaps someone should tell both of these fine folks- you have no input and no one cares what you wznt===
That’s an interesting take, considering the subject matter of the accusations at issue.
- G'Kar - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:54 am:
With apologies to MLK:
I look to a day when people will not be judged by their political ideology, but by the content of their character.
- Crispy - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:55 am:
Unexpectedly, I agree with both Illinois gubernatorial candidates.
I found Ford’s testimony compelling and believable. Kavenaugh’s snivelling struck me as tears of rage and thwarted entitlement, and little more; I have plenty of sympathy for his family—whom he’s chosen to sacrifice on the altar of his own ambition—but none for him. Nobody is entitled to a seat on the Supreme Court, and he’s already bagged his limit where privilege is concerned. And, aside from the various allegations of blackout drinking and sexual predation—which the majority, sadly, has worked overtime to minimize and suppress—his disrespectful and partisan performance yesterday should have been disqualifying on its face.
- A Jack - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:55 am:
I agree with both of them that the process should be slowed down and a full investigation take place. If you want the truth that is the way to do it. Even the ABA agrees there should be an investigation. Otherwise, the Republican Party is not going to look good if process is rushed because Republicans fear the mid-terms.
- Sue - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 11:02 am:
I hope Rauner reads this blog because you just convinced the 4 voters in my house to stay home on Election Day.
- Dr X - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 11:03 am:
Well since its an election year, we should wait until after the election to let the people speak.
- Matt Vernau - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 11:13 am:
4 of the 6 people present at this event indicate no assault happened. The 6th person there has spent a life dealing with his own demons. The victim holds this memory because of the perpetrators laughter. The FBI is not likely to discover evidence or witnesses that would allow any trial to proceed and this requires a trial. What the trial would put at stake is our process for selecting imperfect people. The whole point of any further investigation is delay. Elections have consequences. Treat others as your would be treated.
- City Zen - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 11:13 am:
==Most of us are still waiting for the Merrick Garland.==
That ship left port a long time ago.
- Grandson of Man - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 11:14 am:
On this I agree with Rauner 100%. I heard Dr. Ford’s testimony yesterday and thought she’d have to be a blatant fraud to be lying. She deserves every opportunity to validate her story, if it’s true. The other accusers should also be allowed to testify if their stories are credible.
Sexual assault allegations demand the utmost seriousness and attention. Republicans are so obviously trying to jam Kavanaugh through. This is appalling, including what McConnell did to Merrick Garland and Obama.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 11:19 am:
===The FBI is not likely to discover evidence or witnesses that would allow any trial to proceed and this requires a trial.===
Wouldn’t you like to know what Mark Judge has to say, since he was alleged to have been present? Wouldn’t it be helpful to have his sworn testimony, even if it was “I was drunk and don’t remember?” Why not interview him? All we have is a letter from his lawyer. He’s never been questioned about this and he is a potential eye witness.
Don’t you wonder why he wasn’t interviewed? Maybe he could help establish a timeline? I think if he had exculpatory testimony, we would have heard from him a long time ago.
Remember, he wrote about “Brad O’Kavanaugh” and detailed drunken shenanagins. I find it stunning that the Senate Judiciary Committee wouldn’t demand that he appear.
Just kidding. I don’t find it stunning.
- CharlieKratos - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 11:21 am:
The dean of Yale Law School has joined the American Bar Association in asking the Senate Judiciary Committee to suspend its consideration of Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court until an FBI investigation is completed into multiple sexual assault allegations.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 11:22 am:
===indicate no assault happened===
That’s not what they said.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 11:31 am:
As the time has passed since this post was published, comments have become more and more like DC-based talking points. The worst have been deleted.
If this continues I will shut down the thread.
- zatoichi - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 11:35 am:
Watched some of the hearings. How many times can the same question be asked repeatedly with some minor change while acting like it is a new question? The grandstanding statements: you kept it secret, she asked it be kept secret. After a while I wished Kavanaugh had simply said ‘No job is worth this level of grief from you self-serving, double speaking, talking points.’ Drop the mike and walk out……Then again, Supreme Court is a pretty nice job.
- western observeration - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 11:37 am:
Not sure what was offensive by the last post, so I’ll try to be simpler: This is helpful for Rauner in the Chicago suburbs but harmful politically among Trump supporters.
- Skeptic - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 11:45 am:
Gosh, there’s twice in the last month I agree with Rauner. Can a stopped clock be right three times a day?
- Dupage Bard - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 11:48 am:
To the point- Rauner was smart to say he thinks it should be delayed and further investigated. If he didn’t there would be far more weeds he’d be navigating now. He’s lost the base. the base believes Kavanaugh should be installed. There is no upside for saying put Kavanaugh in office immediately.
Pritzker would have had a nice hit piece here had Rauner done his usual hem and haw. It’s still a national issue JB can jump on and say he’ll stand up and solve problems. Maybe he’s even donated to women’s violence shelters or trauma centers he can point to?
- 47th Ward - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 12:08 pm:
===So now that it’s been politicized by the D’s, the Senate should hold the vote today, which is apparently what they’re going to do.===
No, the Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on it. The full Senate will take it up later, and the mid-terms are irrelevant because the Senate will be the same until January.
Also, I love the accusation blaming the “Ds” for politicizing this. As if. The Constitution politicized this. This is the way it works, with both sides following the rules in an attempt to gain advantage. T’was ever thus.
The pearl-clutching from Republicans is pretty funny though.
- Fixer - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 12:09 pm:
Given Rauner leans left on most social issues, I’m not overly surprised that he and JB are close on this.
Any allegation made in regards to a lifelong appointment should be thoroughly investigated. Regardless of party.
- Dave W - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 12:16 pm:
Honest question: what is there to investigate? The accuser doesn’t know when or where it happened, and the 4 people she said were present, including her best friend, have no idea what she’s talking about. What is the FBI supposed to investigate?
- Practical Politics - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 12:48 pm:
Judge has submitted two letters (under penalty of felony perjury) to the Judiciary Committee denying any knowledge of the alleged assault described by Blasey-Ford. What else is there to learn from him?
This isn’t an episode of “Perry Mason.”
Other than delaying the vote, I do not see what subpoenaing Judge accomplishes.
- Jocko - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 12:59 pm:
==The FBI is not likely to discover evidence or witnesses that would allow any trial to proceed==
Since you took out your crystal ball…let me know what stocks are poised to jump.
To the post, I give credit to Bruce, JB, the ABA, and Dr. Ford for recommending the FBI investigate the allegations. Unfortunately, there are 11 people (Brett and 10 senate judiciary members) who do not.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 1:14 pm:
Mark Judge spoke to the committee through his attorneys. He has not provided sworn testimony. Try to get the basic facts right.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/politics/2018/09/25/how-world-is-mark-judge-not-testifying/
- Thought - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 1:33 pm:
Investigation best possible outcome at moment
- Skeptic - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 1:49 pm:
“that would allow any trial to proceed” Stop right there. This isn’t a trial, this is a confirmation hearing. Neither “innocent until proven guilty” nor “beyond a reasonable doubt” apply in this arena.
- Last Bull Moose - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 1:59 pm:
Senator Flake has called for an FBI investigation before the final vote. Given the closeness of the vote, he will probably get it.
- Anonymous - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 2:00 pm:
“What is the FBI supposed to investigate?”
Start with investigation of witnesses such as Mark Judge who wrote about his high school drinking experiences in the book he wrote: “Wasted”.
- SAP - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 2:01 pm:
==Other than delaying the vote, I do not see what subpoenaing Judge accomplishes. == It gives the committee the opportunity to cross examine him in an attempt the gauge his veracity.
- James Knell - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 2:04 pm:
More pandering to suburban women by B.R. the Oligarch hostage-taker.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 2:10 pm:
Odd how a guy who says he’s not in charge thinks we want to hear his thoughts about issues where he really isn’t in charge.
He isn’t confusing the two, he’s simply dishonest.
- Last Bull Moose - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 2:26 pm:
Were I Mark Judge ‘s lawyer, I would have him say he does not remember any such incident and then shut up. Maryland now has no statute of limitations on sexual assault and he has been named as a participant. The Senate cannot grant immunity for State crimes, so talking can only hurt him.
- Dance Band on the Titanic - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 3:01 pm:
===what is there to investigate?===
Whether or not Kavanaugh committed perjury.
- lost in the weeds - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 3:03 pm:
There needed to be better vetting by WH. The process and country needs additional investigation and deliberation. Painful as it all will be this is what is required to preserve the US democracy.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 3:04 pm:
Matt, c’mon man. Your link demonstrates precisely why the FBI should investigate this. All of those accounts were told to reporters, none under oath, none with any follow-up questioning. Lying to the FBI is a crime, lying to reporters is standard operating procedure.
Even if Mark Judge can’t remember anything about the night in question, he could help establish the timeline by testifying when he worked at the grocery store. If you followed Dr. Ford’s testimony yesterday, that encounter could help narrow down the night in question.
And again, Kavanaugh says he is innocent and so should absolutely want the FBI to help clear his name. It makes no sense not to investigate this.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 3:08 pm:
To the McCann update, you can almost hear the breathlessness just by reading it. Also, it’s “Grassley” and “Commander-in-Chief.” Do try to look a little more professional. It’s hardly “slanted media and conjecture” when everyone and anyone could see it live before their eyes yesterday and draw their own conclusions.
- Anon - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 3:12 pm:
Oh Sam, who are the commander and chief?
- POTUSWithTheBadHair - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 3:17 pm:
Leave it to Senator McCann to say the least thoughtful thing possible.
- Anonymous - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 3:19 pm:
== Also, it’s “Grassley” and “Commander-in-Chief.”==
You would think a “Marine” would know that…
- very old soil - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 3:27 pm:
McCann just lost any chance of getting my vote
- Cubs in '16 - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 3:29 pm:
===the least thoughtful thing possible===
Considering the context of the audience he’s attempting to appeal to, it’s quite thoughtful.
- Arthur Andersen - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 3:49 pm:
Looks like 150 needs to get Sam a proofreader. Geez.
- Nick Name - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 4:01 pm:
===You would think a “Marine” would know that…===
Well, he was never a Marine, so…
- Anonymous - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 4:03 pm:
==Well, he was never a Marine, so…==
Hence the quotes. 2010 Sam McCann would say he was, though
- Rod - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 4:17 pm:
As we know President Trump purged the leadership of the FBI but the current FBI Director Christopher Wray has not been a Trump push over either and Trump has complained about him too. So there is some basis for hope that an objective investigation can be conducted relating to Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s assault claims. My understanding from media reports are the individuals identified as having been at the party by Ford who were not accused of having been alleged attackers gave affidavits that they did not recall any such gathering as described by Dr Ford, not any statement the allegation is false. After yesterday’s hearings a lawyer for Mr Judge was quoted as follows: “Mr. Judge does not recall the events described by Dr. Ford in her testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee today, We have told the Committee that Mr. Judge does not want to comment about these events publicly. We also have said that he is willing to answer written questions, and he has. In addition, he is willing to participate in a confidential, fact-finding investigation. He will not respond to any media inquiries.” That is an evasive response and hopefully an FBI investigation will yield a better response which by its very nature can not be confidential as Judge requested.
Both the Governor and JB took objectively reasonable positions on the investigation issue based on the information Rich just put out.
- Sue - Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 4:31 pm:
Any reasons to afford both Spartacus and Blumenthal more speech time is great for Republicans. It’s too bad Kavanaugh when asked by Blumenthal whether someone who tells a single lie likely tells others didn’t respond with references to Blumenthzl’s Vietnam Nam hero biz