Tag: GOP senate

New Poll: Opposition To Kavanaugh Has Grown Every Day Since His Hearing

Opposition to Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation has increased every day since last week’s hearing. Kavanaugh’s approval rating is now underwater, with 41 percent opposed and only 33 percent in support of his confirmation.

Reuters/Ipsos poll: Opposition to Kavanaugh grows after Senate hearing

Opposition among Americans to Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, has increased in the wake of his testimony last week before a U.S. Senate committee in which he defiantly denied sexual misconduct allegations, Reuters/Ipsos polling data showed on Wednesday.

In the latest seven-day average in a survey of U.S. adults, 41 percent of respondents opposed Kavanaugh, 33 percent supported the conservative federal appeals court judge and 26 percent said they did not know.

Opposition to Kavanaugh grew 4 percentage points after the Sept. 27 Judiciary Committee hearing in which university professor Christine Blasey Ford detailed a sexual assault allegation against Kavanaugh and he denied it, portraying himself as the victim of a “political hit.”

View the complete October 3 article by Lawrence Hurley and Chris Kahn here.

Want to Know More About: The Kavanaugh Confirmation

Major Garrett: “President Trump Openly Mocked Dr. Christine Blasey Ford Who Has Accused Brett Kavanaugh Of Sexually Assaulting Her In High School.” GARRETT: “For the first time president trump openly mocked Dr. Christine Blasey Ford who has accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in high school. The president who previously described Ford’s testimony as credible and compelling ridiculed her story’s missing details.” [This Morning, CBS, 10/3/18; VIDEO]

John Berman: “Politically Now What You Are Getting From Republicans Is A Much More Direct Attack.” BERMAN: “When Lindsay graham was shouting he was talking about process, but he has to be talking about professor’s Ford credibility. Now you have the president saying she’s not credible, and you had chuck grassley with the letter questioning the veracity of some of the things professor Ford says. It seems politically now what you are getting from Republicans is a much more direct attack in these waning days before the vote about just what professor Ford is saying in saying she’s not credible.” [New Day, CNN, 10/3/18; VIDEO]

Josh Campbell: “Why Is A Federal Judge Sitting In Front Of The United States Senate Making Statements That Other People Are Saying Are Not Consistent With The Facts. That Is The Issue.” CAMPBELL: “It’s not about drinking or what somebody has done in their past when it comes to alcohol, but why is a federal judge sitting in front of the United States senate making statements that other people are saying are not consistent with the facts. That is the issue. Why is a judge, somebody who is supposed to be fair, honest and truthful being called into question? That’s something we need to get to the bottom of.” [New Day, CNN, 10/3/18; VIDEO] Continue reading “Want to Know More About: The Kavanaugh Confirmation”

Karin Housley and the National Debt

A Casual Disregard for Doing the Work for Minnesotans

It’s clear that there is a pattern here. On issue after issue, Karin Housley has demonstrated a casual disregard for doing the work that Minnesotans expect of their U.S. Senator. Today, let’s look at Housley’s inability to explain how she would reduce the national debt.

In a recent interview, Housley declared that the “the national debt was one of the reasons that I ran” and proceeded to say that “we need to look at the programs that aren’t working” to reduce the debt. But when asked in that same interview to name a specific program she thought was not working, Housley was unable to name a single example and could only say: “I think really looking at programs that aren’t working and really where can we shorten things up there.”

Again, that is an answer a person gives when they have not done the work to understand the issue to solve problems. The result? Housley is once again left to be led by powerful special interests and party leaders who do not have Minnesota’s best interest at heart.  Continue reading “Karin Housley and the National Debt”

Want to Know More About: The Kavanaugh Nomination and Screening

Abby Phillips: “Whether Brett Kavanaugh’s Past Drinking Habits Will Have Any Bearing On That Probe At All, But Republicans Are Saying That That Issue Is Moving The Goalposts.” ABBY PHILLIPS: “After president Trump’s freewheeling press conference yesterday we still this morning have a lot of questions about the scope of this FBI probe and there are questions now also about whether Brett Kavanaugh’s past drinking habits will have any bearing on that probe at all, but Republicans are saying that that issue is moving the goalposts.” [New Day, CNN, 10/2/18; Video]

Abby Phillips: “Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Saying He Will Move Forward With A Vote On Judge Kavanaugh’s Confirmation, Despite The White House Allowing The FBI To Expand Its Investigation Into The Nominee.” ABBY PHILLIPS: “Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell saying he will move forward with a vote on judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation, despite the White House allowing the FBI to expand its investigation into the nominee. His pledge coming amid backlash over the restricted probe.” [New Day, CNN, 10/2/18; Video]

Alisyn Camerota: “Mitch McConnell Says A Vote On Brett Kavanaugh’s Nomination Will Take Place This Week No Matter What The FBI Finds.” ALISYN CAMEROTA: “Mitch McConnell says a vote on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination will take place this week no matter what the FBI finds. Senator Jeff flake one of the key Republicans who holds Kavanaugh’s fate in the balance demands a real investigation and not one that just gives his party cover.” [New Day, CNN, 10/2/18; Video] Continue reading “Want to Know More About: The Kavanaugh Nomination and Screening”

Either Kavanaugh Goes Down or the Republicans Do

Women — and many men — will still remember Thursday’s hearing when they vote in 2018 and 2020

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham points at the Democrats as he defends Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh at a Senate Judiciary hearing Thursday. Credit: Tom Williams, CQ Roll Call, Pool

OPINION — Watching Christine Blasey Ford’s harrowing testimony, it seemed clear that either Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination goes down or he will take the entire Republican Party with him.

Women of all political persuasions — and a hell of a lot of men — will be remembering this hearing when they go to the polls in 2018 and 2020. And while it is dangerous to overexaggerate the political influence of a single event in our hyper-partisan times, Thursday’s testimony has the potential to be seismic.

It wasn’t even what Ford said — though her repeated recollections of Kavanaugh laughing during the alleged sexual attack were haunting — so much as her mixture of composure and emotion as she said it. This was a wrenching event in her life and she had no hesitation in testifying that Brett Kavanaugh was one her two sexual assailants.

Want to Know More About: The Kavanaugh Hearing

George Stephanopoulos: “She Came In Fear. He Came In Anger. Now, Senators Must Decide Right There At The U.S. Capitol Who Do They Believe? How Will They Vote? Should Brett Kavanaugh Get A Lifetime Seat On The Supreme Court?” [Good Morning America, ABC, 9/28/18; VIDEO]

Terry Moran: “At Times It Felt Less Like A Senate Hearing Room Than Some Kind of Medieval Trial By Ordeal, And Began With The Moment The Country Was Waiting For. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford For The First Time Under Oath Speaking Publicly, Her Voice Trembling.” MORAN: “Washington is still shaken to its core by a wrenching day of testimony. There was so much raw human pain and at times it felt less like a senate hearing room than some kind of medieval trial by ordeal and began with the moment the country was waiting for. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford for the first time under oath speaking publicly, her voice trembling.” [Good Morning America, ABC, 9/28/18; VIDEO]

Mary Bruce: “What’s Clear This Morning Is That Republican Leaders Are Plowing Ahead, After A Late Night Huddle Here On The Hill, Top Republicans Emerged Standing Firmly By Judge Kavanaugh, But What Is Not Clear Is Whether Republicans Have Enough Votes To Get Him Confirmed.” [Good Morning America, ABC, 9/28/18; VIDEO] Continue reading “Want to Know More About: The Kavanaugh Hearing”

Grassley adviser resigns after sexual harassment accusation

A communications adviser to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) during the Supreme Court confirmation fight has abruptly resigned after an accusation of sexual harassment — an allegation he denies.

Garrett Ventry submitted his resignation Friday night, he said in a brief phone interview Saturday morning. He said he denies the allegation but stepped down “in order to not be a distraction” as Senate Republicans continue to work to get Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh confirmed.

“Garrett was one of several temporary staff brought on to assist in the committee’s consideration of the Supreme Court nomination, a team that has done outstanding work,” a committee spokesman said Saturday morning. “While he strongly denies allegations of wrongdoing, he decided to resign to avoid causing any distraction from the work of the committee.

View the complete September 22 article by Seung Min Kim on the Washington Post website here.

Voters Know Republicans Won’t Fight For Them On Health Care Or Tax Cuts

Voters know that Republicans don’t have their backs on health care or tax cuts. While Republicans only want to sabotage the Affordable Care Act, Democrats are fighting to increase access and affordability of care. The Trump tax law has not raisd workers’ wages as Republicans promised, but Democratic-led efforts to raise the minimum wage have increased wages for workers in states across the country.

Voters have switched parties for the midterm elections because they know that Democrats will fight for them on health care.

CNN: “The issue of health care has made Hansen a Democratic voter in the upcoming midterm elections. And in this ruby red area of Kentucky, it seems he is not the only one. Indeed, there are some signs of a blue wave in a corner of the Bluegrass State.” Continue reading “Voters Know Republicans Won’t Fight For Them On Health Care Or Tax Cuts”

udiciary Staffer’s Tweets Fuel Fight Over Kavanaugh Accuser

‘Unfazed and determined. We will confirm Judge Kavanaugh,’ committee’s chief staffer says.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, walks to the floor for a vote after a meeting in Majority Leader McConnell’s office in the Capitol on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. Credit: Bill Clark, CQ Roll Call

Amid a pitched partisan battle over how the Senate handles an allegation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted a woman decades ago as a teenager, liberal groups on Thursday seized on comments from a Judiciary Committee staffer to paint the process as a sham.

Mike Davis, the committee’s chief staffer for nominations, tweeted twice overnight about his key role in the committee’s review of Christine Blasey Ford’s allegation, as well as criticism of Ford’s attorneys and his desired outcome of the process.

“Unfazed and determined. We will confirm Judge Kavanaugh. #ConfirmKavanaugh #SCOTUS,” Davis tweeted at 11 p.m. Wednesday.

Five sitting senators voted on Clarence Thomas’s nomination. Four supported it.

Credit: Philip Bump, The Washington Post

In an essay published by the New York Times, Anita Hill included an interesting aside.

Hill, whose allegations that she had been sexually harassed by Clarence Thomas emerged during the process after his nomination to the Supreme Court, was comparing her situation in 1991 to the current moment. Brett M. Kavanaugh, nominated to the bench by President Trump, has been accused of sexually assaulting Christine Blasey Ford in 1982 while in high school.

“As that same committee, on which sit some of the same members as nearly three decades ago, now moves forward with the Kavanaugh confirmation proceedings,” Hill wrote, “the integrity of the court, the country’s commitment to addressing sexual violence as a matter of public interest, and the lives of the two principal witnesses who will be testifying hang in the balance.”

View the complete September 18 article by Philip Bump on the Washington Post website here.