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Alex Lemieux

Alex Lemieux is a Richmond-based editor with The Republican Standard.

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Ties Between Brett Kavanaugh’s Mother And His Accuser’s Family Causing More Confirmation Hearing Turmoil

Recently, ranking Senate Judiciary Committee member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) was sent a letter from Democratic Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (CA-18), who received it from someone affiliated with Stanford University, which entailed an alleged incident between Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh and a female with whom he went to high school in suburban Maryland decades ago. Days after the news of the mystery letter surfaced, its author has finally been revealed.

The Washington Post reports that Christine Blasey Ford, a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California, wrote the formerly confidential letter charging that Judge Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her, with the article on the alleged incident stating that Ford feared for her life and that Kavanaugh “might inadvertently kill me.”

CNN reported the full text of letter sent to Senator Feinstein. Ford stated in letter:

“Brett Kavanaugh physically and sexually assaulted me during high school in the early 1980’s. He conducted these acts with the assistance of REDACTED.”

The allegations have drawn a blanket denial from Judge Kavanaugh who has stated, “I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time.” The situation has continued the roiling nomination process that has made the confirmation hearings of nominees Robert Bork in the late 1980s and Clarence Thomas in the early 1990s look like an absolute cakewalk.

One interesting development that occurred today detailed that Ford, not herself but her family, has another connection to Judge Kavanaugh, not himself but his family. An article from Powerline details the narrative discussed on the Rush Limbaugh Show today that ties together the families of Ford and Kavanaugh. Court documents show that Judge Martha Kavanaugh, Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s mother, ruled against Ralph and Paula Blasey, Christine Blasey Ford’s parents, in a foreclosure case over 20 years ago.

A few details of the 1996 case over which Judge Martha Kavanaugh presided were relayed via Twitter, containing mostly embedded tweets from a the user, but also two screenshots from Maryland’s case search site. Laura Ingraham also tweeted out a story from America First Media Group that details the development.

According to a report from Mediaite, the foreclosure case “was dismissed before the judge had to rule on it,” and the property “is still in the family’s name.”

The Daily Caller stated that public records show that at the end of the case, adjudicated in the Montgomery County Circuit Court system, Judge Martha Kavanaugh “did not rule on decisions related to possible seizure of the property. Rather, it appears the Blaseys reached a settlement with their bank before their property was lost.”

As well, it was reported that Judge Martha Kavanaugh “granted uncontested motions brought by UMLIC [United Mortgage & Loan Investment Corporation] to dismiss the case after the settlement was reached,” which appears to be the extent of her involvement in the matter.

Furthermore, on the grounds of person political affiliation, Fox News reports that Ford is a “registered Democrat who has given small monetary donations to political causes,” donating to ActBlue, a non-profit group that aims to help Democrats and progressive candidates. She has also given money to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Friends of Bernie Sanders, according to filing reports from the FEC.

Ford is also one of the thousands of medical professional signatories who supported a Physicians for Human Rights letter in June decrying the practice of separating children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border and urging the Trump Administration to cease the actions.

Additionally, there are pictures surfacing on the Internet with Ford attending rallies wearing a pink “brain cap,” those that were inspired by pink “p**** hats,” which are often worn at women’s groups marches, alluding to increased levels of her left-leaning political activism in the Trump era.

Another interesting twist in the story as told by the Pacific Pundit is that Ralph Blasey III, Ford’s brother, was formerly employed at the Washington, D.C., offices of Baker & Hostetler LLP –  the same firm that made payments of over $500,000 to Fusion GPS.

Fusion GPS is the research firm that paid former British spy Christopher Steele to conduct reconnaissance on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. However, the article states that Ralph Blasey III was not employed by Baker & Hostetler at the time of the “Steele dossier” formulation, which posited that then-candidate Trump was colluding with Russian officials to sway the 2016 election.

Regardless, Ford has stated through her lawyer, Debra Katz, a whistleblower attorney who works with “#MeToo” survivors, that she is willing to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify about the alleged incident. A date has not yet been set.

“The fact that Kavanaugh’s mother ruled against Ford’s parents doesn’t prove Ford is lying,” the author of the Powerline piece says. “Her allegation, coming so many years after the fact,” however, “having been presented so late and with little detail as to time and place, is probably not susceptible to being ruled out means that, if not ‘ruled in’ conclusively, the story should not preclude Kavanaugh’s confirmation. We have statutes of limitations for a reason.”

Last week, a letter, signed by 65 women from a wide range of political backgrounds, all of whom have known Judge Kavanaugh in the past, stated that the Supreme Court nominee “has behaved honorably and treated women with respect,” with the signatories relaying information about how the women have known him over the years and how he has “stood out for his friendship, character, and integrity.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee is still slated to vote on the confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh Thursday, but it seems that this new development could delay that. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said that Ford could possibly testify as early as Tuesday, to rectify the recently-surfaced allegations against the nominee.

The one word – the only word – that can accurately describe these situations and the entire confirmation hearing process of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court is – wait for it – unprecedented.

The Kavanaugh Mystery Letter Senator Feinstein Has That Ronan Farrow Is Trying To Break

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have been railing against the document dump the night before the beginning of the days-long confirmation hearings for Judge Brett Kavanaugh; however, there are now calls of hypocrisy as a Kavanaugh-related document is in the possession of the panel’s top Democrat, who refuses to disclose it. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) holds a letter, reportedly from a California constituent, wherein in purportedly describes an incident involving the Supreme Court nominee and a woman while they were in high school decades ago.

As reported by The Intercept, news of the alleged incident was relayed to someone affiliated with Stanford University, who authored the letter and sent it to Democratic Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (CA-18), which was then passed on to Feinstein.

This week, Feinstein was approached by Democrats on the committee about the letter, but she refused to inform even her own party about its contents. Democrats say they want their own opportunity to gauge whether or not the letter should be made public, rather than leaving it to Feinstein to make that call herself.

The only thing known about the woman who is the subject of the letter is that she is now being legally represented by Debra Katz, a whistleblower attorney who works with “#MeToo” survivors.

According to a press release from the senator’s office, all Feinstein has had to say is, “I have received information from an individual concerning the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. That individual strongly requested confidentiality, declined to come forward or press the matter further, and I have honored that decision. I have, however, referred the matter to federal investigative authorities.”

Even though the alleged woman’s name was redacted in the correspondence, apparently Ronan Farrow knows more about the situation than anyone. As stated in Hot Air (ironic), here’s the scoop:

“The allegation dates back to the early nineteen-eighties, when Kavanaugh was a high-school student at Georgetown Preparatory School, in Bethesda, Maryland, and the woman attended a nearby high school. In the letter, the woman alleged that, during an encounter at a party, Kavanaugh held her down, and that he attempted to force himself on her. She claimed in the letter that Kavanaugh and a classmate of his, both of whom had been drinking, turned up music that was playing in the room to conceal the sound of her protests, and that Kavanaugh covered her mouth with his hand. She was able to free herself. Although the alleged incident took place decades ago and the three individuals involved were minors, the woman said that the memory had been a source of ongoing distress for her, and that she had sought psychological treatment as a result.”

Judge Kavanaugh has stated, “I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time.” Even a classmate of his said, “I have no recollection of that.”

Farrow has been one of the arbiters of investigative reporting during #MeToo movement. In nearly every case he has covered he cites testimony from friends and family of the alleged victim, creating an entire picture of an incident. However, when it comes to Judge Kavanaugh and the mysterious woman, none of that is provided. There is no mention of a friend, family member, nurse, doctor, police report – nothing. Considering the woman is said to have sought psychological help to deal with her distress, there should at least be some type of evidence.

Following this development, a tweet was sent out from the Senate Judiciary Committee about a letter than was sent to Feinstein and the committee’s chairman Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA). The letter, signed by 65 women from a wide range of political backgrounds, states that Judge Kavanaugh “has behaved honorably and treated women with respect,” with the signatories relaying information about how the women have known him over the years and how he has “stood out for his friendship, character, and integrity.”

On Twitter, the correspondence from the committee’s page says:

“65 women of bipartisan backgrounds who knew Judge Kavanaugh in high school: “For the entire time we have known Brett Kavanaugh, he has behaved honorably and treated women with respect” & has “stood out for his friendship, character, and integrity” #SCOTUS”

The Sacramento Bee reports that Feinstein’s 2018 election opponent, California State Senator Kevin de León, says the ranking member’s actions are evidence of “a failure of leadership.”

“The American people deserve to know why the Ranking Member on the Senate Judiciary Committee waited nearly three months to hand this disqualifying document over to the federal authorities and why Sen. Feinstein politely pantomimed her way through last week’s hearing without a single question about the content of Kavanaugh’s character,” de León, a fellow Democrat, said in a statement.

As the days pile on and the chaotic scene within the halls of the upper chamber continue, it seems that Democrats, undoubtedly, are looking for a “gotcha” moment – tantamount to the Anita Hill controversy during the confirmation hearings for Justice Clarence Thomas. These hearings have gone far beyond that, and are even more petulant than those occurring when Robert Bork was nominated to the Supreme Court.

The highest court in the land is supposed to be non-political.

Well, it still is, and will always be.

However, what is political is the circus-like atmosphere on the Hill that is reported by those in the media as “news.” There is no news here; it’s character assassination broadcast from sea to shining sea.

warner

Mark Warner Will Vote Against Confirming Judge Brett Kavanaugh, Despite Answers To Rectify Concerns

Even though Judge Brett Kavanaugh has provided the Senate Judiciary Committee with clear answers to their concerns surrounding his past rulings, even how he may rule in some cases, issues surrounding abortion rights and executive powers, it is not enough for Virginia Senator Mark Warner, who will vote “no” to confirm the D.C. Circuit Court judge to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Hurricane Florence To Bring Strong Winds And Heavy Rain To Much Of Virginia

Everyone along the coasts of the Southeast and mid-Atlantic U.S. are now on alert for a potential strike from Category 4 Hurricane Florence later this week. Those in North Carolina and Virginia and the most vulnerable due the storm’s forecast path.

AccuWeather is already estimating that the financial toll from Hurricane Florence could reach $30 billion, due to the extensive damage and flooding anticipated.

Currently, most of the spaghetti models have Hurricane Florence making landfall between Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks and Wilmington, North Carolina.

As of now, the maximum-sustained winds emanating from the hurricane are approximately 130 miles per hour. However, as the storm seeks to strengthen by tomorrow morning, gathering energy in the Atlantic Ocean that harbors near-coast water temperatures of at least 86 degrees Fahrenheit, many are predicting the storm will have maximum-sustained winds upwards of 150 miles per hour, nearing the designation of a Category 5 storm.

Though, the danger with Hurricane Florence is not the winds, in fact, it’s the rain.

Virginia emergency management officials are calling for “catastrophic levels of inland flooding.” Yesterday, Governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency, ordering the mandatory evacuation of 245,000 residents in the lowest-lying shorelines of Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore. The evacuation was slated to be in effect at 8:00 a.m. this morning.

There is the potential for Florence to stall or significantly reduce its forward speed as it nears the coast, which could prolong the effects of damaging winds, storm surge flooding, and beach erosion. Such a development would also greatly enhance inland flooding of streams and rivers.

“There’s never been a storm like Florence,” AccuWeather Vice President of Forecasting and Graphics Operations Marshall Moss said. “It was located farther north in the Atlantic than any other storm to ever hit the Carolinas, so what we’re forecasting is unprecedented.”

He added, “Also, most storms coming into the Carolinas tend to move northward, and this storm looks like it’s going to stall over the region and potentially bring tremendous, life-threatening flooding.”

Rainfall of up to 20 inches is projected in some areas of the state, including Central and Southside Virginia. Estimates of eight to 15 inches rain now cover more than half of the Commonwealth.

“Take this storm very seriously,” Virginia Coordinator of Emergency Management Jeff Stern said, according to a report from the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Stern explained, “This is a very challenging storm that works against our normal planning scenarios because in addition to a major Category 4 or 5 potential storm — something that no one in Virginia has experienced in their lifetimes — coming ashore just south of us or even potentially still directly into Virginia, we will see with the potential stall that is predicted catastrophic levels of inland flooding throughout the state.”

Hurricane Florence will also be the first significant test for the James River floodwall in Richmond since the 1990s. Even if the metro region does not get the maximum forecast amount of rain fall, significant inland flooding runoff from the western part of the state will greatly affect the river.

Richmond may feel the effects of the seemingly unprecedented rainfall up to a week after it passes through.

The floodwall has under gone annual checks by the Army Corps of Engineers, most recently checked in June, as well as two weeks ago. City officials will close the gates when the James River reaches the nine to ten foot-high level at the Richmond-Westham Gauge.

Richmond’s Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Operations Bob Steidel explained recently that underground portions of the floodwall system are used frequently, even in smaller storms to prevent flooding from reaching the city. The 14th Street Bridge gates would likely be the first above-ground portion to be closed if flooding became severe.

As for preparations before Florence arrives, Stern said the state of emergency allows an “unprecedented mobilization of the entire force of the Virginia National Guard.” All 6,000 troops have been put on call, with 1,500 to be active by Wednesday night.

Furthermore, for the first time ever, Virginia has asked for mutual aid from neighboring states. Requests included 21 swift-water rescue teams and five incident management teams that will provide movement, supply, and air support to local governments and the military bases, according to the report.

9/11

The 17th Anniversary Of 9/11: When One Believed And Sacrificed To Save Countless Souls

“Just Do It.” v. “Lets Roll!” The sentiment within American advertising has taken a role of being punchy, provocative, even polemical. However, sometimes there are the moments that lead to action without thought, service with no choice, an answer with no call, creating a memory that lives through the ages spurred by an ultimate sacrifice. 

Speaker Kirk Cox Talks About Possible Recommendations From Select Committee On School Safety

“We’re going to need to spend some money, but we’re going to need to spend it prudently,” Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) said, remarking on possible recommendations coming from the Select Committee on School Safety, which may include physical and technological security measures, but will be centered around student wellness.

Republican Senator Asks AG: Is Virginia Violating Brown v. Board As School Infrastructure Deteriorates?

“63 years later, does the U.S. Constitution or federal law provide a legal remedy for the failure to satisfy the Brown II mandate on school infrastructure?” State Senator Bill Stanley asks Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring as the consensus to fix crumbling schools throughout the Commonwealth gains widespread, bipartisan acclaim.