Presumably, this scoop from CNN was meant to make Brett Kavanaugh look bad:
NEW DETAILS from @Arianedevogue: According to woman, Kavanaugh attempted to remove her clothes. At one point, Kavanaugh was on top of her laughing as the other male in the room periodically jumped onto Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh held his hand over her mouth at one point.
— MJ Lee (@mj_lee) September 14, 2018
Thing is, the person who comes out looking the worst is none other than Dianne Feinstein. National Review’s Charles C.W. Cooke, for one, is pretty flabbergasted by what he just read:
This is utterly bizarre. pic.twitter.com/sONFPlWwnI
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) September 14, 2018
Not really.
She withheld info from other Dems on the Judiciary Committee so they couldn't leak it to the press too early. She didn't WANT scrutiny of the accusation.
Now Kavanaugh has 6 days of a press cycle dragging his name through the mud prior to next week's vote.
— Angry Accountant (@Grynch999) September 14, 2018
Indeed.
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) September 14, 2018
So this confirms it was referred solely for political purposes. No way the FBI could even investigate this without the name.
— Nick Pappas (@NickAPappas) September 14, 2018
I have seen zero evidence thus far that Senator Feinstein considers this claim to be credible. In fact, her behavior—sitting on it, redacting the name, refusing to share it—suggests precisely the opposite.
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) September 14, 2018
Yep. Feinstein had been in possession of this supposedly damning letter since July, yet she only brought it to light yesterday. That’s not something you do with allegations you take seriously.
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WHY IS IT BIZARRE? IF THE WOMAN REQUESTED ANONYMITY TO PROTECT HER IDENTITY DIANNE DID THE RIGHT THING.
— Catherine the Grateful (@freeandclear1) September 14, 2018
It is the height of irresponsibility—and illiberalism—for a U.S. Senator to half-release an anonymous accusation. If an accuser wants to stay anonymous, that's fine, but s/he can't also expect to repeat the benefits attendant to an accusation.
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) September 14, 2018
Anita Hill wanted to stay anonymous and look how that turned out. Feinstein was trying to honor the woman’s request and to not traumatize her more. I know you don’t understand that or care.
— Black Girl Justice (@dodi70) September 14, 2018
As I said: You don't get to reap the benefits of an accusation while remaining anonymous. It's one or the other. This is basic liberalism, and basic decency.
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) September 14, 2018
Two things with which Feinstein is apparently unfamiliar.
Yet the Repubs knew it would come up and went to the effort to get 65 women from his high school to sign a letter.
— Chacmool (@jjwilson23) September 14, 2018
People tend to defend themselves when smeared in public. Your argument amounts to, "he says he's innocent, and that just shows he's guilty!"
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) September 14, 2018
How many other SCOTUS appointees have needed to pre-schedule a letter from 65 people from high school?
— Chacmool (@jjwilson23) September 14, 2018
Both the one signatory I've spoken to and Chuck Grassley said that the letter was assembled hastily by Kavanaugh's clerks.
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) September 14, 2018
Feinstein sat on her letter. The GOP did not.
This is a serious allegation. Feinstein and the accuser need to explain themselves
— What!? Oh hell no, hold up, huh? oh ok (@giddieupbitches) September 14, 2018
Brett Kavanaugh’s been forced to explain himself for weeks, defend himself from baseless smears and evidence-free accusations. It’s long past time for Feinstein and the Democrats to be held accountable for what they have done.
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Something’s ROTTEN! Ronan Farrow’s Brett Kavanaugh scoop only makes Dems look DIRTIER