In the end, this may very well amount to no difference for all involved. But procedurally, it may help solidify a precedent. Anita Hill’s accusations yielded an investigation (followed by a confirmation). Similarly, although it wasn’t looking like this way until the very last minute, Ford’s accusation will be afforded the same degree of respect, at least in terms of an investigation. Probably to be followed by a confirmation as well.
But the precedent will be harder to ignore next time. The next time a credible accusation of a serious crime is made, the argument of “we can’t afford to waste a few days investigating, we have a letter right here that says nothing happened and that’s good enough for us, so let’s vote right now!” will seem even more spurious than before.
The histrionics of Sen. Graham’s dire warnings aside, the man still had a point. The next time a Democratic president nominates a judge, and that judge faces a credible accusation of criminal behavior, there will be payback. That judge quite simply will have to suffer the indignity of an FBI investigation. And good. That sounds like the way it ought to be for everyone.
Never the hell mind – I was wrong, there’s no sane precedent being made here. Partisan trench warfare continues unabated.
Looks like Hill’s claims got an investigation, and Ford’s claims get an “investigation”. Where the White House counsel provides the FBI with a list of the only people they are permitted to interview and shit like that, no joke. Want to talk to Judge’s former employer as a means of verifying those elements of Ford’s story? Too bad for you, that’s not in the White House-approved script. The lack of an investigation and lack of calling witnesses to testify is what made this whole affair smell at the start, not the accusation itself. Hamstringing the investigation like this now makes it stink. It’s hard not to conclude that both the Senate and the White House are working very, very hard to prevent people from actually performing the investigation that could be used to clear Kavanaugh, and to wonder what sort of advantage such a heavily biased process could possibly give to an innocent man.
EDIT: Oh who the hell knows anymore. People verify McGahn indeed hamstrung the investigation, but then Trump tweets that it never happened. Does that mean McGahn’s restrictions get reversed, or it’s just another round of gaslighting and business as usual? The story will surely reverse itself tomorrow regardless.