Jeff Flake, the squishy Senator from Arizona, is having himself a dilemma. He can’t decide whether or not to support the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh.
I caught up with Flake briefly as he left the event, and asked if this meant he would not vote to confirm Kavanaugh, even if the FBI cleared him by week’s end. He appeared rattled, and his handlers rushed him into the stairwell. “I didn’t say that …” he stammered. “I wasn’t referring to him.”
Flake seemed to be wavering in recent days over his willingness to confirm Kavanaugh. On Friday afternoon, mere hours after stating he would vote to send the judge’s nomination to the Senate floor, he struck the agreement with Coons, and urged his colleagues to support the week-long probe before moving forward.
Flake explained his anguish late Friday night in an interview with my colleague McKay Coppins. Even after he’d signaled his intent to vote “yea” on Friday morning, Flake said, he remained “unsettled” by the lack of clarity surrounding the allegations. He began to warm to Coons’s idea for a brief investigation. “If it was anybody else, I wouldn’t have taken it as seriously. But I know Chris. … We trust each other,” Flake explained. “And I thought, if we could actually get something like what he was asking for—an investigation limited in time, limited in scope—we could maybe bring a little unity.”
Speaking with Jeffrey Rosen, the president of the National Constitution Center, and Democratic Senator Chris Coons at The Atlantic Festival on Tuesday morning, Flake called the judge’s interactions with lawmakers “sharp and partisan.”
“We can’t have that on the Court,” said the Arizona senator, who didn’t elaborate on which interactions he was referring to.
But apparently you can have partisanship on the Court. Here’s a dose of Ruth Bader Ginsburg:
July 8, 2016
“I can’t imagine what this place would be — I can’t imagine what the country would be — with Donald Trump as our president. For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be — I don’t even want to contemplate that.
Referring to something she thought her late husband, tax lawyer Martin Ginsburg, would have said, she said: “Now it’s time for us to move to New Zealand.”
July 11, 2016
“He is a faker. He has no consistency about him. He says whatever comes into his head at the moment. He really has an ego. … How has he gotten away with not turning over his tax returns? The press seems to be very gentle with him on that ….
“At first I thought it was funny,” she said of Trump’s early candidacy. “To think that there’s a possibility that he could be president ….
“I think he has gotten so much free publicity ….
And as for youthful indiscretions disqualifying one for future service, well, Flake ought to know that one well. His son Tanner has had some pretty nasty things to say:
“To the f—-t who stole my dirt bike from the church parking lot, I will find you, and I will beat the crap out of you,” the boy, whose Twitter handle is @tflakey, wrote on March 20.
“I’m down to own some f—-ts,” he wrote in February, in a tweet directed at another Twitter user.
His tweets also included an anti-Semitic message directed at an undisclosed Twitter user.
“Say something hilarious, and I guarantee that … will say it louder and get all the credit. Jew,” he tweeted in February.
In a series of Facebook postings, riddled with “f—-t” and “n—-r,” the boy also bragged about his famous dad.
He boasted that he could talk to his father about a “crappy bill” his Facebook friend was protesting.
BuzzFeed also reported that the teenager used the screen name “n1—rkiller” in Fun Run, a gaming app on which he was active.
Additionally, Flake posted screenshots of scores from games on “Fun Run,” a social gaming app. The screenshots show that Flake goes by the name of “n1ggerkiller.”
UPDATE: A source points out that Flake’s YouTube comments are also littered with offensive language. A preliminary review of the hundreds of comments shows he repeatedly called other users “nigger” and “faggot,” called Mexicans the “scum of the Earth,” and on several occasions bragged that his father is a member of Congress.
Wonder where he learned that?
No matter. Should this haunt the kid his entire life? Should he have this used as a tool with which to batter him if he ever sought public service?
As the father of boys, I don’t think so. Flake needs to remember this when passing judgment.
The thing with Flake, though, is a lack of principle.
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said Sunday that there’s “not a chance” he would have called for an FBI investigation into the allegations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh if he were running for reelection.
“Not a chance,” Flake said when asked on CBS’s “60 Minutes” if he would have asked for the investigation if he were up for reelection in the November midterms.
“There’s no value to reaching across the aisle,” Flake said. “There’s no currency for that anymore. There’s no incentive.”
That’s a problem, but if he votes against Kavanaugh then his son’s past is open game forever.
DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.
DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Except for liberals being foolish.
Flake is in the throws of a nervous breakdown !!!!!
And, just like that, Flake was a liberal hero. He’s checked all the boxes.
Tanner’s actions are that of a dumb kid. Obviously, his father is not on top of his character development as he should be, but dumb kids do dumb things. What is important is how he learns from this. That remains to be seen.
It would be an interesting experiment to see how Sen. Flake would react to his son one day being persecuted for dumb, adolescent acts, perhaps even some he never even committed. We’ll probably never know, but I have a pretty good guess, since he has pitched his lot in with the Party of Hypocrisy.
Flake is bucking for a talking head spot on one of the cable channels, his political career is over. The poor young man needs a real father, not a squishy two faced lying fool.
Perhaps the boy will outgrow this phase some never do. So with not being able to grow into a real man, with a squish as an example Flake has to cash in where he can so the brat can live on inheritance carefully doled out.
His son hasn’t been nominated for a lifetime seat on the Supreme Court of the United States.
@Greg:
Neither was Brett Kavanagh when he was 17. But that doesn’t stop Democrats for trying to destroy him now.
Remember, Greggie Gullible, paybacks are a b!tch. The Democratic Party is going to rue the day. Sooner, if not later.
What I don’t understand is how adults, like yourself, can buy into the garbage put out by the Democrats. Obviously, your parents failed you.
Maybe that’s why your an idiot.
At this point, payback is what the GOP has coming, and what they’re likely soon to get. By the way, you need to polish up your insults. I don’t believe that last sentence is grammatically correct.
I wonder what they “have” on Flake.
Although there have been others, Chief Justice Roberts comes to mind. A very conservative judge….against O’Bamacare….then all of a sudden….deems it legal.
There have been others.
My guess….during the last administration, they used the fbi and intelligence agencies, to “get all the dirt” they could on Republicans.
@Greg:
Go away, creep. You’re not the grammar police. You’re just an idiot that has no rational thought cross your lame brain.
You’re an idiot and I will continue to point that out.
What does the D in Democrat stand for? Deceptive, deceitful, dishonorable, destructive.
@Greg:
That bright flash that just whizzed by your head is the point you are missing.
You do realize, don’t you, that it was neither Trump’s or the Republican’s fault that you Democrats put up a terrible candidate. That’s on YOU.
@retire05:
They WANT to. Really, really badly.
@steve grant:
Some people just like to be a weasel.
All of Kavanaugh’s accusers are now officially in deep trouble.
Trump Engaged in Suspect Tax Schemes as He Reaped Riches From His Father
The man is a liar and a crook. Why did you think he wouldn’t release his returns?
@retire05: #5
“What I don’t understand is how adults, like yourself, can buy into the garbage put out by the Democrats. Obviously, your parents failed you.”
The paycheck must be worth more than the pride.
@Greg:
For the same reason the KIng of the Choom Gang would not release his college transcripts. Never mind that the very guy who helped Obama buy his Chicago mansion now sits in prison.
@Greg: Instead of fantasizing about more bogus investigations into Trump, you COULD answer the questions I asked you.
@Greg: #4
Nice deflection, Greg.
Playing by the Democrat rules, the kid has made himself unemployable, unworthy of an intimate relationship or marriage, and ineligible for higher education or any kind of political appointment.
He is, in the LibSoc world that you so desire, destined to die a lonely, homeless virgin.
@Petercat:
Kavanaugh HAS been nominated for a lifetime seat on the Supreme Court of the United States. Republicans are attempting to shove his confirmation through the Senate when there are serious unresolved issues concerning the man—among them, the possibility that he has lied to or deliberately misled the Senate while under oath during this very confirmation process.
The deflection here would be an attempt to shift the discussion from that to Jeff Flake’s son.
It’s pretty ironic that the boy who posted all those remarks reeks of “white privilege,” as well as “toxic masculinity,” while his own dad is, in words, anyway, a soy boy.
Makes one wonder if mom has a different father figure around helping her raise those boys.
All the SJW crap the schools put their students thru and still he talks like a throwback to the “dark ages” of the 1950’s-80’s?
How did this happen?
@Greg: The game is to delay until the Dems have a chance to put someone in the seat of their choosing. Until then no amount of investigations will be enough for them. So far all the Dems have are charges, no actual evidence and no proof. Which is not surprising as they are putting forth a parade of liars and we know how you hate liars.
Then of course there is this.
https://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/atlantic-richfield-lawyer-a-friend-of-judge-brett-kavanaugh/article_eacdded2-e85d-5be6-8a27-d522d983ee0b.html#tracking-source=home-the-latest
@Greg:
That’s kind of not the point, Greg. The standard for treatment of all young men is being written here.
@Greg:
Greg, there is something called the “IRS.” They’ve gotten his returns every year and I bet he’s audited every year, especially during the obama years.
@Greg:
No, they aren’t. The timeline of this nomination is not extraordinary in the least. The only thing extraordinary about it is the scam Feinstein pulled. Are you ever going to address that? By your flailing avoidance, I can only conclude that you believe it to be such an underhanded, scummy, despicable, cowardly trick that you can’t even motivate yourself to lie about it, much less honestly discuss how it exposes Democrat’s disregard for laws and justice.
@Nan G:
His daddy is transitioning from Republican to Democrat and Tanner appears to be on the Democrat side of that transition.
Nice work fellow FA’ers no rabbit holes for Greggie our pet troll.
@Greg: #15
No, Greg, this a “Living, breathing” conversation, subject to our whims.
It has become a discussion of impossible standards of judgment.
I was rather sarcastically pointing out where your holding of your opponents (and only them) to a standard higher than even Jesus Christ himself could meet would lead.
If you have your way, where someone’s life can be destroyed, their families threatened and abused in the most vile ways over an unprovable, uncorroborated accusation then we will not have good people involved in government.
The cost won’t be worth it.
I sure as hell don’t want to live in the nation that you envision.
And every time a liberal opens their mouth I become more determined to prevent that from happening. For the children.
@Petercat: I am reminded of Admiral Yamamoto’s remark after the attack on Pearl Harbor failed to destroy the US Navy and happened after the declaration of war;
“I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”
Outrage over Democrat obstruction, lies, corruption, hypocrisy and injustice is growing and growing. If they actually succeed in blocking Kavanaugh, it will explode and vaporize this weak “blue wave”. The Democrats simply do not understand real people.
@Petercat, #22:
Maybe you have somehow failed to noticed, but it’s Trump supporters who have been condemning Jeff Flake as a traitor. They’ll viciously go after anyone who doesn’t blindly follow the lead of the fraud in the White House.
@Greg: Kind of difficult to say someone that votes FOR a supremely qualified candidate for the Supreme Court, one that has had more documentation to support his nomination than any other before him, one with a stellar judicial record, is “blindly following” Trump’s bidding. It is, other than blind liberal partisanship, impossible to find a reason NOT to vote for him.
How would the left regard a Democrat that votes FOR Kavanaugh? What would be the penalty for not blindly following Schumer and Pelosi?
@Greg: #24
Oooh, you’ve come up with one example! Keep trying.
For every one that you can provide, I can provide a dozen, usually based on racial or sexual lines. Because we all know liberals aren’t racist or sexist. sarc/off
As long as the minorities and women toe the Party line, of course.
Clarence Thomas, Kanye West, Stacy Dash, Log Cabin Conservatives, any Muslim that stands against terrorism…
I could go on, but why bother? Your example is a joke, and I’m not wasting any more time on it.
@Petercat: How about Democrats’ treatment of McCain? While he was a Republican, he was a senile old racist war monger that hated women. When he denounced Trump, he was an icon. I ask again, how does anyone think the Democrats would treat any Democrat that votes for Kavanaugh? We’ll probably never know because those Democrats KNOW what Schumer and Pelosi would do to them if they stray off the Stupid Preserve.
@Greg: “fraud in the White House” what does that mean? I thought the electoral college procedure was the method used to determine the winner, and seems as if Trump got over 300 votes and that makes it a legitimate election, so tell all of us how Trump is a ‘fraud’. Turns out Flake was not a traitor, just a flake.