Democrats Seek Kavanaugh’s Impeachment Following New Reporting

Democrats are now seeking impeachment of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was confirmed in 2018 despite multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. On Sunday, Democrats called for a new investigation following a recent New York Times piece by journalists Robin Pogrebin and Kate Kelly, who have been examining last year’s accusations against Kavanaugh while doing research for their forthcoming book, The Education of Brett Kavanaugh: An Investigation. 

In addition to Christine Blasey Ford, who testified that Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her during high school, Deborah Ramirez, a Yale classmate of Kavanaugh’s, also accused Kavanaugh in 2018 of sexual assault. Ramirez alleged that while both were students at Yale, Kavanaugh exposed himself to her, and forced her to touch his penis as she tried to avoid him.

Ramirez did not testify in 2018, and even though she and her attorneys presented the FBI with 25 witnesses, the Justice Department did not follow up with any of them.

In 2018, Kavanaugh denied Ramirez’ allegation, saying that if it had taken place, it would have been the talk of the campus. Evidently, though, it was. 

Though Kavanaugh’s supporters claimed Ramirez’ accusation was uncorroborated, the New York Times reported: 

“At least seven people, including Ms. Ramirez’s mother, heard about the Yale incident long before Mr. Kavanaugh was a federal judge. Two of those people were classmates who learned of it just days after the party occurred, suggesting that it was discussed among students at the time.”

During their investigation, the two Times journalists detailed additional corroborations of Ramirez’ allegations, as well as turning up a witness with an additional allegation that is nearly identical to that of Ramirez.

According to the Times journalists, “A classmate (of Kavanaugh, Ramirez, and the newly revealed additional victim), Max Stier, saw Mr. Kavanaugh with his pants down at a different drunken dorm party, where friends pushed his penis into the hand of a female student. Mr. Stier, who runs a nonprofit organization in Washington, notified senators and the F.B.I. about this account, but the F.B.I. did not investigate and Mr. Stier has declined to discuss it publicly.” 

It should be noted that friends of this alleged victim say she does not remember the incident. Stier and others concede that that is often the case with events that take place when one is drunk. 

The Times journalists continue, “(We corroborated the story with two officials who have communicated with Mr. Stier.)”

Donald Trump continues to support Kavanaugh while blasting those calling for a new investigation: “Now the Radical Left Democrats and their Partner, the LameStream Media, are after Brett Kavanaugh again, talking loudly of their favorite word, impeachment,” Trump tweeted. “He is an innocent man who has been treated HORRIBLY. Such lies about him. They want to scare him into turning Liberal!”

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) tweeted, “Last year the Kavanaugh nomination was rammed through the Senate without a thorough examination of the allegations against him. Confirmation is not exoneration, and these newest revelations are disturbing. Like the man who appointed him, Kavanaugh should be impeached.”

Beto O’Rourke tweeted, “Yesterday, we learned of another accusation against Brett Kavanaugh—one we didn’t find out about before he was confirmed because the Senate forced the F.B.I. to rush its investigation to save his nomination. We know he lied under oath. He should be impeached.”

Multiple other Democrats have tweeted their support of impeachment for Kavanaugh. Though they must surely realize that the chances of impeaching Kavanaugh are slim to none, perhaps going on record in support of impeachment is enough of a message.

NYT reveals new Kavanaugh assault allegation | Newsy [09-15-2019]

Trump rips new claim against Kavanaugh | Fox News [2019-09-15]

Trump Proposes Larger Holes in Safety Net for Low-Income People

The Trump administration says that it plans to reduce poverty in the U.S. by cutting, changing, or limiting a number of safety net programs designed to help low-income people. Claiming he wants “to get more people off government aid and into the workforce so they can become self-sufficient,” Trump says his various proposals will do this by “promoting opportunity and economic mobility” for those who live in poverty or are low-income.

One such item put in place by the Trump administration is a memorandum that calls on federal agencies to enforce a law that requires sponsors of green card holders to reimburse government agencies for cost of government benefits the sponsored immigrant has used. 

Though Trump insists this legislation will help immigrants to be “more self-sufficient,” Immigrant rights advocates say that the change is intended to discourage green card holders from applying for needed benefits; and also to restrict immigration, both legal and illegal.

A related proposal by the Department of Homeland Security would make it more difficult for immigrants to get green cards if they receive benefits such as SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or “food stamps”) or housing assistance. Immigrant rights advocates point out that this change would impact not only immigrants, but their family members who are already U.S. citizens. 

A pending proposal, ironically coming from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, would rescind a requirement for payday lenders to determine whether a potential borrower will have the ability to repay a requested loan. Because of easy availability of payday loans, many low-income people find themselves burdened with interest rates of up to 300 percent, and the inability to repay them. Often, they borrow more to repay earlier loans. 

Trump has also proposed stricter enforcement of the work requirement for low-income people to continue to be eligible for SNAP benefits. After three months of receiving SNAP benefits, able-bodied adults would be required to work, volunteer, or get job training for at least 20 hours a week. A related proposal that would impose work requirements for Medicaid recipients has been challenged in court.

An estimated 750,000 current SNAP recipients could lose their benefits because of the inability to find work or meet other requirements.

“They really are trying to use every agency to make life harder for people who are low-income,” says Elizabeth Lower-Basch, director of income and work supports at the Center for Law and Social Policy.

Other proposed pieces of legislation aimed at the safety net for those with low incomes include recalculation of the poverty line, and restriction of waiving the asset and income limits for SNAP eligibility.

Trump is fond of framing his proposed trashing of the safety net as a way to “help people help themselves.” He says he wants to ensure that taxpayer money is spent on “those who are truly in need.” 

But if one doesn’t have enough food, doesn’t have an address to list on a job application, or can’t get healthcare to remain healthy in order to work, isn’t that what it is to be “truly in need”? It seems ironic for a group of legislators who have never experienced poverty to make the determination that others who experience it daily, aren’t “low-income” enough to deserve help. 

Cuccinelli Unveils Trump Policy That Favors Wealthier Immigrants
Bloomberg [2019-08-12]

Why Trump’s new limit on food stamp eligibility will affect working families most | PBS NewsHour [2019-07-23]