The bum's rush to confirm Kavanaugh

The bum's rush is what you give an unwelcome guest at your party. In this case, though, Republicans are trying to rush an unwelcome nominee for the Supreme Court through his confirmation. It's a bum's rush into a lifetime appointment that will protect their party's standard bearer if — or rather, when — he is called to account for his official misconduct, as seems exceedingly likely.

Republican senators insist the Kavanaugh nomination, already moving faster than any previous Congress would have countenanced, must be voted on before the midterms. They're hoping you don't ask them why.

That's what you need to do. Ask your Republican senator why it's so goddamned important to confirm him that quickly.

It's a lifetime appointment, for crying out loud. What difference will an extra month or so make?

Why shouldn't the FBI investigate the attempted rape allegation against Kavanaugh before the Judiciary Committee, much less the full Senate, resumes consideration of Kavanaugh?

What reason is there for retired Justice Kennedy's seat to be filled with such haste? Mitch McConnell held open Antonin Scalia's former seat for a freaking year! If that was acceptable to Republicans, then a little more time to consider Kavanaugh is completely acceptable. In fact, I would argue more time is essential considering that Senate Republicans have been at pains to conceal much of Kavanaugh's record (as a Bush 43 administration lawyer) not just from the public but from the rest of the Senate.

What the hell are Senate Republicans (and the White House) afraid of?

My guess?

The truth. And justice. (And for all I know, the American way, too.)

Neither Judiciary Committee chair Chuck Grassley nor any other Republican senator has the courage to come out and admit that their unseemly haste is down to their partisan need to protect our domestic Dear Leader from having to testify to Robert Mueller — or possibly even having to face criminal indictment for official misconduct. Heaven knows there's enough evidence of such misconduct just from what the public has seen.

To my mind, this rush to confirm Kavanaugh is yet another instance of Congressional Republicans' complicity in Don Trumpone's high crimes and misdemeanors. They are his enablers, aiding and abetting his attacks on our governmental institutions. If there's any justice in the world, Congressional Republicans will be held criminally responsible for obstruction of justice at the very least.