Worthington BLOG: Who Deserves Due Process?

Worthington BLOG: Who Deserves Due Process?

 

I don’t know what is going to happen with the Kavenaugh investigation. If the FBI finds he has lied about anything, I personally would not vote to confirm him.

On the other hand, if there is no new information, I really don’t see how he won’t be confirmed. That (to me personally) is both good and bad.

In considering how I personally feel about Kavenaugh, and the confirmation process, I asked myself a couple of questions: The biggest one is this: Who deserves Due Process? Does that include somebody who is about to be put on the Supreme Court?

If you answer yes, and there is no evidence to support any of the claims made against him, I think it’s only fair to allow the confirmation vote to move forward. Hey – that is how I feel about it, and I know some people I am friendly with are going to disagree with me. I respect your right to disagree.

If you are not sure what Due Process is, I swiped this from Wikipedia: “The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution each contain a Due Process Clause. Due process deals with the administration of justice and thus the Due Process Clause acts as a safeguard from arbitrary denial of life, liberty, or property by the government outside the sanction of law. The Supreme Court of the United States interprets the clauses as providing four protections: procedural due process (in civil and criminal proceedings), substantive due process, a prohibition against vague laws, and as the vehicle for the incorporation of the Bill of Rights.”

Back to that last thought for a moment. I respect your right to disagree. It’s just worth noting, the biggest problem I have with people is when they refuse to respect my right to disagree. Please allow me to NAME DROP…

When I worked in Reno, Senator Harry Reid and I had a pre-arranged Tuesday telephone interview scheduled. He was allowed to discuss one talking point, and I was allowed to ask one question. Sometimes the quick interview would turn into a conversation (mostly short ones) and then we would hang up and go about or day. The point is, I did not always agree with him, and told him that on more than one occasion. It was good for the discussion – but I did not change his mind nor did he change mine. We respectfully disagreed.

That is how is should be. Disagree all you want, but try to listen to what the other side says, then shake hands having heard them. Don’t scream and shout or shake your fist at the each other, but listen, and be ready to make your argument.