So why would trump nominate Kavanaugh in the 1st place?

[OAITW r.2.0]

Because he is as compromised as Trump is. Different situation, same reason. He needs someone who is as compromised as he is to save his ass on the Supreme Court. Trouble is, we now know what Trump had on Brett....there should be no doubt why this gang-banger was promoted to the Supreme Court.

[dalton99a]

1. Criminals don't like to hire normal people

[Cartaphelius]

2. To run out the clock....

[donkeypoofed]

3. Because of his stance on not indicting sitting president

That's the only reason and is why Spanky is taking the allegations as a threat to his future (who cares about Bratt,not Spanky that's for sure). It's also why Bratt vaulted over all the other names on the list because Spanky needs him.

[onenote]

7. Do you think that Trump couldn't find anyone else who takes that position?

The fact Kavanaugh takes that position only matters if four other Justices take the same position. And if four other Justices take that position, why would anyone assume that Kavanaugh, and only Kavanaugh, is the only person that they could find to take that position. After all, the assumption must be that Gorsuch also takes that position, along with Thomas, Roberts, and Alito.

So they may have needed a fifth vote for that outcome, but there is nothing so unique about it that it had to be Kavanaugh.

[Dulcinea]

19. Agreed.

There's more to it than that. Kavanaugh joined a country club that he can't afford, has a house that he most probably can't afford, and apparently had a ton of gambling debts that mysteriously disappeared. I don't know if his wife works or not. But, follow the money.

[MountCleaners]

20. His wife makes $60,000 a year

...working for the city of Chevy Chase.

[NanceGreggs]

4. Because Kavanaugh ...

... has stated that he believes a sitting president should never be investigated for any reason.

Of course, he had the opposite opinion when he was working with Ken Starr investigating Bill Clinton.

[BeyondGeography]

5. Probably liked his hair

or something deep like that.

[regnaD kciN]

6. Because he was a major exponent of "unitary executive" theory under Dubya...

There are lots of judges who could be counted on to enact the Republican agenda. None of the others would offer Trump the assurance of allowing him to shut down judicial proceedings against him and his family, even to the extent of allowing him to pardon himself (and, as some have suggested, to invalidate an impeachment and conviction, even though SCOTUS has no constitutional oversight of that process).

Basically, while Republicans like Kavanaugh because he’ll overturn Roe and same-sex marriage, Trump needs him to fulfill his dream of being virtual emperor.

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

8. Exactly. Well said. eom

[RockRaven]

9. Probably 3 things are most relevant

1) Trump promised to overturn Roe, it was absolutely a mainstay of his campaign -- and will be of his re-election bid. Kavanaugh dissented in the case where the Trump admin tried to force a immigrant minor detainee to gestate when she wanted an abortion (and the court majority ruled she had to be allowed the requisite medical care). Back when Trump campaigned, Kavanaugh wasn't on his list of 20-some potential SCOTUS nominees. Some time after this ruling, Kavanaugh was added to the list, as he was there the next time anyone reported who was on it, so that suggests this ruling may have contributed to his addition.

2) While a super-enthusiastic participant in the Starr investigation, once GW Bush became POTUS all of a sudden Kavanaugh was super-opposed to special counsel and independent counsel. I'm sure that quick and absolute 180 had nothing to to with Fitzgerald/Plame/Libby/Cheney/Bush/etc. In other words he is a hyper-partisan hack, who will decide matters on executive power and special counsel in a manner which is explicitly inconsistent, hypocritical, and GOP friendly.

3) He appears, based on just the records which the GOP has not succeeded in burying, to engage in inappropriate substance abuse, inappropriate gambling, inappropriate sexual aggression, inappropriate physical aggression. Donald Trump prefers to have deeply flawed people around him because it is easier to influence them than others.

[world wide wally]

12. Also, the SC is going to be hearing a case on whether State Laws can be pardoned by the Prez

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

13. 4) Gamble v. United States

Right now the President can't pardon someone who is found guilty of a state crime. If the Appellate court's decision on Gamble is reversed -- which it probably will be, given Kavanaugh's predisposition for unlimited presidential power -- then Mushroom Dick can pardon his kids, even if the NY AG gets guilty verdicts re: the Trump Organization and the Trump Foundation.

Also, concerning Kavanaugh's lie about Roe being "settled law," Plessy v. Ferguson -- which held that school segregation was okay under a "separate but equal" standard -- was settled law until it was overturned by Brown v. Board of Education. So his assurances about Roe -- which Collins readily accepts -- are complete and total bullshit.

[onetexan]

11. Kav is willing to do his bidding

[OhNo-Really]

14. Passed loyalty test with flying colors.

[populistdriven]

15. Putin owns Trump and Kavanaugh

Putin owns both Trump and Kavanaugh

[leftyladyfrommo]

16. He owes Kennedy's son. Kennedy agreed to retire

if Kavanaugh would replace him.

Didn't work out very well. Trump and GOP look like misogynist monsters and Kavanaugh may end up getting disbarred.

I wonder what Kennedy thinks about this now?

[deminks]

17. Who paid his debts? (Russia)

chaos, upended precedents, insecure future rulings, paid for protection for the orange mafia. Pootey is having wet dreams. IMHO.

[Vogon_Glory]

18. They Forgot To Check His Personal Background

Donnie’s bunch only screened Kavanaugh for his ideological views and his legal and judicial records. They probably thought that they were immune from the intense scrutiny that judicial nominees Democrats put forward receive. They’ve been given the IOKALAYAAR treatment by their fellow Rethugs and the lamestream corporate media for so long that they weren’t expecting this blowup.

Considering that Kavanaugh was part of the crew trying to remove Bill Clinton from office, IMO, it’s karma coming around.

[eppur_se_muova]

21. Cohen, 45's "fixer", is no use to 45 anymore. Kavanaugh is his new fixer-to-be.

The Reich wing of the GOP wants to populate the SCOTUS with a majority of "fixers", so their agenda will be declared the law of the land, no matter how contrary to the Constitution or the rule of law.