Justice Brett Kavanaugh was never on trial, but you’d never know it to read the transcripts of his confirmation hearings in 2018. Uncorroborated allegations of sexual misconduct from decades earlier leveled against the then-judge were treated as hard, cold facts by the Democrats on the Senate Judicial Committee. The committee members’ unspoken motto during that kangaroo session was “guilty till proven innocent.”
It appears that myopic and unconstitutional viewpoint still obtains for Democrats, who a year after Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the high court are still calling for his impeachment.
Nor is this blatantly unfair policy limited to members of Congress. The liberal court of public opinion rushes to the same hasty judgment in matters of race.
Will this presidential election be the most important in American history?
Take, as an example, a case currently in the news. As the Associated Press reports via USA Today, a Florida man has been sentenced to ten days in jail for having failed to report to court on the first day of a trial for which he had been selected to serve on the jury. In addition, the judge sentenced the man to 150 hours of community service, including having to make 10-minute presentations to prospective jurors on the importance of jury duty.
The man’s only excuse for having missed his 9 a.m. deadline is that he overslept, not waking until around 11:30. ” It was almost time to head to his afternoon job so he didn’t bother going to the courthouse or calling the bailiff. He just hoped it would all just work out.” It didn’t.
Some are arguing that the punishment was too severe, which it well may be. In fact, since the story was first reported, the judge has vacated his ruling, effectively clearing the man of any criminal record.
Others have jumped to the conclusion that the man, whose named is Deandre Somerville, is being made an example of because of the color of his skin. Here’s legal analyst Chelsea Handler.
10 days. He’s spending the same amount of time in jail that parents who committed college bribery are spending. Why? Because he’s black. https://t.co/WKHzFgiuej
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) October 6, 2019
Handler’s proof that the judge, John Kastrenakes, is racist? She don’t need no stinking proof.
But is there evidence to the contrary? Perhaps an answer can be found in the judge’s written order:
Kastrenakes wrote in Monday’s order he did “not want even a finding of contempt to be gleaned from perusal of his background or record.” He said he found the 21-year-old to be “a thoughtful and respectful young man” who cares deeply about his family.
Kastrenakes did address the critique from the national conversation about whether this was a fair punishment for missing jury duty.
“The court also knows that it would have punished anyone who behaved the way Mr. Somerville behaved in the same manner,” Kastrenakes wrote.
The judge went on to say because of the “abundant publicity surrounding Mr. Somerville’s case, I have concluded that the importance and seriousness of a sworn juror abiding by the law has been made clear.”
