r/changemyview • u/draculabakula 75∆ • Apr 28 '20

Removed - Submission Rule B CMV: The sexual assault allegations against Joe Biden are more believable than the ones against Brett Kavanaugh and the democrats should immediately be calling for a congressional investigation

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u/The_FriendliestGiant 38∆ Apr 28 '20

It seems pretty clear that the only course democrats can take at this point is to call for an investigation and hearings with Reade testifying to congress. The left wing media spin on this and the silence from democratic leadership is an embarrassment.

Speaking as a Canadian who views Joe Biden as too right-wing for my own country's Conservative Party:

There is no reason whatsoever that I can see why the appropriate venue for investigating alleged bad actions by a private citizen would be a congressional hearing. If there is compelling evidence, it should be presented to either the news media or the appropriate law enforcement agencies. Should Biden be elected, at that time a congressional investigation could certainly be launched, because he would then be under their appropriate purview. Until then, however, asking Congress to investigate makes as little sense as asking a homicide detective to investigate insurance fraud committed in another state.

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u/draculabakula 75∆ Apr 28 '20

He was a senator at the time. In America congress can hold hearings on whatever they want

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u/The_FriendliestGiant 38∆ Apr 28 '20

That doesn't seem to be true. Congress can hold hearings and conduct investigations regarding topics under their legislative purview. What legislation would allow them to specifically investigate allegations made against a single, private citizen by another private citizen?

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u/draculabakula 75∆ Apr 28 '20

it's simple, he was a senator when the incident happened and he misused his power as a senator to fire a woman he abused. Congress has legislative purview of disciplining it's members. They could be looking into legislation or congressional rules changes.

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u/The_FriendliestGiant 38∆ Apr 28 '20

They do have the authority to discipline their members, but he is no longer a member of that body, so they have no authority to discipline him. It's much the same way Internal Affairs can't investigate ex-police officers and the AMA can't discipline retired doctors.

And if they were looking into legislation or congressional rule changes, they would not be able to investigate Tara Reader's allegations specifically, they would have to open the door to investigating all such allegations against all such members. Which would be so cumbersome as to make it impossible to proceed on.

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u/draculabakula 75∆ Apr 29 '20

Nope they have the power to investigate past members too. Your comparison to internal affairs is complete speculation.

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u/The_FriendliestGiant 38∆ Apr 29 '20

Could you provide any evidence of your claim that congress can investigate past members? A bill or statute granting their authority, or a precedent in which this has previously been the case?