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Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, the anthropomorphized loaf of stale bread resigning after this term, made clear his disgust over an Instagram post from Donald Trump Jr. mocking Christine Blasey Ford, the California professor who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when the two were in high school.
Trump's oldest son posted a fake "sexual assault letter found by Dems," written in crayon, that says, "Hi Cindy, Will you be my girlfriend?" The letter is signed, "Love, Brett."
The shockingly unfunny joke is a reference to the letter Ford sent Senator Diane Feinstein (a Democrat from California) in July raising her allegation that Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed, groped her, and covered her mouth during a high school party in the early 1980s.
Always ready to pounce on Trump and company for daily breaches of decency, Flake tweeted his dismay the next day, calling Trump Jr.'s joke "sickening."
This is sickening. No one should make light of this situation. pic.twitter.com/G7rlT3IKTQ
— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) September 19, 2018
Flake's denouncement is unsurprising. Just as unsurprising: His moral indignation only goes so far as doing exactly what the Republican establishment wants him to do.
A day before his criticism of Trump Jr., Flake tweeted that he wants to rush a vote to confirm Kavanaugh.
When Dr. Ford came forward, I said that her voice should be heard and asked the Judiciary Committee to delay its vote on Judge Kavanaugh. It did so. I now implore Dr. Ford to accept the invitation for Monday, in a public or private setting. The committee should hear her voice.
— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) September 19, 2018
Flake said this despite a previous statement that he would vote "no" if Ford didn't get a chance to testify first. Flake wavered when Ford requested an FBI investigation of her claims before appearing in front of Congress. Democrats support an FBI investigation of the claims, and Anita Hill wrote an op-ed saying such a step would be necessary to ensure Ford gets a fair hearing.
As New Times chronicled in July, Flake's modus operandi is getting mad when Trump or one of his allies says something heinous only to shrivel up when asked to actually do something about it. It's his essence.
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