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Mr. Luddite[_4_]

On 9/28/2018 9:41 PM, wrote:
On Fri, 28 Sep 2018 15:39:24 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 9/28/2018 3:20 PM, Keyser Soze wrote:
On 9/28/18 2:24 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote:

Almost fell of my chair laughing as Lindsey Graham was trying to
explain to reporters the surprise and unexpected request of Jeff Flake
in which
he agreed to vote in committee to recommend Kavanaugh to the full
Senate for confirmation but requests a FBI investigation, not to
exceed one week and limited in scope to existing allegations before
the Floor vote takes place.

Lindsey's line as he departed was ... "and someone has to go explain
this to Trump".

Funny stuff.

No one in the Senate has to explain anything to Madman Trump.

They do if they want him to direct the FBI to conduct this
one week, limited investigation someone has to explain why.
I don't know if the Senate can order a FBI check on their own.

Trump is seemingly starting to listen to his advisers. He
has backed off a bit in his rhetoric regarding Kavanaugh and
had all kinds of kind words for Ford. He's learning slowly
how to be a politician.

I think it may be correct that the executive branch has to direct the
FBI but I am sure it does not to be the president every time they do a
background check or that was the only thing he would be doing. "Mr
President, Seaman Luddite needs access to the crypto room so we need
you to sign this order for a background check when you get a chance"
or "Harry is buying another gun, we need to check him out again".
I am sure the Attorney General could direct it and that usually means
some faceless bureaucrat citing a standing order.

I don't think anyone even suggested that the POTUS has to authorize
all background checks. The gun permits and security clearance checks
are a standing, general policy, not something like in the unique case
of a nominee for the SCOTUS or other high level federal jobs.

In the case of Kavanaugh, my understanding is that the DOJ makes the
formal request to the POTUS to authorize the check.