OPINION:
Remember when Senate Democrats, Hollywood A listers and their media shills decreed that we must always “believe women?” Well, apparently that’s over now. Tara Reade’s sexual assault accusations against Vice President Joe Biden have forced them to change the narrative exposing what we always knew was a cynical plot against U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Concerned Women for America (CWA), the organization I lead, had leaders from around the country present for every second of the now infamous Kavanaugh confirmation hearings. We saw Alyssa Milano in her “Believe Women” sash, supporting Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. She was one of the most vocal supporters of the #Metoo movement (though not the only one by any stretch) and adamant that we must believe women. “I believe survivors. No on Kavanaugh,” read the sign she carried around.
The evidence didn’t matter to them. Justice Kavanaugh was guilty from the beginning — even before an investigation. And certainly after, though no new information surfaced. Remember, Justice Kavanaugh had undergone, not one, not two or three, but six background investigations before being nominated to the Supreme Court. There was nothing to back up Dr. Ford’s claims. The people who Dr. Ford said were with her at the alleged party denied ever being there with her. Those were her friends. And she did not remember anything else. She did not remember the exact date or the place. Nothing backed up her story.
Still, we must “believe women,” charged the left. Ms. Milano even demanded we believe the now-discredited Michael Avenatti and his client Julie Swetnick with their bizarre allegations — which she later denied by the way. “If these women, all three of them (Julie Swetnick as well),” she told leftist CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, “if they were all lying, why is he not, you know, maybe threatening with a claim of defamation?” That was the twisted standard they set. Justice Kavanaugh was guilty until proven innocent, which is, of course, impossible to overcome because you cannot question victims. That’s victim shamin.
But all it took for Milano and Company to back down from their “high moral standard” was for the leading Democratic presidential candidate, Vice President Joe Biden, to face allegations of sexual assault. Allegations that came with significantly more evidence than there ever was for Justice Kavanaugh, by the way.
Appearing in Andy Cohen’s SiriusXM radio show, Ms. Milano now says, “We have to sort of societally change that mindset to believing women, but that does not mean at the expense of not giving men their due process and investigating situations, and it’s gotta be fair in both directions.”
There you have it. The “believe women” cry against Justice Kavanaugh was a fraud. It was an insidious political ploy that exploited victims of sexual assault to defeat a political enemy. It hurt victims of sexual assault, of which I am one. I have never witnessed a more unfair process for victims and the accused than what they put Justice Kavanaugh through. And now they step back and ask for fairness for Mr. Biden? They have no credibility.
As I told Tucker Carlson at the time, we must care about justice in these types of cases, the “believe all women” standard is not real (is not just), and it hurt victims. I am glad the left is finally re-discovering due process, but it seems once again it is only politically expedient at this time, and there is no real commitment to it.
Innocent until proven guilty is applied only to those who abide by their leftist political beliefs and thrown out the window the minute they no longer need it. Victims are not part of the equation, only used when needed. Feminist Linda Hirshman’s New York Times op-ed is revealing. She says she believes Ms. Reade and will still support Mr. Biden.
I am glad we see some, like Rose McGowan, calling out the left’s hypocrisy, but it is time for women to truly stand up for victims and justice by refusing to be exploited by the left. The media, in general, is part of the problem, so we cannot rely on fair coverage. We need to stand up for ourselves and refuse to be used.
This should not be a partisan issue. It is a justice issue. Women from all political persuasions should stand together on that.
• Penny Nance is CEO and president of Concerned Women for America.
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