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Old 03-05-2018, 07:29 PM   #61
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From NY Times..........
In a statement conveyed through a publicist, Ms. Thomas confirmed leaving the message, which she portrayed as a peacemaking gesture. She did not explain its timing.

“I did place a call to Ms. Hill at her office extending an olive branch to her after all these years, in hopes that we could ultimately get past what happened so long ago,” she said. “That offer still stands. I would be very happy to meet and talk with her if she would be willing to do the same. Certainly no offense was ever intended.”

In response to Ms. Thomas’s statement, Ms. Hill said that she had testified truthfully about her experiences with the future Justice Thomas and that she had nothing to apologize for.

“I appreciate that no offense was intended, but she can’t ask for an apology without suggesting that I did something wrong, and that is offensive,” Ms. Hill said.
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Old 03-05-2018, 07:41 PM   #62
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(CNN)Former Vice President Joe Biden says he owes Anita Hill an apology for not doing more for her during confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

Biden chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee when Hill testified there in 1991. Hill said she was sexually harassed by Thomas while he was her supervisor at the Department of Education. Thomas denied the allegations, calling the questioning during the hearing a "high-tech lynching."

"And my one regret is that I wasn't able to tone down the attacks on her by some of my Republican friends," Biden said. "I mean, they really went after her. As much as I tried to intervene, I did not have the power to gavel them out of order."

Biden added that if he could do it again, he would have gone forward with a subpoena for three women, whom he had sign affidavits saying they wouldn't testify.

Perhaps NOW one of these three could open their mouth and speak their truth?
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Old 03-05-2018, 09:00 PM   #63
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Default Anita Hill Will Lead a Commission to Check Sexual Abuse in Hollywood

Tinged with a whiff of still-faraway justice, a new Hollywood commission on sexual harassment has appointed attorney and law professor Anita Hill as its chair. Hill’s story has been a symbol of cultural reevaluation lately, as her famed egregiously-run 1991 Senate Judiciary hearings beg for atonement now more than ever. (Her sexual harassment claims against then-Supreme Court Justice nominee Clarence Thomas–which were unwittingly leaked to the press–resulted in humiliating interrogation involving porn, breast and penis size, by 14 white men questioning whether she had a “zealoting civil rights” agenda in blocking Thomas’s appointment). As head of the Commission on Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality in the Workplace, Hill be leading a “comprehensive strategy” to address workplace harassment in the entertainment industry.
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Old 03-05-2018, 09:40 PM   #64
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Originally Posted by homoe View Post
I saw that article as well and found this additional info from the NY Times........

In a voice mail message left at 7:31 a.m. on Oct. 9, a Saturday, Virginia Thomas asked her husband’s former aide-turned-adversary to make amends. Ms. Hill played the recording, from her voice mail at Brandeis University, for The New York Times.

“Good morning Anita Hill, it’s Ginni Thomas,” it said. “I just wanted to reach across the airwaves and the years and ask you to consider something. I would love you to consider an apology sometime and some full explanation of why you did what you did with my husband.”

Ms. Thomas went on: “So give it some thought. And certainly pray about this and hope that one day you will help us understand why you did what you did. O.K., have a good day.”
I can't tell you how disgusted this makes me feel.
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Old 03-05-2018, 10:12 PM   #65
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I always believed her, from her first word of testimony to the very last.

I listened to both of them. Thomas was never believable.

When is Trump going to be held accountable for his "pussy-grabbing"?

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Originally Posted by Kätzchen View Post
An dear butch friend sent me the article from the magazine The New York Magazine , published on February 18th, 2018.

Remember how she testified before an senate committee before Clarence Thomas was appointed to be an Supreme Court Justice? And how back then, we had the first huge public case of sexual harassment and how her life was ruined by politicians making bargains with powerful GOP senators and pundits, to limit the scope of testimony proving the amoral behaviors of Clarence Thomas?

The article is superbly written and it goes deeper into the behind the scenes details of what happened to Anita Hill....I highly recommend reading this article for an inside look at how those in power play GOD for the day and participate in covering up behaviors, such as those of an Supreme Court judge nominee, who went on to be installed in an life long position, with his searing and hardly hidden, conservative right-leaning positions, which has altered the face of law on the books pertaining to women and women's rights.

LINK TO ARTICLE:

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer...ce-thomas.html
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"...I'm deeply concerned by recently adopted policies which punish children for their parents’ actions ... The thought that any State would seek to deter parents by inflicting such abuse on children is unconscionable."

UN Human Rights commissioner
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Old 09-18-2018, 10:22 AM   #66
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Default Anita Hill: How to Get the Kavanaugh Hearings Right

Anita Hill: How to Get the Kavanaugh Hearings Right

The Senate Judiciary Committee has a chance to do better by the country than it did nearly three decades ago.

By Anita Hill
Ms. Hill is a professor at Brandeis University.


Anita F. Hill, right, is sworn in to testify before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee on the confirmation of Judge Clarence Thomas by Chairman Joseph Biden in October 1991. Credit: Arnie Sachs/picture-alliance -- dpa, via Associated Press

There is no way to redo 1991, but there are ways to do better.

The facts underlying Christine Blasey Ford’s claim of being sexually assaulted by a young Brett Kavanaugh will continue to be revealed as confirmation proceedings unfold. Yet it’s impossible to miss the parallels between the Kavanaugh confirmation hearing of 2018 and the 1991 confirmation hearing for Justice Clarence Thomas. In 1991, the Senate Judiciary Committee had an opportunity to demonstrate its appreciation for both the seriousness of sexual harassment claims and the need for public confidence in the character of a nominee to the Supreme Court. It failed on both counts.


Ms. Hill testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in 1991. Credit: Greg Gibson/Associated Press

As that same committee, on which sit some of the same members as nearly three decades ago, now moves forward with the Kavanaugh confirmation proceedings, the integrity of the court, the country’s commitment to addressing sexual violence as a matter of public interest, and the lives of the two principal witnesses who will be testifying hang in the balance. Today, the public expects better from our government than we got in 1991, when our representatives performed in ways that gave employers permission to mishandle workplace harassment complaints throughout the following decades. That the Senate Judiciary Committee still lacks a protocol for vetting sexual harassment and assault claims that surface during a confirmation hearing suggests that the committee has learned little from the Thomas hearing, much less the more recent #MeToo movement.

With the current heightened awareness of sexual violence comes heightened accountability for our representatives. To do better, the 2018 Senate Judiciary Committee must demonstrate a clear understanding that sexual violence is a social reality to which elected representatives must respond. A fair, neutral and well-thought-out course is the only way to approach Dr. Blasey and Judge Kavanaugh’s upcoming testimony. The details of what that process would look like should be guided by experts who have devoted their careers to understanding sexual violence. The job of the Senate Judiciary Committee is to serve as fact-finders, to better serve the American public, and the weight of the government should not be used to destroy the lives of witnesses who are called to testify.

Here are some basic ground rules the committee should follow:

Refrain from pitting the public interest in confronting sexual harassment against the need for a fair confirmation hearing. Our interest in the integrity of the Supreme Court and in eliminating sexual misconduct, especially in our public institutions, are entirely compatible. Both are aimed at making sure that our judicial system operates with legitimacy.


The Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill last week. Credit: Doug Mills/The New York Times

Select a neutral investigative body with experience in sexual misconduct cases that will investigate the incident in question and present its findings to the committee. Outcomes in such investigations are more reliable and less likely to be perceived as tainted by partisanship. Senators must then rely on the investigators’ conclusions, along with advice from experts, to frame the questions they ask Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Blasey. Again, the senators’ fact-finding roles must guide their behavior. The investigators’ report should frame the hearing, not politics or myths about sexual assault.

Do not rush these hearings. Doing so would not only signal that sexual assault accusations are not important — hastily appraising this situation would very likely lead to facts being overlooked that are necessary for the Senate and the public to evaluate. That the committee plans to hold a hearing this coming Monday is discouraging. Simply put, a week’s preparation is not enough time for meaningful inquiry into very serious charges.

Finally, refer to Christine Blasey Ford by her name. She was once anonymous, but no longer is. Dr. Blasey is not simply “Judge Kavanaugh’s accuser.” Dr. Blasey is a human being with a life of her own. She deserves the respect of being addressed and treated as a whole person.


Brett Kavanaugh appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee's confirmation hearing. Credit: Tasos Katopodis/EPA, via Shutterstock

Process is important, but it cannot erase the difficulty of testifying on national television about the sexual assault that Dr. Blasey says occurred when she was 15 years old. Nor will it negate the fact that as she sits before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dr. Blasey will be outresourced. Encouraging letters from friends and strangers may help, but she cannot match the organized support that Judge Kavanaugh has. Since Dr. Blasey and Judge Kavanaugh have the same obligation to present the truth, this imbalance may not seem fair.

But, as Judge Kavanaugh stands to gain the lifetime privilege of serving on the country’s highest court, he has the burden of persuasion. And that is only fair.

In 1991, the phrase “they just don’t get it” became a popular way of describing senators’ reaction to sexual violence. With years of hindsight, mounds of evidence of the prevalence and harm that sexual violence causes individuals and our institutions, as well as a Senate with more women than ever, “not getting it” isn’t an option for our elected representatives. In 2018, our senators must get it right.

Anita Hill is university professor of Social Policy, Law, and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/18/o...gtype=Homepage
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Old 03-11-2020, 09:42 AM   #67
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Default Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 23 years in prison

Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 23 years in prison
By Eric Levenson, Lauren del Valle and Sonia Moghe, CNN

New York (CNN)Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison Wednesday in a New York courtroom.

"I really feel remorse for this situation," Weinstein said, his voice barely audible, as he addressed the court before the sentence was handed down. "I feel it deeply in my heart. I will spend my time really caring and really trying to be a better person."

"I'm not going to say that these aren't great people," he also said of his accusers. "I've had wonderful times with these people."

Weinstein wore a blank face as he was taken out of the courtroom. His accusers cried together in the front row.

Weinstein, 67, arrived to his sentencing hearing in a wheelchair and handcuffs. The former movie producer faced between five and 29 years for last month's convictions on first-degree criminal sexual act and third-degree rape.

Judge James Burke sentenced Weinstein to 20 years in prison for first-degree criminal sex act and 3 years in prison for third-degree rape. The sentences will run consecutively and both come with 5 years of supervision after release.

The charges were based on testimony by Miriam Haley and Jessica Mann, who both spoke at Wednesday's sentencing.

"If Harvey Weinstein had not been convicted by this jury, it would have happened again and again and again," Haley told the court. "I'm relieved he will now know he's not above the law. I'm relieved there are women out there who are safer because he's not out there."

Weinstein's statement came as a surprise

Weinstein's comments in court Wednesday were unexpected. In general, defendants planning to appeal a guilty verdict or who face other charges do not speak at sentencing because what they say can be used against them, according to Michelle Simpson Tuegel, an attorney who has worked in criminal defense.

Weinstein also said he believed the relationships with women who spoke out against him were consensual, specifically mentioning Mann. "I really, really was under that impression that I had that kind of relationship, five years with Jessica," he said.

Haley, Mann and the four other women who testified against Weinstein at his trial -- Mann, actress Annabella Sciorra and three "prior bad acts" witnesses -- arrived to court with prosecutors and sat in the front row. Actress Rosie Perez, who testified in support of Sciorra's claims, walked in with them and sat in the second row.

Weinstein was acquitted of two more serious charges of predatory sexual assault, which could have come with a life sentence.
Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzzi-Orbon on Wednesday asked Burke to sentence Weinstein to the maximum or near the maximum sentence, with the sentences served concurrently.

Defense attorneys have asked that he get the minimum possible sentence: five years. Anything more than that is "basically the death penalty," defense attorney Arthur Aidala said, citing Weinstein's health and age. He called him a "broken down man."

Weinstein has been in state custody since the verdict and has had several health issues. He had a heart procedure last week during which doctors inserted a stent, and on Sunday he fell while at Rikers Island jail, his publicist Juda Engelmayer told CNN.

Victims describe how Weinstein changed their lives

In court before the sentence was handed down, Haley broke down crying Wednesday during her victim impact statement as she described being assaulted by Weinstein.

"I believe that when he attacked me that evening with physical force, with no regard for my cries and protests, it scarred me deeply -- mentally and emotionally," Haley said.

Haley said the past two years have been excruciating, filled with paranoia and fear of retaliation daily. And while testifying against Weinstein was difficult, it did help Haley process what happened to her, she said.

Haley felt Weinstein showed a lack of remorse or acknowledgment for his crimes, she said, and she asked the judge to consider a sentence "long enough for Harvey Weinstein to acknowledge what he has done."

Mann minutes later asked Burke to impose the maximum sentence for rape in the third degree, with sentences served concurrently.

Mann wants the "gift" of knowing exactly where Weinstein is at all times, she said, adding she hopes he'll be rehabilitated in prison.

"Twelve people found Harvey unanimously guilty of raping me. That is not an easy task," she said.

Mann also referenced drug charges that she said carry longer sentence recommendations than third-degree rape.

"How am I not worth more than cocaine?" she said.

Weinstein also faces felony charges of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by use of force and sexual battery by restraint in Los Angeles. Prosecutors say he raped one woman and sexually assaulted another in separate incidents over a two-day period in February 2013.

Weinstein has not yet turned himself in or been arraigned on the California charges.

He has denied all allegations of "nonconsensual sexual activity" related to the New York case and other claims made against him.

Defense asks for 5 years in prison

Illuzzi-Orbon on Wednesday referenced the submitted sentencing memo that she said detailed additional accounts of victims of Weinstein's abuse and show his lack of human empathy, selfishness, and a life rooted in criminality. One assistant told prosecutors Weinstein threatened to kill her and her entire family, Illuzzi-Orbon said.

The prosecutor also described the glamorous lifestyle Weinstein lived as a giant of the movie industry.

"He got drunk on the power," Illuzzi-Orbon said. "Young struggling dreamers were not real people to him."

Illuzzi-Orbon read a profile of Weinstein given to hotel employees in which they were cautioned, "Do not go near the car. Do not speak at him. Do not look at him. Stay away."

Illuzzi-Orbon thanked the six women who testified against Weinstein and thanked them for attending the sentencing hearing.
She also thanked the news media for its coverage. And she thanked Burke, noting that the trial lasted a week longer than anticipated.

Illuzzi-Orbon also noted Weinstein's significant legal representation, saying she thought his defense team made every reasonable argument it should have and could have made on his behalf.

The Manhattan District Attorney's office argued in an 11-page court filing last week that Weinstein should receive a sentence that "reflects the seriousness of defendant's offenses." He led a "lifetime of abuse towards others, sexual and otherwise," prosecutors argued, and they highlighted three dozen uncharged incidents and accusations.

"Starting in the 1970s, he has trapped women into his exclusive control and assaulted or attempted to assault them," Illuzzi-Orbon wrote in a letter.

However, Weinstein's defense attorneys requested a five-year prison sentence, the minimum for his criminal sexual act conviction, according to a sentencing letter provided by his spokesman.

His attorneys wrote that Weinstein's personal charitable giving, advanced age, medical issues and lack of a criminal history should lead to a lower sentence. They wrote that his life "has been destroyed" since the publication of an article in The New Yorker in October 2017 that alleged systemic abuse of women in the entertainment industry.

"His wife divorced him, he was fired from The Weinstein Company, and in short, he lost everything," the attorneys wrote.
The attorneys also cited the "collateral consequences" he continues to face.

"Mr. Weinstein cannot walk outside without being heckled, he has lost his means to earn a living, simply put, his fall from grace has been historic, perhaps unmatched in the age of social media," according to the letter signed by attorneys Damon Cheronis, Donna Rotunno and Aidala.
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