Since I get a lot of flak from those I know about not bashing the right “enough”, I’m going to take this opportunity to do just that. One of the beauties of being a libertarian.
Recently, celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti was arrested on domestic violence charges. Avenatti is not only famous for being the attorney representing Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit attempt against President Trump, but also for trying to locate additional accusers against now Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. And, predictably, Avenatti has proclaimed innocence:
I want to be clear: I DID NOT commit domestic violence nor have I ever committed domestic violence. I did not strike any woman nor have I ever. I did not strike my ex-wife in the face nor did I hit anyone else in the face. I am a decent man & I look forward to being exonerated.
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) November 15, 2018
Recently I said that we should presume Kavanaugh innocent in the face of the numerous allegations that are, let’s be realistic, impossible to prove. Yet many presumed the allegations true and demanded Kavanaugh withdraw his nomination or for Trump to pull it himself. The allegation was all they needed.
Amazing as well how no one seems to be mentioning Kavanaugh or any of his accusers much anymore. But, back to Avenatti.
It would be supremely hypocritical of me to defend due process and the presumption of innocence for everyone else and not do the same for Avenatti. I’ve said before that if you’re not willing to defend it for everyone else, why should everyone else defend it for you. So I’m going to take the high ground that conservatives appear to have so willingly abandoned and do just that: Michael Avenatti should be presumed innocent unless and until the charges against him are proven.
So why are conservatives basically presuming him guilty, in rather disgusting fashion?
In short because the Democrats were doing that with Kavanaugh. And there are numerous other cases wherein impossible-to-prove allegations have been made against other men as part of this whole “me too” fiasco. This certainly doesn’t excuse what conservatives have been doing with Avenatti. But the pattern put in motion by the left and Democrats is going to be adopted by the right and Republicans. Anything the Democrats does will become fair game.
Principles, however, should never be sacrificed on the altar of politics. Yet all too often they are. And this time conservatives are doing it.
