Slander

I’m no lawyer, but I have long had the vague understanding that slander could legally be argued to begin with a claim which cannot be proven by the accuser, or disproven by the accused.  It is something which is manifestly injurious, which cannot be resolved by the person being attacked by any means other than a protestation of innocence, which may or may not be believed, which may or may not help.

Put another way, injury can be done to innocent people, for which there is no legal recourse.  This is not a satisfactory state of affairs. I grant that for public officials the standards may need to be a bit different, but not so different that anyone can say anything any time without any evidence, and without any consequence, at least as far as things like confirmation–which deal directly with character–are concerned.

Kavanaugh did not deserve this.  He may not be the solid conservative I want, but he is certainly qualified for the job, and did nothing to warrant being run through the ringer.

It would likely be very politically imprudent but I wonder if Kavanaugh could sue Ford for defamation of character.  That used to be a thing, back when all sides believed there WAS such a thing as character, and back when half the populace was not being driven into hysterical rages by a relentlessly mendacious and hyperpartisan media.