As Senate Republicans continue to insist that Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who has accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her as a teenager, either appear before their hastily convened reverse kangaroo court on Monday or otherwise forever hold her peace, some of the politico types who wore their best performative empathy masks when the story first came to light are growing far less shy about saying how comfortable they are with the distinct possibility that an alleged abuser and serial liar will soon sit on the Supreme Court. Which is to say: pretty comfortable, actually!

On Tuesday, Nevada senator and soon-to-be-unemployed man Dean Heller assured a reporter that it was deeply important to him and his Senate colleagues that they get to the bottom of Ford's story. On Wednesday, in a "VIP" conference call arranged by his state's Republican Party, Heller compared these disturbing allegations about the nominee's behavior to the mildest of post-meal inconveniences. From The Nevada Independent:

“I’m really grateful for the White House, for the effort of President Trump and what he has done, and the excitement that we have,” he said. “We got a little hiccup here with the Kavanaugh nomination, we’ll get through this and we’ll get off to the races,” he said.

Here is Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-Russia) at a campaign event last weekend, opining that violence against women should not disqualify one from serving as a Supreme Court justice, as long as it occurred before one could legally purchase tobacco products.

George Orwell, he was so incredibly insightful and could see what’s going to happen. But that’s the challenge you’re going to have. At least I didn’t have to deal with that. Look at right now. This guy who’s going to be our Supreme Court justice, and he better be our Supreme Court judge, he’s a perfect candidate, and what do they say? ‘Well, in high school you did this.’ High school? Give me a break!

A comedic genius in the audience then shouts out an analogy comparing attempted rape to "cutting in the hamburger line," at which Rohrabacher laughs heartily.

Meanwhile, as Judiciary Committee chair Chuck Grassley announced that his investigators were following up on Ford's claims and pledged to do "everything that we can to make Dr. Ford comfortable coming before the committee," his top judicial confirmations staffer, Mike Davis, hopped on Twitter to indicate that Grassley actually doesn't give a shit about any of this. "Unfazed and determined," he wrote. "We will confirm Judge Kavanaugh."