As reported here, the House of Representatives threatened the Justice Department with budget cuts after the FBI raided - with a legally obtained, court ordered, search warrant, mind you - the Congressional offices of Rep. William Jefferson (D - LA). That threat was apparently countered by threats of resignation by top Justice officials, including AG Gonzales and FBI Director Mueller.
"After the raid, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill, lodged a protest directly with Bush, demanding that the FBI return the materials. Bush struck a compromise Thursday, ordering that the documents be sealed for 45 days until congressional leaders and the Justice Department agree on what to do with them." [Emphasis mine]
"House leaders acknowledged Friday that FBI agents with a court-issued warrant can legally search a congressman's office, but they said they want procedures established."
They want "procedures established"? I have news for the House 'leaders' - there already are procedures in place. The way it works is, during an investigation (in this case, possible bribery/corruption charges against Rep. Jefferson), information obtained during the investigation leads the investigators to believe that there is probable cause that more information that will help the investigation may be available to them at the subjects residence or place of work, or both. They then take that information and present it to a judge, and asks for a search warrant. Then, if the judge deems the probable cause aspect is legitimate, then issues said requested search warrant, which the investigators then serve on the subject.
Most Legislators are lawyers, right? Then, why don't they seem to understand these procedures for obtaining a search warrant, and conducting a search? Is it that they want to be informed of a pending search beforehand, so they can get rid of any potentially incriminating evidence? Sure seems that way to me.
The fact that the 'House leaders' seem to see themselves as above getting the same treatment by investigators as ordinary citizens - and remember that our nation is based on equal treatment by the law - by having "special procedures and protocols" put in place just for them, is the height of arrogance on the part of these people, and extremely repugnant.
Former Republican Rep. Bob Barr has a few choice words for the 'House leaders' as well.
Robert F. Turner has something to say about this, as well, and he's just as incensed over the 'House leaders' obvious attitude that they think they are above the law, as I am.
1 comment:
I'm just outraged at how our illustrious leaders (GAG!) think they are above the law.
There is a video of Judge Napolitano going up against a Republican Congressman named Gohmert (sp?) on the Fox News site. The Judge did a pretty good job, in my opinion, of explaining the separation of powers clause. Fox put the clause up on the screen. The Republican guy sounded just like somebody that was trying to protect their behinds. He kept talking about "confidentiality of constituents". Well, yeah! I'd say that Jefferson is a little worried by now about the confidentiality of HIS constituents, since he got caught red-handed taking bribes!
I loved what Bob Barr said about Dennis Hastert and him trying to see how he blow the polls for Republicans even more. I got a pretty good chuckle out of that. He's exactly right, too, in my opiniohn.
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