Congressman Christopher Cox Requests Congressional Hearing on CBS Memogate

Hugh Hewitt Program ^ | 9/14/04 | Hugh Hewitt

[xzins]

Article I, Section 8: To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

[Paladin2]

Rather is NOT the press (with the possible exception of the SeeBS web site).

The airwaves are regulated as the broadcasters likely do not pay the full value of the bandwidth they are allocated.

Dan Rather is welcome to print stuff out from his computer and try to hawk it and his ideas from a soapbox on any street corner.

IF the stations that carry him do not meet the standards of the community, they may not necessarily have their licenses renewed.

[Peach]

Thanks for that link!

It brings it all back. How the RNC let Clinton skate on all that is still a mystery.

Unless the answer lies in those FBI files that Hillary had. And even then, the RNC should have accepted the resignations among its membership necessary and done what was best for the country. And that was to expose the Clintons for the traitors they are.

[kidd]

I disagree.

Under Article I, Section 8 of the US Constitution, it is the role of Congress to regulate commerce between the states. CBS uses the public airwaves as part of its business. Certain standards need to be maintained to have access to those public airwaves. Those standards need to be maintained.

[TheLawyerFormerlyKnownAsAl]

Bad, ill-advised move. Can anybody who thinks otherwise cite an example of a Congressional hearing that makes you think this hearing will accomplish anything and not be counterproductive?

[jwalsh07]

Article I, Section 8: To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

Campaign Finance Reform.

[Miss Marple]

I bet you're not old enough to remember the Watergate hearings, and if you are, I will remind you of the bombshell by Alexander Butterfield that there were tapes of all Oval Office meetings.

As I said, not everyone at CBS is necessarily a Kerry supporter. Likely Republicans could be found in the computer guys, the camera guys, and clerical departments.

Dan Rather isn't the ONLY witness who could be called, you know.

[jmstein7]

BUMP!

[Rebelbase]

Thank-you, God.

[BykrBayb]

If it can be shown that Dan Ra^ther, C^BS, or someone at C^BS perpetrated the fraud, there's a case against them for fraud. Otherwise, the case is against some unknown entity. The only case against Dan Ra^ther, C^BS, or someone at C^BS is refusing to reveal a source. That's a hard case to win in court, and even harder to win in the court of public opinion, which is molded by media outlets who cherish their ability to conceal sources above all else.

[dalebert]

He better add Kerry and the DNC to that list.

[xzins]

:>)

You have a point.

Maybe reading lessons are in order before the do anything else. But that would include the courts and the executive, as well.

[Tempest]

I rather agree this is not a good thing and only serves to portray CBS as a victim and muddies the water of this fiasco they themselves generated.

[jwalsh07]

This ia a conservative website. When conservatives start pounding the desk with their shoes for 'tribunals' based on the "commerce clause" for matters that are political in nature and at best a violation of the criminal code regarding forgery I'm not gonna join in.

[steplock]

We already have laws for forgery etc ... we do NOT need more "P.C. Thought" laws where you are prosecuted for what you think rather than what you do!

We need much much LESS federal interference with our FREEDOMS!

[Hi Heels]

I don't know if this is the right move or not, but my opinion is that the MSM has made bladant attempts to sway this election, has performed as a partner to the democratic party for years with biased reporting, and it's time to do SOMETHING to stop this.

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

Just this thought: Cox is no doubt acting in concert with the WH on one front. Laura Bush speaking out today about the CBS forgery matter is a second front. She came out saying the docs are fakes. Laura is basically unassailable. I think the WH is seeing if they can do a takedown on Ol' Dan.

[Cboldt]

I bet you're not old enough to remember the Watergate hearings

I didn't follow them closely. I'm 49 now, so was 19-20 then, busy with Engineering studies, sex and beer, apolitical as could be. FWIW.

I have no doubt that Congressional hearing on the DNC./CBS collusion, the use of forged memos for political advantage, etc. would be highly entertaining, and potentially explosive. I am sure there could be many entertaining witnesses, from Rather, the Heyward, to Mapes of CBS side, to all sorts of crafty folks from the DNC and Kerry campaigns. High drama indeed.

My points are that even if CBS and the DNC work hand in hand, so what? And, I sense there are serious downside risks to bringing this circus into Congress.

[hansel]

I agree.

The story will become bid bad GOP Congress seeks to censor CBS.

When your enemy is self-destructing, do not intervene.

This could end up be played that Bush uses power of presidency to squelch criticism. Not good. Leave the government out of this one since so far the media (ABC/Fox) has done a good job of outing their own. Let them do it, it'll be more effective.

[Miss Marple]

As I see this, this is a Congressional matter because :

1. CBS is federally licensed.

2. This is an attempt to affect a federal election.

3. In addition, if the files were passed to CBS by MoveOn in collusion with the democrats, you have a violation of the 527 laws.

4. In addition, if you have CBS giving the tape of Rather's newscast to the DNC to make their little movie, and they did it BEFORE the program aired, you have illegal collusion.

Yes, this will be prosecuted in a criminal court, but not in enough time to completely discredit the lie. Congress is within its rights to do this, and I am for going forward and ALSO prosecuting.

A bonus would be if Hillary was involved in this as well.