To be added to the Murtha Watch ping list please notify myself or RedRover.
Posted on 05/04/2009 8:40:25 AM PDT by jazusamo
The most ethical Congress ever. Draining the swamp. Doing away with the culture of corruption. Insert whatever Pelosi talking point you want, Nancy appears to want to insulate federal lawmakers from being investigated
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is working to buffer lawmakers from federal investigators. This is a bad idea. Special legal protections for politicians encourage unethical conduct.
Irvin B. Nathan, general counsel of the House of Representatives, sent a letter to Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. on Monday about establishing a protocol on how to handle “hopefully rare searches and electronic surveillance involving members of Congress.” Mr. Nathan previously failed to negotiate such an agreement with the George W. Bush administration when Republicans controlled the House. His return to this effort isn’t surprising given the number of congressional Democrats facing accusations of ethical misconduct.
Democrats facing scrutiny include the chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania, for his close ties to the defense lobby firm PMA Group, which is under federal investigation; House Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel of New York about a number of tax issues; Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. of Illinois over his reported effort to persuade ousted Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich to appoint him to fill President Obama’s former Senate seat; and Rep. Jane Harman of California, who reportedly was taped in 2005 by the National Security Agency purportedly agreeing to help seek leniency for two accused Israeli spies in exchange for help in lobbying her appointment to chair the House Intelligence Committee.
Mrs. Pelosi, California Democrat, on Thursday invoked the separation of powers as justification for the move. Mrs. Pelosi, who has acknowledged being aware previously of Mrs. Harman’s controversial dialogue, claims the stance is a matter of principle. “Whether it’s invading an office or wiretapping a conversation, it’s important for us to have the separation of powers and the respect for individual liberties, again, while not harboring information that would be useful under the speech [or] debate clause,” she said.
Imagine this was, say, 2005, and J. Dennis Hastert pulled this rabbit out of the hat. Can you imagine the uproar from the media, both old and new? Now flash-forward to 2009, and try and even find the story at all the usual suspects. Pelosi is attempting to make sure that Democrats cannot be investigated for legal violations, pure and simple. Period. She forgets that elected representatives are not only not above the law, but that they should be held to higher standards.
Via Gateway Pundit, who also points to Glenn Reynolds: And don’t forget Pete Visclosky, Jim Moran, Allen Mollohan, etc. I know, I know — there are so many it’s hard to keep track!
PS: Who wants to bet that any “protections” will not apply to any Republican who so much as jaywalks?
Good post
I thought these critters weren’t supposed to be “Above the Law” ??
Special treatment for Special People ??
Should read: appears to want to insulate DEMOCRAT federal lawmakers.
I am scared congressional republicans will refuse to cry foul.
That's EXACTLY how it should read!
Tree of liberty... refreshed... blood of patriots and tyrants
There needs to be a clean sweep in DC starting with this arrogant Speaker of the House.
She wants to prohibit the police from looking in Democrat’s freezers.
To be added to the Murtha Watch ping list please notify myself or RedRover.
One thing they could argue is that the proposal is unconstitutional.
The 14th amendment states clearly "nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws".
She wants to protect her own a$$ from prosecution with some of her little deals. Hah, she’s not fooling anyone.
Agreed...I’d like to see some skeletons dug out of her closet, there’s some nasty ones there.
Jail Pelosi for Obstruction Of Justice.
Election 2010 is already under way. Start the ads against Pelosi’s corrupt Congress NOW.
bump
That whole Magna Carta thing is so 13th Century.
Soooo would I.
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