Posted on 05/23/2006 5:57:29 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
I thought he might have done so with a couple of his judicial nominees who have worked for the Solicitor General - which would therefore include info about what the govt discussed during certain cases. And .. in those instances - I felt the EP was appropriate.
But .. Clinton used it for everything - and of course the media agreed with him - but now claims BUSH IS SECRETIVE.
Actually Hastert's website welcomes all feedback; however, due to standing principles within the House he will not contact you for follow up if you are out of his district. When I sent him my feedback I did thank him for listening to my voice.
What about when the Justice Dept. took Senator Creep "that stole kisses and copped feels" from Washington....HIS DIARY!!!! I didn't hear ANY screaming about exposing a man's DIARY!!
I guess the next time someone wants to shoot up the Capitol, the congressmen can handle the situation. I hope the Capitol Police are on their lunch break.
The White House has used executive privilege in regard to VP Cheney's energy task force meetings. Some folks wanted to know what was said in private meetings between oil execs and the VP. The White House won before the SC on this issue. If there were evidence of some criminal wrongdoing, then there would be an issue, but folks just wanted to know everything about the meetings.
Bubba used executive privilege to thwart investigation of his "private sex life." The courts did not favor him. He had to comply with Ken Starr's subpoenas on multiple occasions even though he claimed executive privilege. Some things are private.
Well, speaking Constitutionally, isn't Speaker Hastert third or fourth in the chain to become POTUS in the event that the POTUS or VPOTUS become incapacitated?
He must answer to his constituents AND the folks in the HofR who made him Speaker. So maybe angry folks ought to contact their own representatives and make their voices heard that way.
Since the Constitution vests total authority over Washington, D.C. in the Congress, does that mean Congress can pass a law giving it the power to search the White House from top to bottom to come up with evidence of wrongdoing? It is in D.C., after all, and that is a literal reading of the Constitution.
Answer: of course not.
I just wish the Founding Fathers had thought of a principle to deal with situations like this. They could have called it "separation of powers" or something.
The fuss was actually retalliation from the Clinton cabal - because Hillary's task force on healthcare was exposed. However, the difference was HILLARY WAS NOT AN ELECTED OFFICIAL OF THE GOVT - she was ONLY the wife of the President.
It's just the same old double standard.
You are correct ..!!! In fact .. he was a repub so he didn't have any rights anyway. [I don't need a tag do I]
I don't think that our Founding Fathers EVER EVEN thought that our world and country would turn into the garbage pit it has turned into. They could not possibly have even hoped to dream that such crap, garbage, trash, socialism, communism, hate, cheating, stealing, rape, murder, incest with young children, porn on the web, in magazines, on TV, in PUBLIC, could possibly EVER happen. It was something they would not have even have allowed to be dreamed in their minds. They thought the country to be pure and clean and good. Unfortunately, one day the ENTIRE world went mad and we have been paying for it ever since. The world today, in my humble opinion, is a billion light years away from the time when our Founding Fathers created this Republic. As the WROTE it,DREAMED it, FOUNDED it, CREATED it, NURTURED it, and made it WORK, all that has been deleted by liberal courts and the US Congress and other presidents. It has all be changed, destroyed, deleted, edited, etc. The Constitution as FIRST WRITTEN not longer exists on the books in my opinion. It has been replaced by the garbage of the courts and current and past corrupted congress and presidents.
Interesting and tell attempt at "Defense". Rather than answer the charges, just claim that police have no jurisdiction over the congress/ruling class.
Anyone still believe that more than a few congress critters don't see themselves as nobility?
Poor idiot Republicans. Denny Hastert really knows how to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Republicans could have just stayed quiet on this matter, and simply said "we have nothing to hide in our offices."
Republicans could have let the Democrats complain about the raid, making them look even more guilty. Instead Republicans got out in front of the Democrats on this, creating a perception of the powerful protecting the powerful and Congress being above the law, and at the same time making Jefferson and the Democrats look like victims of the eeeeeeevil Bush administration, and Republicans, by proxy.
What could have been a story of Democrat corruption all summer long and right up to the election will now be a story of "unconstitutional" raids by the Bush administration. The media has managed to make terrorists at GitMo "victims" of Bush, and thanks to House Republicans, they will do the same of poor little William Jefferson.
Well way to go Denny! It was nice knowing you as Speaker.
Well, the Congress can subpoena the White House. They must rely on the executive branch to comply with the subpoena. If the White House does not want to comply, then the White House can take it to court and let the chips fall where they may. Law enforcement lies with the executive. If Congress believes that the executive is failing in its duties, then the Congress can bring up articles of impeachment.
In this case, the Congress has made laws that the executive branch via the FBI is attempting to enforce. The charges are felonies, and the FBI went to the judiciary for a warrant. All lawful. If the Congress wants to exempt its members and all the property of its members from any felony charges, then I suggest Congress make an AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION. As it is, they sound like they believe they are above the little people. How often are the offices/workplaces of suspected felons searched in pursuit of evidence of the felonies?
The narrative of the Jefferson case is now going to be "Corrupt Congressman's Office Raided, Top House Republicans Outraged, Fear They May Be Next."
What could have knocked down the Democrats' charge of a "culture of corruption" has instead reinforced it.
Unbelievable.
You should probably read up a bit on the founding fathers. Skip over George Washington. Concentrate on Gouvenour Morris (sp?) and some of his exploits. He wrote the Constitution.
Read some Thomas Payne stuff. He imagined corruption. So did Jefferson. It's up to the people to do something about it.
The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.
However, I believe that there is also nothing in the Constitution about "executive privilege" and that courts have upheld certain forms of executive privilege in the past based upon a separation of powers argument. The Justices may be concerned about having their own offices searched some day. So, I think it is highly uncertain how the Supreme Court will rule. If there is an "executive privilege", then why not a "legislative privilege" and a "judicial privilege"?
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. I believe the administration's action is constitutional and will be upheld by the court, but given the reaction of both Hastert and Boehner, it sounds like it was unwise to do so without greater consultation with the majority leadership.
At least the Dims and the Reps agree on something... if you want to hide evidence of a crime, the Senate offices are sacred and the place to do it. And...if the FBI decides to (finally) take on and ferret out corruption in the law making bodies, the law making bodies will take on the FBI and make life very miserable. After all who really wants to KNOW their government (both parties) is truly corrupt and without scruples?
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