Time for Congress to reopen its own jail? (2007)

NJ.com ^ | 7/23/07 | Frank Askin

[Count of Monte Fisto]

It seems that the House Judiciary Committee is considering seeking the help of the Justice Department to enforce contempt citations against Bush Administration officials such as Joshua Bolton who refuse to respond to Congressional inquiries into alleged White House wrongdoing. That would be a mistake.

Such a strategy leaves Congress beholden to hostile Executive branch officials to enforce its prerogatives on exactly the type of charges that the administration said this week it would not allow officials to pursue. The strategy would also allow President Bush to pardons his underlings should they ever be indicted and convicted.

Yet under historic and undisturbed law, Congress can enforce its own orders against recalcitrant witnesses without involving the Executive Branch and without leaving open the possibility of Presidential pardon.

[Count of Monte Fisto]

And old article but vital information in light of the recent (in)action Congress has taken against Lois Learner. Asking Holder to prosecute Learner for contempt is a useless waste of time and completely unnecessary.

[RIghtwardHo]

Oh yes. Let’s give that inept group of idiots a prison.

No. I don’t care the reasons for it.

[virgil283]

Good Stuff Count..."The distinction between criminal and civil contempt is well recognized in the law. They are normally distinguished by the nature of the sanction imposed. The punishment for criminal contempt is a set fine or jail term. A civil contempt punishment is framed in terms of either-or: either the defendant do X or suffer daily consequences until X is done. That concept is often explained by the aphorism that "the defendant has the keys to the jail in his own pocket." He can free himself by obeying the court order. (The jailing of New York Times reporter Judith Miller for refusing to answer questions during the Scooter Libby investigation is a recent example........Imprison Lerner until she talks?....

[zzwhale]

Lois Lerner leads to the white house..... LET’S GO

[Count of Monte Fisto]

Oh yes. Let’s give that inept group of idiots a prison.

Its not a matter of giving them the power because they already have it. They just refuse to exercise it.

[Secret Agent Man]

Can we put Holder and Lerner in there first? Jarrett? Hillary? “What difference does it make!!!!!”